Medicinal Monday - Beneficial Buckwheat

Despite its name, Buckwheat is not related to wheat and, it isn't a grass! Buckwheat is cultivated for its grain-like seeds and, as a cover crop.  Interestingly, buckwheat is related to sorrel, knotweed, and rhubarb.  The seeds of the buckwheat plant are made of complex carbohydrates and can be used the same way cereals are used.  Native Americans make flour from these seeds and use this plant medicinally as well.

About Buckwheat

Buckwheat was a fairly common crop in the northeastern U.S. in the 18th and 19th century. This plant is a short season crop that reaches maturity in just 70 to 90 days. It thrives in cool, moist conditions, but does not tolerate frost.  Adaptable to a variety of environments, this plant has a branching root system that reaches deep into the soil. The triangular seeds of the buckwheat plant have flowers that are usually white but can also be pink or yellow.  It is an amazing weed suppressor that develops quickly creating a dense, soil shading canopy.  Buckwheat is good for crop production because its' roots take up phosphorus that is unavailable to surrounding crops and then releases these nutrients back into the soil for future crops to benefit from.

Medicinal and Culinary Uses
As one of the native American healing plants, buckwheat is rich in vitamin B, plus essential fatty acids omega 3 and 6 as well as minerals.  It is also a great source of protein and fiber.  Many Native American communities from California to Connecticut use this plant as a food crop and for medicinal purposes. Some eat the seeds raw or grind them into a flour to use porridges and baked goods.

A wide variety of ailments were treated with buckwheat including headache, diarrhea, and wounds.  The Zuni use a poultice of the powdered root and applied it to cuts, arrow, or bullet wounds.  A decoction was also taken for sore throats.  The Iroquois use a decoction of this plant as a pediatric aide for a baby when "the baby is sick because of the mother's adultery."  The Iroquois also use a decoction as a witchcraft medicine to treat a mother that was running around making the baby sick.

Did You Know...

The name buckwheat comes from its triangular seeds that look like the seeds of the much larger beech nut from the beechnut tree.  The name is thought to be derived from the Dutch word for beech.

Buckwheat was first cultivated in China and Japan and dates to 2600 BCE.

Buckwheat's shallow white blossoms attract insects as a source of nectar.

The nectar from the buckwheat flower makes dark-colored honey.

Buckwheat noodles play a major role in Japanese cuisine and are known as soba.

Historically, the Russian Empire was the world's leader in buckwheat production.

About The Institute for American Indian Studies (IAIS)

Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs.  We have an outdoor replicated 16th c. Algonkian Village and 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 in Washington Connecticut.

Medicinal Monday - Surprising Sheep Sorrel

Sorrel, known as Rumex acetosella is a flowering herb in the family Polygonaceae and is commonly found in grassland habitats. Today it is cultivated as a garden herb; however, it is and considered a pest to farmers that cultivate blueberries because of its invasiveness.  Native Americans found medicinal and culinary uses for this plant that grew in many different environments throughout the country.

About Sheep Sorrel

Sorrel is a slender perennial plant that is 4 to 12 inches high and blooms March - November.  It has a base of green arrowhead-shaped leaves and red-tinged stems that sprout from a rhizome that spreads aggressively.  The stem grows one to three feet in height and has maroon colored flowers that grow in whorls in narrow elongated spikes that are male on one plant and female on another.  Blooms are followed by small shiny brown nutlets.  Sorrell originated in Eurasia and the British Islands but was introduced to North America where it is considered a hard to control weed that is found in damp meadows, grasslands and on sandy or acidic soil. 

Medicinal and Culinary Uses of Sorrel

The leaves of this plant are tart and have a lemon like or rhubarb-like flavor. Native Americans use sorrel as a seasoning for meat dishes, they also baked it into bread.  The Kiowa chewed leaves of this plant on long walks to relieve thirst; other Native American communities use it as an antidote to poison.  The Aleut applied a poultice of steamed leaves to warts and bruises and the Cherokee used leaves and blossoms to aid healing of old sores.  The Mohegan used fresh leaves as a digestive aid and would chew them to relieve a stomach ache.  The Squaxin would eat raw leaves to help remedy tuberculosis.

Did You Know...

The name sorrel is derived from the Germanic word "sur" and the old French word "surele" both meaning sour.

Other names for sheep sorrel are sour weed, red sorrel and field sorrel.

Sheep sorrel is an ingredient in essiac tea, an herbal preparation taken to treat a variety of cancers.

The American copper butterfly depends on sheep sorrel for food.

Blueberry farmers are familiar with this plant and consider it a weed because it grows in the same conditions under which blueberries are cultivated.

Sheep sorrel is used as a curdling agent in some types of cheese making.

An ancient Chinese belief was that sorrel could remove freckles.

About The Institute for American Indian Studies (IAIS)

Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs.  We have an outdoor replicated 16th c. Algonkian Village and 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 in Washington Connecticut.

Birds of Prey August 24

On August 24 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. the Institute for American Indian Studies located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut is welcoming staff from the Sharon Audubon Center for a program featuring live birds of prey.

