Sweet Red Saguaro Fruit
David Denny
July 1, 2023
Saguaro fruit blessing

Where do you place yourself? How does it taste? In our latest Fire and Light podcast, “A Taste of Place,” Tessa Bielecki and I share a taste of the Sonoran Desert as we savor picking saguaro fruit with guidance from Tohono O’odham neighbors. We relish the physical act of picking fruit with a traditional tool and preparing it to eat. And we ponder the spiritual meaning of the sticky red fruit for native communities. In gathering the fruit, the Desert People call down clouds that release life-giving monsoons in July.

Tessa's saguaro fruit harvest and David Levin reaches high to pluck saguaro fruit.

Tessa displays our saguaro fruit harvest; David Levin lifts his saguaro-rib pole to pluck fruit that I catch in a plastic bucket.

I loved being part of this sacred ritual. It includes a prayer of thanksgiving before eating the first fruit of the season. Then you dip your finger into the sticky pulp and make a red mark of blessing over your heart. Read Tessa’s account of our fruitful adventure here. And take a moment to ponder: How does your land nourish you?

David Denny tastes ripe saguaro fruit.

In the closeup at the top of the page and again here,  I proudly wear the red badge of blessing over my heart.

Listen to Fire and Light wherever you get your podcasts or find links here.

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