Medicinal Monday - Multi- Purposed Pine Nuts

As we are in holiday mode with the winter solstice behind us it is always interesting to learn how Native Americans celebrated these cold winter months. According to a recent article in The Smithsonian, the Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico mark the winter solstice as their New Year. It is haamaaha when stories are told and people arrive with piñones or pine nuts to share. The piñones nut comes from the Pinus Edulis tree that has a rich medicinal history. 

About Pinus edulis or Twoneedle Pinyon

The pinyon or pinon tree grows in southwestern North America, primarily in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah.  This tree can grow up to 65 feet tall with a tapering trunk up to 24 inches in diameter. The bark is brown-red in color, the needles are bundled in two and the seed cones are ellipsoid in shape and yellowish to red-brown in color.  Seed cones mature in two years and seeds are ellipsoid shaped and brown in color.

Only the seeds of the pinyon pine are known as pine nuts or piñones and only the trees of this genre produce seeds large enough to be a source of food. These nuts have been harvested since about 600 CE but were never a staple food source because harvests occur every two to seven years.

In 1878, the famous naturalist, John Muir reported that Native Americans knocked cones off pinyon trees and stacked them putting brushwood on top and set them on fire. Burning them scorched off the sticky resin coating on the cones and loosened the seeds. Each pinyon cone produces ten to thirty seeds that could be stored for two or three years in pits. 

Medicinal & Ceremonial Uses

In addition to enjoying the nutritional value of the nuts of this tree, it also has a long list of medicinal uses. The pitch was used for skin problems and cuts. The Apache use heated pitch to remove facial hair, the Hvasupao, Hopi, Keres, and Tewa use a poultice of melted gum on small cuts, and the Zuni use powered resin mixed with lard for skin infections. The Apache and the Navajo Ramah burn the needles and inhale the smoke to treat colds. Pulverized dry buds are used to treat earaches. Needles are eaten along with an infusion of twigs by the Zuni and Apache White Mountains to treat venereal disease.

The Hopi applied gum to their foreheads to protect them against sorcery,  the Navajo painted pitch all over their bodies and used the pine needles in a ceremonial "War Dance" and the Navajo Ramah used a decoction of wood and needles as a ceremonial emetic. The Navajo spread pitch on the forehead and under the eyes of people in mourning, and the Hopi of Arizona put pitch on hot coals and used the fumes to smoke people and clothes after a funeral.

Culinary & Practical Uses

Native Americans found ways to use virtually every part of this tree.  The nuts were a valuable food source and were eaten both raw and roasted.  They could be ground into flour and made into cakes, or gruel that was mixed with berries.  The Havasupai of Arizona put pinyon sprigs into cooking pots to improve the taste of meat. Pinyon wood is valuable for house construction because it is resistant to wood-eating beetles. Furniture such as cradles, tools, and toys are made from the wood of this useful tree.

Did You Know

The Pinyon hay takes its name from this tree that forms a very important part of its diet.

The Pinus Edulis is the State Tree of New Mexico.

The children of the Kawaiisu tribe in California wore cracked pine nut shells as ear ornaments.

The pinus edulis pitch was used in making dyes, paints, gluing turquoise jewelry and waterproofing baskets.

Winter Games, Stories, and Crafts Institute for American Indian Studies December 22, 28 and December 29

Recognizing art and crafts, as an intrinsic and essential element of Native American life, the Institute for American Indian Studies is hosting a series of programs December 22, 28, and 29 designed to foster a better understanding of the artistic and oral history of Native American culture.

If you have kids and are looking for an engaging activity in December, head to the Institute for American Indian Studies on 38 Curtis Road in Washington, CT to participate in this series of programs that are sure to entertain and educate. Best of all, these programs are free with the price of admission; $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $6 for children.

On Sunday, December 22 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., the Institute’s Educational Department has organized an afternoon of craft programs that will encourage self-expression. At these workshops, kids will express their creativity by learning about the world that surrounds them and connecting to Native American culture that offers thousands of years of history right in their own backyard. A highlight of this program will be to make a Native American themed holiday ornament.

After the hustle and bustle of the holidays, on December 28 and 29 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on each day the Institute has organized a special program that will feature traditional Native American games such as snow snake, snow boat, hoop and pole, keeper of the fire, and eagle eye. A special series of craft activities sure to help instill a sense of achievement and pride in children includes creating items such as cornhusk dolls, buzzers, or beading that kids can take home. One of the most looked forward to activities is storytime. Native American stories recount the history of indigenous people and are told to educate children about cultural morals and values. These stories offer valuable life lessons that are multigenerational, multicultural, and timeless.

