Hudson Valley Bee Habitat was deeply honored to be invited to create a bee habitat arbor that serves as the welcoming threshold into the Akwesasne Seed Hub at the Hudson Valley Farm Hub in Kingston, NY.

“Seeds produced here are grown in support of seed and food sovereignty efforts in Akwesasne. Harvests return home to their people and provide seeds to plant the next season.” -Hudson Valley Farm Hub

We consulted with Mary Arquette and other tribal leaders on the design for the arbor. At their request, we created the arbor to take the form of the Hiawatha Belt, a symbol of the five nations of the Haudenosaunee living peacefully together. The arbor provides native solitary, native bees sanctuary in locally harvested hollow stems and wood cavities housed in the Hiawatha Belt forms. We constructed the arbor using cedar and birch bark harvested locally.

We see the diversity of life thriving together in the seed garden as beautifully congruous with the symbolism of the Hiawatha Belt. As one passes beneath the arbor into the garden, we hope they enjoy a moment of pause and reflection upon our interconnection with the soil, air, water, sunlight, species, and community that sustains us. We are deeply honored to contribute our hands, hearts, and art to help indigenous seeds thrive.