Native American people revere birds of prey for their majestic appearance as well as for their hunting prowess. In some indigenous cultures, birds of prey are considered important because of their ability to fly high, and thus have a closer proximity to the Creator. Feathers from these birds are significant, as they are symbols of honor, and must be earned. Today, across the United States, Native American cultures celebrate these predators in art, jewelry, crafts, beadwork, and basketry.

This joint program hosted by the Institute and the Sharon Audubon strives to increase public understanding of these North American birds of prey and their importance to Native American culture in the Eastern woodlands.  A highlight of this program is that visitors will be able to meet these fascinating creatures up close and watch them being handled by a Sharon Audubon educator. 

This special event is included in the price of admission to the Institute of American Indian Studies. Adults are $10, Seniors are $8, and children are $6; members of the Institute are free. For more information visit the website or call 860-309-9215.

Medicinal Monday - the Magic of Red Spoon Leaf Peat Moss

Moss encompasses the lilliputian universe of bryophytes, plants without tissues or roots, which is pretty amazing. Native Americans living in the Eastern Woodlands valued the many varied properties of a multitude of mosses that grow here including the red spoon leaf peat moss.

About Moss
Mosses are small flowerless plants that grow in dense green mats that seem to carpet the ground usually in a shady damp spot. Mosses do not have seeds and, most develop spores in tiny capsules in order to reproduce.  All mosses make their own food and do not have stems, leaf veins, or roots.  The Red Spoonleaf Peat Moss is distinguished by its shiny red cushion of leaves.  The branches are fat and bunched together and form a rosette at the top.  The leaves are round-tipped and overlap each other.  This type of moss is considered rare and is found in sunny spots in a bog environment. 

Native American Practical and Medicinal Uses
Red Spoonleaf Peat Moss is fairly common in the cool temperate woodland forests of New England.  This moss is extremely absorbent and was used extensively by Native peoples as disposable diapers and sanitary napkins.  This moss was also packed around infants in their cradleboards in the winter to help insulate them against the cold.  This and other mosses are used to help insulate Native dwellings in the winter months as well as providing extra insulation for clothing.  Acting like a preservative, moss was also packed around food stores as insulation. Medicinally, moss was used to help cleanse wounds and, was sometimes used as a wound dressing.

Did You Know

Most mosses are not even one inch high.

Botanists believe that the earliest mosses developed more than 375 million years ago during the Devonia and Silurian Periods.

Mosses are classified in their own plant division of Bryophyta and there are about 12,000 species.

Commercially, the main significance of moss is peat.

Other names for this moss are Magellanic bog moss, Magellan's sphagnum, and midway peat moss.

The antibiotic properties of bryophytes have drawn the attention of botanists and microbiologists in recent years. 

Medicinal Monday - American Spikenard

This shrubby looking soft-stemmed herbaceous perennial is in the Gingsing family that is native to Canada and much of the northeast stretching south to Georgia and west to Missouri. Native Americans used almost every part of this plant for medicinal purposes to treat everything from burns and colds to venereal disease.

About American Spikenard

This shrubby plant is found on wooded slopes, hillsides, and in ravines.  The root is aromatic and can run up to three feet long through the soil.  It sends up stalks that can grow up to seven feet high. Large toothed leaves grow on the stalks below the clusters of flowers.  The large tapered flower clusters are made up of several umbrels composed of tiny white or green flowers growing above the leafy stem of foliage.  The flowers usually bloom in June.  The flowers are replaced by purple-red berries in the fall.  The plant reseeds itself and, also spreads by its aromatic taproot.

Medicinal & Culinary Uses

Spikenard is native to the Eastern United States and has a long tradition of being used by the Native American communities living in the area.  Native Americans use the entire root as food, some mix the berries and wild onions with meat. 

Medicinally, the Algonquin used an infusion of the roots to treat both diabetes and tuberculous. Many Native American communities used a decoction of the roots and berries as an expectorant to treat coughs including the  Algonquin, Cherokee, Chippewa, Iroquois, Malecite, and Micmac.  Another common use was to aid women in pregnancy and help with menstrual problems. The Choctaw used a decoction of the root to steam sore eyes and made a sweet decoction to give to children suffering from colic. Iroquois and Menominee made a compound decoction from the roots and used it to strengthen and purify the blood.  The Iroquois made an infusion of the entire plant to treat venereal disease and the Mimac used the root to treat gonorrhea.  The Penobscot used a compound infusion of the plant to treat rheumatism and the Malecite mixed the roots with red osier dogwood and smoked this combination for headaches.

Did You Know...

American Spikenard is also called Indian Root, Spignet, life-of man, old man's root, petty morel, and Fleabane.

It is also known as wild or false sarsaparilla because of its licorice flavor.


In Appalachia, a tea is made of roots for backache.

About The Institute for American Indian Studies (IAIS)

Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs.  We have an outdoor replicated 16th c. Algonkian Village and 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 in Washington Connecticut.

Summer Camp 2019 - Explore, Create & Discover!

