Kat High, a Hupa Tribe descendant and long-time Topanga resident, on Saturday will share traditional indigenous ecological knowledge about native plants from a spiritual and cultural perspective in “Roots and Regeneration with Kat High,” an in-person event at Pasadena’s Arlington Garden.
Between 10 and 11:30 a.m. High will be demonstrating the many uses of prickly pears that grow in Arlington Garden and are abundant in most North American dry areas.
The prickly pear, whose scientific name is Opuntia ficus-indica, is a member of the Cactaceae cactus family, with wide, flat, green pads or paddles. These paddles, commonly called nopales, are edible and served in Mexican salads, egg dishes, tacos, and soups. The prickly pear fruit is usually made into jams and often used in drink mixes.
High will be demonstrating how prickly pear is prepared as food, and demonstrating how to propagate the plant from cuttings.
Participants may bring their own jar or container to take home some of the food and drink from prickly pears. High is a specialist in cultural and environmental education. She was former director of the Hahamongna American Indian Cultural Center and a board member of the Gabrielino/Tongva Springs Foundation, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the American Indian Scholarship Fund of Southern California. She is a videographer, a recording engineer and a member of the Topanga Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).
Arlington Garden is a climate-appropriate, habitat garden offering learning, inspiration, and enjoyment for all. Supported by the community, the garden is free and open to the public year-round.
To register for the event, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/prickly-
For more information, call (626) 578-5434 or visit www.arlingtongardenpasadena.
