three sisters

English

Etymology

A calque from an Iroquoian language, compare Mohawk áhsen nikontatenò:sen,[1] Oneida áshʌnaɂtekutahnú·tele,[2] and Onondaga ahsę́ naˀdegųdęhnų́·dæ·ˀ.[3]

First attested in 1850 in the context of Iroquoian mythology (see quote below). Use in reference to the plants themselves first attested in the 1890s (see also below).

Noun

three sisters pl (plural only)

  1. (US, Canada, agriculture, horticulture) The combination of maize (corn), pole beans (Phaseolus vulgaris or climbing beans, string beans, etc.), and squash (i.e. pumpkin), especially when planted together in intertwined plantings.
    • [1892, William M. Beauchamp, “Iroquois Stories”, in The Iroquois Trail, or Footprints of the Six Nations, […] ‎, Fayetteville: H. C. Beauchamp, →LCCN, page 128:
      One beautiful idea relates to the corn, beans and squashes, all indigenous plants which are called three sisters as well as their life or supporters. The thought is a happy one, for they grow together, and were always important in Indian life.]
    • 2012, Gail Damerow, The Perfect Pumpkin: Growing/Cooking/Carving, Storey Publishing, →ISBN, page 56:
      The three sisters work together as companion plants in many ways. Growing wide-spreading pumpkin vine among vertically oriented corn and beans saves space.
    • 2012, Kathleen O’Dwyer, Breathing Blue: Giving my life to Spirit and Spirit to my life, AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 151:
      She gave me specifics on what to plant and the layout of the garden. Traditional Native American plants, heirloom varieties only, no GMOs allowed. Use the three sisters approach for planting corn, squash and beans, ilito onions would ring the interior of the fence and sunflowers would stand tall.
  2. (obsolete, Iroquois mythology) The spirits or gods of corn, beans, and squash considered collectively.
    • 1850 December 14, “The Iroquois Confederation”, in Evert A. Duyckinck, George L. Duyckinck, editors, The Literary World‎, volume 7, number 202, quoting Lewis H. Morgan, League of the Ho-dé-no-sau-nee, or Iroquois, New York, page 474:
      Perhaps the most beautiful conception in the mythology of the Iroquois, is that in relation to the Three Sisters, the Spirit of Corn, the Spirit of Beans, and the Spirit of Squashes.
    • 1895, Dorothy Tanner, “The Things of the Garden”, in Legends from the Red Man's Forest‎, Chicago: A. Flanagan, page 69:
      They used to tell of three sisters who lived in the gardens, and watched over the corn, beans and squashes. We know that these vegetables live in the same soil; and the Indians said it was because the three sisters loved to be together, and never quarreled.
  3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see three,‎ sisters.

See also

References
  1. Brenda LaFrance (1999) “The Three Sisters”, in James W. Ransom, editor, Words That Come Before All Else: Environmental Philosophies of the Haudenosaunee, Rooseveltown: Native North American Travelling College: “Áhsen Nikontatenò:sen, the Three Sisters, are central to Rotinonhsyón:ni cosmology and culture from before our creation as human beings.” as quoted in Jennifer E. Brant (n.d.) “Tyonhnékwën: Our Sustenance”, in Bay of Quinte Region‎, archived from the original on 2023-12-22, retrieved 2024-01-07
  2. “Traditional Oneida Oopening Prayer of Thanksgiving”, in Tsyunhehkwa Center‎, 2024 May 9, archived from the original on 2001-04-15: “Áshʌnaɂtekutahnú·tele ne· tyohʌ́htu neɂ akwe·ku kakhwa kʌ́tho ohwʌtsyá·ke. […] Three sisters, beans squash and corn, are the leaders of all food here on earth.”
  3. Hanni Woodbury (2003) “Ahsę́ Naˀdegųdęhnų́·dæ·ˀ (6N)”, in Onondaga-English/English-Onondaga Dictionary‎, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, →ISBN, Onondaga-English dictionary, page 235

Further reading
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