About The Institute for American Indian Studies

Located on 15 acres of woodland acres the Institute For American Indian Studies preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. They have a 16^th c. Algonquian Village, Award-Winning Wigwam Escape, and a museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present that allows visitors to foster a new understanding of the world and the history and culture of Native Americans. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT.

Medicinal Monday - Solstice Gathering of Red Willow Bark

The holiday season is upon us and winter solstice is around the corner. Winter Solstice has been acknowledged in different ways by various cultures throughout the world including Native Americans. December 21 is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and many Native Americans have different solstice traditions that include dance, storytelling, and plants.  The Assiniboine/Sioux of South Dakota, for example, used this time of year to gather red willow bark.

About Red Willow Bark
Cornus sericea is a species of dogwood that are generally found throughout northern and western North America including Connecticut. It is a deciduous shrub that grows six to twelve feet high and thrives in wetland areas. This dogwood usually blooms in May and June and produces small white flowers that grow in clusters.  The dark green leaves are about 2-4 inches long and grow opposite from one another; they turn bright red to purple in the fall. When this plant is left unattended it grows to create thick vegetation near the water in the form of dense thickets. The fruit is a small white berry.

Winter Harvesting 
The bark and twigs of the Red Willow tree are reddish to purple and after the leaves have fallen, the branches turn a deep burgundy color. The proper way to harvest this tree is during the winter "after the last thunder" that refers to the fact that the tree's sap is now located in the roots.  In the winter, cansasa or red willow tastes the best. When harvested properly, the root will be left intact so the plant will survive.  Only the bigger branches are cut, so the smaller ones can grow and be cut later.

The outer bark is shaved off in a long strip revealing a green film that is also stripped off. A pile of shavings from the wood is dried by hanging it or laying it out to dry. The aroma of this wood is sweet and woodsy.

Medicinal and Ceremonial Uses

Some Plateau Indigenous tribes ate the berries to treat a sore throat. The Cree in Hudson Bay used a decoction of the bark to treat colds, coughs, and fevers. The Thompson considered the fruit as a tonic to promote health and is used to treat intestinal worms. A decoction of this plant combined with squaw current branches, fir or tamarack was used as a baby bath. Wild roses and the branches of the red willow and chokecherry trees were combined and used to treat digestive problems.

The Ojibwa would smoke the bark for various ceremonies. Known as cansasa in Lakota, the inner bark was smoked as traditional tobacco and sometimes mixed with other plants. To the Lakota, this plant was smoked during various ceremonies to show respect or give spiritual protection. It was also shared with close friends and family to promote kinship.

Did You Know...

The dogwood family is considered an ornamental tree in landscaping because of its spring flowers summer foliage, and fruit.

Sericea means silky and describes the texture of the leaves.

Whitetail deer, songbirds, insects, and rodents eat the summer fruit of this tree.

This tree is frequently used for waterway bank erosion because the roots provide excellent soil retention.

For This Years Gift - Give An Experience – Wigwam Escape

Why give just a gift when you can give an experience...one that will take participants back centuries in the award-winning escape room – Wigwam Escape at the Institute for American Indian Studies located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut.

In an immersive woodland setting with no locks, keys, cell phones, computers, or clocks. Wigwam Escape's thematic puzzles challenge game players to hunt and gather, find water and prepare food similar to how Native people did hundreds of years ago. 

This highly acclaimed escape room was a feature pick for Yankee Magazine’s Travel Summer Guide and awarded  “2019 Connecticut’s Best Escape Room” by Connecticut Magazine. This extraordinary escape room was also a recipient of the prestigious Award of Merit 2019 from the Connecticut League of History Organizations. 

Wigwam Escape is the perfect gift for people that enjoy an adventure that challenges and educates at the same time. Best of all it provides a chance to bond with friends and family while using your puzzle-solving skills to beat the clock and escape the room.

Escape Room gift certificates are available online at . https://wigwamescape.org/book-now/ This is one gift that friends and family will be talking about for years to come!

About The Institute for American Indian Studies

Located on 15 acres of woodland acres the Institute For American Indian Studies preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. They have a 16^th c. Algonquian Village, Award-Winning Wigwam Escape, and a museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present that allows visitors to foster a new understanding of the world and the history and culture of Native Americans. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT.