Sanura’s Journey to Farming:
Honoring the Dreams of her Ancestors
Sanura, a farmer, dreamer, and Earth weaver, gracefully tends to the land in the unceded territory of the Ohlone people. Her journey blends ancestral dreamwork with a passionate dedication to land stewardship, offering a wealth of deeply rooted wisdom in caring for the Earth.
Pictured above is Sanura Dewa in red overalls & a black top in front of the fence
Sanura expresses prayers of gratitude to God, the ancestors, and Mother Earth before beginning our conversation on her journey into land stewardship.
On a chilly, autumn evening the final quarter of 2023, Sanura and I gathered, sharing warm laughs while dreaming up ways to reclaim our roots in nature’s bounty through the collective remembrance of practices passed down by our ancestors. Our lively discussion began the bedroom of my home in West Oakland. That evening, we convened as soil sisters & kindred spirits, paying homage to the the wisdom, protection, and care of those who stewarded our land stewardship journeys.
Who walks with you on your path to freedom?
After leaving behind the overwhelm and inauthenticity of Wall Street’s corporate capitalist ladder, Sanura Dewa transitioned from the chaos of Wall Street to pursue her farming dream in the welcoming Bay Area of CA, a city rich with nature and people that resonated with her purpose. This lush gardenscape would come to root the budding land steward in growth, curiosity, and limitless possibilities for joy, groundedness, and belonging.
Image of Sanura gazing softly at the persimmon she is gently grasping in her left hand
Sanura shares her journey to land care & the experiences that led her to the on the path she is on today.
During the height of COVID, tucked away in a Buddhist Center just a few minutes shy of UC Berkeley campus, she experienced a profound encounter with her ancestors facilitated by plant medicine.
Through a powerful plant journey within that first week she, guided by her matriarchs in the spirit realm, rediscovered her multi-dimensional nature and recalled her purpose on Earth.
Like a seedling pushing through the fertile ground, her next steps arose from beneath the deeper layers of her being. The embodied “yes” and “well done” from her ancestors gave her the confidence to serve her community as a farmer, herbalist, and home-maker.
“Finding environmentalism and land work saved me. It really liberated me & taught me so much.”
-Sanura Dewa
Sanura’s journey is an ode to her mamas and grand mamas mamas - to stirring pots of warm, delicious meals with babies on their backs, sweeping the compound, chewing up the herbs, making medicines, all while receiving their loving support and guidance to continue down her path no matter what. For along the way, she'll meet the very people and mission-aligned work that has fed and will continue to nourish her body, heart and soul.
Picture of Sanura working on her knees as she tends to the tomato vines in the hoop house
Sanura discusses her dream of creating a house for people returning home from prison, with a focus on healing, wellness, & land stewardship.
Today, Sanura tends to the unceded Ohlone land across local farms and community-empowered initiatives rooted in transformative justice and healing throughout the region.
She also celebrates her journey by curating creative community gatherings, baking cannabis and herb infused goodies, and sharing her curative powers to neighbors and homies across the Bay. As a care-taker and entrepreneur with her home and pet sitting business, Divine Dwellings, she brings the same land-based love and care into her clients’ homes with warmth and playfulness
When we heed the calling of our ancestors, we give birth to all that we are meant to be and become in this life.
Catch some snippets of our ancestral gathering below, from thee most epic plant medicine experience I've ever heard on personal account, to the dreams she is sowing alongside her kindred P & P *plant + peep* spirits:
Sanura reflects on her ancestors & connection to the spirit world, sharing an epic personal journey with plant medicine
Sanura discusses her idea of creating farm hotspots for folx who to stay on the land while they are traveling, with reference to Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower
Digging Deeper
Dive into the many ways you can support Sanura and her sustainable endeavors at this time *Forthcoming*
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Photos Courtesy of American Geographical Society Library, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
