Plants
Wild Plants are often categorized as Edible or Medicinal. In the Native American sense this division may not be as clear as food often IS medicine. Collection of food must be accompanied by a spiritual element of thankful offerings or prayers or it may not be fit as food or medicine. Some medicines are purely spiritual such as the “smudge” or smoke from smoldering juniper or sage used in purification or sacred healing ceremonies. We have no equivalent in modern medicine but many modern drugs derive directly from the chemical components of traditional native plant medicines.
Medicine is thought of as a pill or liquid tincture we take to treat a pain or cold symptom etc. In native traditions plant medicine was often put into a stew, soup or tea. The aspirin tablet we swallow with a gulp of water was originally derived from willow bark. Indians simply throw a pounded strip of willow bark into the soup bowl or hot tea for the same anti-inflammatory effect. The chemistry and the effect are the same.
Information about Habitats
