When burned, limber pine releases a sweet smell making the tipi a very pleasant place to dwell. During the Sun Dance, “the Good Tree” was used to make shade arbors where its pleasant smell protects the dancers so that no evil can befall them. According to Grant Bulltail, things that smell good are very important to the Crow. They don’t hunt or use mountain goat for their hides or meat because they find the odor of goat to be so unpleasant. They prize limber pine for its pleasant smell.
The Crow make a tea out of limber pine, which they take “like vitamin pills.” The sap of the tree can be chewed like gum – and with the addition of cottonwood seeds will promote the health of gums and teeth. When its cones are ripe and brown, they can be thrown into a fire causing the cones to open allowing the roasted seeds to be easily removed and eaten.
You may also be interested in:
Creeping Juniper Creeping juniper promotes the health of everything, even plants and trees. As an anti-congestion agent,…
Heart Mountain Pipe Ceremony Grant Bulltail led a pipe ceremony to help Apsáalooke (Crow) tribal members rebuild their connections…
Black Hawthorn The addition of these berries, flowers, or sometimes leaves to food prevented or at least…
Great Basin Wild Rye Buffalo Grass or púppau, is the Crow name for great basin wild rye which is…
