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