Medicinal Monday - Beautiful and Boreal Balsam Fir - Tea and More

Native Americans believe in the interconnection of all creation. They practice their healing arts in ways that include the natural world, the mind, body, and spirit. Long before Europeans arrived Native Americans knew how plants could be used for wellness and for healing from their keen observation of the natural world around them. One tree they found medicinal uses for was the Balsam Fir.

About Balsam Fir
This evergreen is native to the boreal forests of North America.  It grows in Connecticut and ranges as far west as the Canadian Rockies and as far south as the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia. This is a medium-sized, shade-tolerant evergreen that has an average height of sixty feet. It spires up conically ending in a narrow crown. The needles are flat and have two distinctive white stripes on their undersides. The bark is smooth and covered in resinous blisters that are aromatic. The cones grow to four inches long. 

Medicinal Uses and Other Uses
Algonquian communities use every part of the Balsam Fir tree - the needles, roots, inner bark, and even the resin. Roots are gathered and seeped in water and applied to relieve pain from rheumatism. An infusion of needles is used as an antiseptic to treat sores and wounds. A decoction of the root mixed with balsam sap is taken to treat kidney pain. The Ojibwa use a decoction of the balsam fir to induce sweating and as an expectorant to relieve soreness of the chest due to coughing. The Chippewa use the gum of the balsam fir as an analgesic for headaches, sore muscles, and coughs. 

The Micmac brew a tea from the buds and cones to administer a laxative and the Algonquin brew a similar tea made of balsam twigs and needles to ease the birth process. The tea is high in vitamins A and  C.

In addition to its medicinal use, the balsam fir was used in the sweat bath of the Ojibwa and the Penobscot used boughs of this tree to construct wigwams.

Did You Know...
Today, many people use the balsam fir as a Christmas tree.

The Passamaquoddy called this tree Poo-pooka-wigu, the Chippewa called it A'ninandak and the Penobscot called it Bopu'k hawe'k

Moose and whitetail deer eat the foliage and chickadees, squirrels and porcupines eat the seeds found in the pinecones.

A balsam fir resin was used in the Civil War to treat external injuries.

Native American Winter Survival Techniques February 1 @ Institute for American Indian Studies

Modern resources, gadgets, apps, and technology – we all use them to make our lives easier. But what if we didn’t have all of them to rely on? Native American communities living in Connecticut managed to live quite comfortably through the harsh New England winter. They spent the summer and fall preparing, storing, and foraging for winter by using a multitude of natural resources that are key to surviving in the winter.

On Saturday, February 1 at the Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington Connecticut beginning at 1 p.m. join museum educator, Griffin Kalin to learn how to find shelter, make food, and stay warm when the weather is cold and your resources are diminished. An unusual highlight will be a demonstration of how to tan a hide in order to make leather for clothing. This program on how to survive in the Eastern Woodlands without twenty-first-century technology is fun, informative and thought-provoking. Best of all, the Winter Survival program is free with the price of a modest admission – adults $10, seniors, $8 and children $6.

Participants will learn how to start a fire in the snow, how to find food in the forest, and how to make a shelter from the natural environment. This is an immersive experience for program participants because they will actually visit the 16^th century replicated Algonkian village on the grounds of the Institute that is composed of several wigwams, a longhouse, a fire circle, drying racks, and the dormant of this summer’s three sisters garden. It is exciting as well as an engaging experience that is suitable for all ages. The experience will make you feel as though you have stepped back in time as you explore the forest and learn the ways of the Eastern Woodland Indians.

To participate in this event be sure to dress warm and wear appropriate footwear because some of this program will be outside. This program is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for children; members of the museum are free.  In addition to this program, entrance to the museum with its fascinating exhibits and wonderful gift shop featuring locally made handcrafted Native American art, crafts, and jewelry among other items is also included.

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 the 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 - Fascinating Fireweed!

This is a tall showy wildflower that grows throughout North America. Traditionally the young shoots are collected in the spring by Native American because of its many medicinal uses.

About Fireweed

Fireweed thrives in open meadows, along streams, roadsides, and forest edges. In some places, it is so abundant that it can carpet entire meadows with brilliant pink flowers.  This hardy perennial is a member of the Primrose family that can grow from four to nine feet high. The leaves are narrow and scattered along long stems. The stems are topped by a spike of up to fifty or more pink to rose-colored flowers. The plant flowers from June to September. Each flower has a long cylindrical capsule bearing many seeds that have a tuft of silky hairs at the end that float through the air like whispy parachutes. This fluff can float quite far from the parent plant.

Medcinal and Practical Uses of Fireweed 

Native Americans used the entire plant for a variety of uses. The whole upper plant was used for medicine, the young shoots were steamed and eaten, the leaves were dried and made into a medicinal tea, the flowers were made into jelly, and the roots smashed and made into a poultice to treat boils, cuts, and infected wounds.  Fireweed tea is thought to promote longevity and health and has a smooth sweet floral flavor. It contains large amounts of vitamins C and B.

The fluff of the plant was used as stuffing and insulation. The Salish people of the Pacific Northwest coast wove fireweed with the down of mountain goat wool into blankets. The Dena'na of the Upper Inlet added fireweed to their dogs' food and treated pus-filled cuts by placing raw stems on the afflicted area.

Did You Know...

One fireweed plant can produce up to 80,000 seeds!

Fireweed is also known as great willow-herb, spiked willow-herb, rosebay, will-herb, wild asparagus, and purple rocket.

Fireweed is able to seed itself in severely burned areas and was one of the first plants to grow back after the eruption of Mount St. Helens. 

In Great Britain, it was called bombweed due to its rapid colonization of bomb craters in the Second World War.

In Tolkien's Fellowship of the Ring, he lists fireweed as one of the flowering plants returning tot he site of a bonfire inside the Old Forest.

In Russia, fireweed tea is called Ivan Chai.

Medicinal Monday- Horseradish History!

Horseradish has been cultivated since antiquity and is thought to be indigenous to temperate Eastern Europe. It was introduced to the United States during the European colonialization and, both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson mention this plant in their garden notes.  This plant was common in the Northeast by 1806 and, it grew wild near Boston by 1840.  Long before horseradish gained popularity as a culinary herb, it was used medicinally. Native Americans used the leaves and roots of this plant for a variety of ailments from respiratory problems and sore throats to toothaches. 

About Horseradish 

Horseradish is a hardy perennial that has a long growing season.  The first frost in autumn kills the leaves and the roots are dug up and divided. The main root is usually harvested for food or medicinal purposes and the offshoots of the root are replanted to produce next years crop.  If the roots are left undisturbed, they spread and can become invasive.  Older roots are not considered to be useful for cooking, however, these roots can be used for medicinal purposes or divided to start new plants.  The leaves of horseradish have a distinct asymmetric spiky look before they develop into flat leaves that are broad.

Medicinal Uses

The Cherokee had several uses for this plant including using an infusion of leaves that they would gargle with for a sore throat. It was also used to aid digestion and as a cold remedy. The tonic made from leaves and roots were used as an expectorant for coughs. The Delaware of Ontario made a poultice of leaves that they would apply to the skin to help with neuralgia.  The Iroquois would smash the roots and make an infusion of them that would be taken to strengthen the blood. The Mohegans would remove the midrib of the leaves and make a poultice and bind it to their cheeks for a toothache.  Many Native American communities also used horseradish for menstrual cramps.

Did You Know...

Horseradish was found in a mural in Pompeii.

The root and leaves were used as a medicine in the Middle Ages and the root was used as a condiment on meats in Germany, Scandinavia, and Britain.

In Greek mythology, the Oracle of Delphi told Apollo that horseradish was worth its weight in gold. ("The radish worth its weight in lead, the beet its weight in silver, the horseradish its weight in gold.")