Spend the summer of 2019 @ The Institute For American Indian Studies!  Our camp programs offer immersion into the natural world and culture of Connecticut's Eastern Woodland Native American people through the exploration of our replicated 16th century Algonkian Village, our forests, three sisters garden, and museum.  Experienced and professional educators provide young and curious minds with exciting programs that engage and educate.

The programming for the Institute for American Indian Studies Summer Camps have been created to inspire and engage children from ages  5-12 and 13 to 16 in explorations of the natural world and history of Connecticut's first inhabitants on Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with extended camp options available with pre-registration.  Young people from ages 13 - 16 can apply to a counselor in training program.  Interactive activities include traditional stories, crafts, team building activities, and games that bring history to life in age-appropriate contexts. Kids will explore hands-on exhibits in our museum as well as in our outdoor replicated 16th century outdoor Algonkian Village and Three Sisters Garden located on 15 unspoiled acres,  go on hikes to Steep Rock and the Shepaug River, and visit our traditional herb and flower garden.  The week specific programming includes a group project that allows campers to practice the skills that they have learned to create something to take home and share with their friends and family or to leave at the museum for future visitors to enjoy.  Kids will make friends, enjoy the summer and learn about Native American culture.

Weekly camps with different themes run from July 8 -August 16, 2019.  Kids that love archeology and wonder what tools archeologists use to discover the past will enjoy Digging Detectives: Archeology Week, July 8-12.  If your children are interested in food, Eating with the Seasons: Foraging in the Forest from July 15-19 teaches children how Native Americans were able to thrive in the natural world using their knowledge of the forest and rivers.  Crafty Creations week on July 22-26 is sure to inspire the budding artist in your child. In this program, kids will learn about crafts, music, arts, and storytelling from a variety of Native American cultures, past and present. 

To experience the beautiful natural environment at The Institute as well as to sharpen outdoor survival skills, Get Out! Woodland Survival, July 29 - August 2 will teach children outdoor living skills from knot tying and navigation to the safe use of fire in an outdoor setting and much more.  On August 5-9, Tech It Out! Not So Primitive Technology will uncover the mysteries of the past and show kids how Native Americans figured out creative ways to thrive in their environment.  The creation of tools, the construction of shelter and how to find food in the natural world that surrounds them will be on this week's agenda.  The final program of the summer, Nature Nuts: Forest and River Ecology from August 12-16 teaches the valuable lesson that all living things are connected.  This important life lesson will be taught through games, stories, crafts and more.

For complete registration information, visit http://www.iaismuseum.org. Pricing is $228 for members of The Institute for American Indian Studies and $285 for non-members; families with two or more children registered to get a family discount. Registration forms and non-refundable deposit of $100 is due by May 17, 2019.  The summer camp director is Gabriel Benjamin and he can be reached at gbenjamin@iaismuseum.org.

Medicinal Monday - Common Barberry

This deciduous shrub is native to New England where it grows wild.  It is part of the Berberidaccae family that includes 175 different species.  Today, many of these species are used in ornamental gardens or as hedges.   Like many other cultures around the world, the Berberis vulgaris is used by Native Americans to treat many maladies from ulcers and sores to heartburn.

About Berberis vulgaris
This thorny shrub with small oval leaves grows in clusters and the shrub itself can grow up to 13 feet high.  The yellow flowers grow in small clusters that bloom from May to June and are said to have an unpleasant odor.  The fruit is an oblong red berry that ripens in late summer or early autumn. When the branches of this plant come in contact with the earth, new plants can be produced.  Because this shrub is tolerant of shade, in woodland areas, it is considered to be invasive. The berries, which are rich in vitamin C can be eaten but are very sour.  Often the berries are dried and eaten like raisins.

Medicinal & Practical Uses of Berberis Vulgaris

Medicinal plants have been known among different nations for thousands of years and have been used throughout the centuries. Native Americans knew by experience the use of this shrub for many illnesses.  The Micmac use a mixture of the bark and root of this plant as an oral aid for sore gums.  The Mohegans made a decoction of pounded berries to treat colds and the juice of the berries is mixed with water to treat fever. The Penobscot pounded the roots and bark and used it to treat gums and a sore throat.  The Shinnecock made a decoction of leaves which was taken three times a day to treat jaundice.  Many native communities make a root tea from this shrub and drank it as a blood tonic and to treat kidney ailments.  The roots of this plant are used in an interesting and creative way. Native Americans found that the yellow roots of this plant are an important source of dye for baskets, buckskins, and fabric.

Did You Know

In Europe, the berries have been a traditional ingredient in making jam.

The flowers were used as a dye and the thorny shrub provided fencing in central and southern Europe.

In New Zealand, this plant has been cultivated for hedges.

The medicinal plants from the genus Berberis are important to traditional medicine in Iran.

In Russian folk medicine, this plant was used to treat inflammation and to stop bleeding in general.

About The Institute for American Indian Studies (IAIS)

Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs.  We have an outdoor replicated 16th c. Algonkian Village and 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 in Washington Connecticut.