Pawnee Seed Preservation Project in Oklahoma continues to grow Oklahoman In 2021, the Pawnee Seed Preservation Project continues to grow and capture the interest of people across the country and the globe. Deb Echo-Hawk, the project's director who is known as the "Keeper of the Corn," said a story in The Oklahoman that chronicled the project's mission drew attention from people in numerous other states, as well as outside the U.S.in places like Mexico and Africa. She said COVID-19 put a pause on some elements of the preservation project, but she has hopes that will change over the summer.