Medicine (General)

Native American medicine is a expansive field with a long history, and it varies greatly among the different tribes. For a more comprehensive list refer to the book "Indian Herbology of North America: The Definitive Guide to Native Medicinal Plants and Their Uses" by Alma Hutchens. It is an illustrated encyclopedic guide to more than two hundred medicinal plants found in North America, with descriptions of each plant’s appearance and uses, and directions for methods of use and dosage. Each tribe has its own unique practices and techniques. It is important to respect and understand these diverse uses. This list does not constitute medical advice. The legal status of these substances varies by location, so it is important to be aware of local laws.

Select Medicinal Plants and a brief on their uses:

· Tobacco: It is shared as a gift, an offering to elders, healers, and the creator. It symbolizes harmony & peace among those that share it with each other and their creator.

· Cedar: Cedar wood has antioxidant, antibiotic, and anti-inflammatory properties and can be used to purify your home. It has restorative uses when mixed as a tea, where it can aid in fighting infections.

· Sage: Known for its fragrant, cleansing smoke, sage has been used for centuries in Native American smudging ceremonies. It's believed to clear negative energy and purify the environment and the spirit.

· Yarrow (Achillea millefolium): This fragrant flowering plant has been used all over the world since Ancient Greece. They began using it to stop excess bleeding. It is said the Greek hero Achilles used it on his wounds, hence the name. Pioneers and aboriginal people applied this on open wounds and cuts as a poultice made from the leaves to help clot the blood.

· Sumac: This plant can be used for multiple medicinal remedies, but it is one of the only plants that the healers used in treating eye problems. A decoction from sumac was used as a gargle to relieve sore throats or taken as a remedy for diarrhea.

· Blackberry: The Cherokee used this plant for treating an upset stomach. They used blackberry tea for curing diarrhea and soothing swollen tissues and joints.

· Rosemary: Native American tribes considered this plant sacred. They used it mostly as an analgesic for alleviating sore joints.

· Mint: The Cherokee used to make mint tea to soothe digestion problems and help an upset stomach. They also made a salve from the leaves to relieve itching skin and rashes.

· Red Clover: This plant has been used by healers for treating inflammation and respiratory conditions.

· Black Gum Bark: The Cherokee used to make a mild tea from the twigs and black gum bark to relieve chest pains.

· Peyote (Lophophora williamsii): This small, button-shaped cactus is native to Mexico and the southern parts of the U.S. It has been used by over 40 tribes in North America and Western Canada in sacred religious ceremonies. The psychoactive element in peyote is mescaline, which is used in a very spiritual way. Indigenous cultures believe that it has a vast number of health benefits for the body. They may use peyote to treat a number of ailments, from snake bites and wounds to systemic problems such as diabetes, skin conditions, and general pain.

· Cannabis: Native American tribes have been early practitioners of herbal medicine, and cannabis found its place among the array of medicinal plants used by tribes across the continent. It was used for treating pain and inflammation, addressing spiritual maladies, and was a versatile tool in the hands of indigenous healers. The deep knowledge of medicinal plants, including cannabis, was passed down through generations, forming an integral part of traditional healing practices.

· Ayahuasca: This is a South American psychoactive brew, traditionally used by Indigenous cultures and folk healers in the Amazon and Orinoco basins for spiritual ceremonies, divination, and healing a variety of psychosomatic complaints. It is part of many local medical systems and used for healing, divination, and spiritual communication. The brew enables healers to enter altered states of consciousness to diagnose and treat illnesses, communicate with spirits, and receive guidance from ancestors.

· San Pedro (Echinopsis pachanoi): This is a thin, columnar cactus native to the Andes mountains in South America and contains mescaline, one of the longest-studied psychedelics in the world. San Pedro has been an important element to the spiritual ceremonies of various indigenous cultures for thousands of years. In the context of these ceremonies, the San Pedro experience is known for being empathogenic (similar to MDMA) and potentially life-changing, promoting radical introspection, healing, and a sense of wonder and awe. Traditionally, San Pedro has been consumed either on its own or with other plants in a ceremonial brew called cimora. While its use as a psychedelic is technically illegal in the US, the plant itself can be found decorating yards and gardens across the country. It can also be found in abundance at the witches’ markets of Peru (as San Pedro or Huachuma), Bolivia (as Achuma), and Ecuador (as Aguacolla or Gigantón). San Pedro has a rich history of sacred shamanic use. It has been used to treat various ailments such as cancer, diabetes, hepatitis, fever, paralysis, problems with joints, high blood pressure, cardiac diseases, burning kidneys, and bladder to name a few.

Medicinal Techniques:

· Healer or Shaman: They facilitate the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being and healing of tribal members.

· Use of The Medicine Wheel or Healing Wheel: It's a sacred symbol used in Native American culture to represent all knowledge.

· Medicine Bundles: A collection of items such as stones, herbs, and ritual objects held by the healer that may be used in sessions or kept as a symbol of their status as healer/medicine man.

· Dancing, Movement, and Singing: These are used as healing tools.

· Nature Harmonizing Therapy: This involves aligning oneself with the natural rhythms and cycles of nature.

· Massage and Energetic Therapies: These techniques are used to facilitate physical relaxation, emotional release, and spiritual alignment.

· Shamanic Journeys and Walkabouts: These are used for mental/emotional well-being.

· Healing Ceremonies: These include various forms of sweat lodges and other methods meant for private audiences.