Nanabozho, the Original Man of Anishinaabe legend, was given specific instructions by his Creator: to walk through the world so that every step he took was a greeting to the Earth. In the East, he met Tobacco and learned that the Earth would be his greatest teacher. In the South, he met Cedar, and learned his responsibility to protect life on Earth. In the North, he met medicine makers who gave him sweetgrass and taught him compassion. Finally, he met Sage in the West and learned about the balance of creation and destruction. As he traveled, he learned how to live in the world by watching animals and plants. Kimmerer proposes Nanabozho as a model for Indigenous living.

Although she encourages settlers to learn from Indigenous legends, she knows they cannot become Indigenous. The plant known as White Man’s Footstep offers a model for settlers to become Indigenous. Brought to America by European colonizers, the plant has become naturalized to its new ecosystem.

Kimmerer and her botany students embark on a five-week research trip at Cranberry Lake Biological Station. Kimmerer leads her students in the construction of a traditional wigwam, requiring them to work together and take advantage of individual strengths such as height and flexibility.