02/03/2026
Our way of hunting and harvesting has always been about sustenance, never sport. We take from the land as relatives, not resources, with gratitude and restraint so that the animals, plants, and waters continue to thrive for the generations to come.
Today, sustaining a family also means meeting the realities of modern life. At times this includes responsibly selling a portion of what we harvest so we can pay rent, heat our homes, and care for our families. This is not a move away from subsistence; it is an evolution of it. The purpose remains the same: to provide what is needed to live, without waste or excess, and always in balance with the natural world.
Whether food is shared at our own tables or exchanged to meet essential needs, our harvesting is guided by kinship, reciprocity, and respect.
Learn more about these values here:
https://nipmuc.gov/kinship-reciprocity/
And more about our aboriginal hunting and fishing rights here:
https://nipmuc.gov/community/nipmuc-aboriginal-hunting-fishing-rights/
Kinship reciprocity is the Nipmuc way of understanding and practicing land stewardship. It reflects our living responsibilities to care for the land, water, and all other beings as relatives, not resources. Rooted in relationships of mutual respect and care, kinship reciprocity means tending to the....