It is used at Passover as a bitter herb.

Today approximately six million gallons of prepared horseradish is prepared annually in the United States.

Most horseradish is grown in areas surrounding Collinsville, Illinois.  They hold a festival to celebrate this plant.

The Institute for American Indian Studies

Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS has an outdoor Three Sisters and Healing Plants Gardens as well as a replicated 16th c. Algonkian Village.  Inside the museum, authentic artifacts are displayed in permanent, semi-permanent and temporary exhibits from prehistory to the present that allows visitors a walk through time. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut and can be reached online or by calling 860-868-0518.

The Institute for American Indian Studies preserves and educates through discovery and creativity the diverse traditions, vitality, and knowledge of Native American cultures. Through archaeology, the IAIS is able to build new understandings of the world and history of Native Americans, the focus is on stewardship and preservation.  This is achieved through workshops, special events, and education for students of all ages.

Experience the Wolf Moon January 11, 2020

A walk in the winter woods with the educators of the Institute for American Indian Studies on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut is an ideal way to celebrate the first full moon of 2020. This walk will begin at 7:30 p.m. on January 11 and traverse the beautifully wooded trails on the grounds of the Institute. This event is free for Museum Members and $5 for non-members.

A full moon occurs every 27 days and this particular full moon is the Wolf Moon that just happens to coincide with an eclipse, the first of six to happen this year. The shadow of this penumbral lunar eclipse (only visible in Alaska, Greenland, and parts of northern and eastern Canada) will give the moon a tea-stained color for a few hours. Astronomers estimate the moon will peak around 7:30 p.m. The winter sky is also bright with constellations, especially Orion's belt so be sure to bring your binoculars or telescope. 

Many Native American communities call the January full moon the Wolf Moon because wolves are heard more often at this time of year. It was thought that they howled because they are defending their territory and locating pack members to go hunting. Other traditional names for the January full moon include the Cold Moon, the Old Moon, and the Great Spirit Moon.

A highlight of the walk will be to learn about the phenomena that people in the Eastern Woodlands have been experiencing for thousands of years. After this walk, you will look up at the full moon with a new appreciation of it and, new knowledge, that has been passed down through the centuries. The woodland walk ends at the newly restored and built 16th-century Algonkian village where a warm fire and hot chocolate will greet hikers. 

About The Institute for American Indian StudiesLocated on 15 acres of woodland acres the Institute For American Indian Studies preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. They have the 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...Making Waves with Algae

Many northeastern tribes migrated to the Atlantic Coastal areas seasonally to gather food. On the coast, there were many great feasts consisting of seafood that provided a welcome change from a woodland diet of meat. One of the more common species of algae, bladderwrack that can still be found along the Connecticut shoreline is harvested and used by Native Americans in several interesting ways.

About Bladderwrack 

Fucus vesiculosus or bladderwrack is a seaweed found on the coasts of the North Sea, and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The fronds of this multi-branched seaweed are supported by a prominent midrib and have almost spherical air bladders that are paired on either side of the midrib. Bladderwrack is named for its conspicuous vesicles. This species is generally found on sheltered shores in areas that are above water at low tide and underwater at high tide, close to the shoreline. It reproduces by releasing eggs into the seawater under calm conditions and are fertilized shortly after they are released.

Medicinal and Culinary Uses

This plant was used for food and medicine since ancient times. The branches of this rubber-like plant are easily dried, rolled and stored as a salty mineral-rich snack taken on long hikes. Medicinally it was used to soften skin, and taken internally, it treats iodine deficiency and stimulates the thyroid. It is also taken to soothe sore throats. A liniment was made from the leaves of this plant to treat rheumatism.

Did You Know

Fucus vesiculosus is also called black tang, rockweed, bladder fungus, sea oak, cut weed, dyers fucus, and rock wrack.

It was the original source iodine discovered in 1811.

It acts as a defense against the marine herbivorous snail.