We have no words to describe the silent movement beneath the earth that causes a mushroom to appear in the morning. Last night, it wasn’t there. This morning, here is a creamy white umbrella? Alien space ship? Group of fairies?
There
is no word in English to describe this creation of vegetation. English, with all its nouns lacks the
descriptive power to name the action of a mushroom appearing. It’s a force which causes mushrooms to appear
overnight. Not even in science, botany,
etc. is there a term, vocabulary, noun, or action verb to describe this
mystery. Scientific language defines
many terms, but this particular action is beyond its grasp.
Only
in Native American is there a word.
Leave it to Native Americans, who lived so close nature to hear that sound of a mushroom being
created under the earth. The word is “Puhpowee.” It means “rising,” “emerging,” responding to
the spirit.
I
learned this word from the book, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall
Kimmerer. She is a Native American who
is a botanist, scientist and professor.
This is a book of short stories about nature that she has learned from
her elders. She writes beautifully. I am
enjoying her mystical history of nature.
She writes like a poet with metaphors of images of cedar trees, wild
strawberries, maple syrup, and the fragrance of sweetgrass. These images are staying with me as I read
and I hope will be a permanent picture in my mind, for a long time.
