Who are the 3 Sisters?
The three sisters are corn, beans, and squash. They are the staple foods for the Haudenosaunee. The Haudenosaunee planted the three sisters together. This was very wise. The women would form a mound or hill from the soil. They would plant the corn. Once the corn came up they, planted pole beans around the base of the corn stalk, then they planted squash at the foot of the beans and corn. The three sister grew well together. The corn provided a place for the pole beans to climb. The beans roots gave off nitrogen which feed the corn plant, while the squash grew all over the mound. The squash leaves kept the moisture in the mound. Together the three sisters looked out for each other and help each other grow. When the three sisters are harvested, a prayer and ceremony is held for them thanking them for growing and feeding the people.
