| The tradition of herbal medicine has | | | | the causative agent of the disease or |
| always been strong in North America, | | | | because they looked like the part of the |
| thanks to the pooling of European and | | | | body affected. This compares with the |
| Native American skills during the 18th | | | | medieval Western Doctrine of Signatures, |
| and 19th centuries. Friendly Native | | | | where plants are named for their |
| American tribes shared their profound | | | | resemblance to body parts and used in |
| knowledge of healing with the first | | | | remedies for that part. We know more |
| European settlers and introduced to them | | | | about Cherokee medicine and herbal |
| countless hitherto unknown medicinal and | | | | repertoire than any other Native |
| culinary herbs. Many herbs are | | | | American traditions because their great |
| particularly useful for women's | | | | chief Sequoia developed a form of |
| problems, notably squaw vine and blue | | | | written language that was used to record |
| cohosh, both uterine tonics. | | | | rituals, prayers, and medicinal remedy |
| The settlers in their turn brought with | | | | recipes. The Cherokee believed that |
| them the seeds and roots of their most | | | | illness was caused by the spirits of |
| valuable herbs, which took hold and | | | | dead animals, revenging themselves on |
| flourished in their new environment. The | | | | human hunters, or by malcontented |
| religious sect called the Shakers lived | | | | spirits or ghosts. Diseases were named |
| by agriculture and were also the first | | | | for their causes not their symptoms. |
| white Americans to grow and sell herbs | | | | Illnesses were cured by rubbing boiled |
| in commercial quantities. | | | | herbs into the patient's skin or blowing |
| The Native Americans of Canada, the | | | | dried herbs over them through a cane |
| United States, and Mexico based their | | | | pipe. Singing and ritual formulas were |
| concept of natural medicine on the Great | | | | also important. |
| Spirit, and on the Medicine Wheel, | | | | Much of Native American healing centered |
| within which we are all born and travel | | | | around purification, not just of the |
| on life's journey. The Wheel is made up | | | | body but also of the spirit. Heat was |
| of the Four Directions, each with its | | | | considered a great purifier, and "hot" |
| particular qualities and energies. Herbs | | | | herbs were often administered to induce |
| are thought both to guide and to assist | | | | violent vomiting. Sweating out toxins in |
| in healing. | | | | the "sweat lodge ceremony" was central |
| The Native Americans of the northeast | | | | to curing disease and maintaining |
| recognized herbs to cure sore eyes, skin | | | | health, and also purified the body in |
| problems, abdominal complaints, and lung | | | | preparation for enlightenment. Fresh or |
| disorders, among other ailments. When | | | | dried herbs were burned during the |
| they gathered the woodland herbs in high | | | | ceremony and the smoke was considered to |
| summer, the medicine men would begin by | | | | provide a link with the spirit world. |
| offering tobacco to the Four Directions | | | | Sage was a particularly important herb, |
| of the Wheel and to the sky and earth. | | | | and was believed to be especially |
| Herbs were gathered after ritual prayers | | | | sacred. |
| and promises not to take more than was | | | | For modern Native Americans who live on |
| needed. | | | | reservations, the use of herbs and other |
| The Cherokee of the southeast recognized | | | | traditional methods of healing remains |
| more than 100 types of medicinal herb. | | | | vitally important and is still preferred |
| Some were used because they resembled | | | | to conventional medicine. |