Medicinal Monday...Wild Bergamot

Wild Bergamot is a fragrant showy plant that has many medicinal uses. This hardy plant is a perennial wildflower that is native to most of North America. Many Native American communities found this plant useful for medicinal purposes. There are also accounts of members of the Hidatsa that would crush the leaves of this fragrant plant and use it to perfume their clothes. Bachelors in the Dakota community would carry bunches of the plant in their coats to emit a pleasant fragrance. The Kutenai placed the leaves on hot rocks in a sweathouse and used this plant as incense.  The Omaha used the leaves as a perfume for their hair. The Cheyenne chewed the leaves and used them as a perfume for horses. The stems, leaves, and flowers were sometimes used as pillow stuffing because of this plant's pleasant fragrance.

About Wild Bergamot

Wild Bergamont is also known as Monarda fistulosa is in the Mint family. It grows in prairies, open meadows, woods, and roadsides. It is a perennial herb also known as Bee Balm or Oswego Tea that can be found in 48 states in North America and in northern Mexico and southern Canada. It can grow up to four feet high and is characterized by lance-shaped leaves up to four inches in length and clusters of tubular-shaped pink to purple flowers up to three inches wide. This plant blooms from June through September and prefers full sun. It is considered to be drought resistant and can tolerate a wide range of soil including sand. This plant will not be found in Florida, Hawaii, or California.

Medicinal Uses

Wild Bergamot has been used by many Native American communities and is considered to be a very important plant for its useful medicinal and food uses. The Blackfoot used an infusion of the plant to treat coughs and made a poultice of the flower head and applied it to treat wounds and cuts. They also made a solution to treat sore eyes. Many communities chewed the root for swollen neck glands. The Cherokee used a poultice of leaves to treat headaches, and colds, and as a treatment for colic. They also used a hot infusion of the leaf to bring out measles and to treat stomach trouble. An infusion of the leaf or root was taken orally and wiped on the forehead to treat nosebleeds. The Chippewa chewed leaves and placed them in their nose to treat headaches. They also made a decoction of the roots and blossoms to treat worms. The Choctaw rubbed the plant on a child's chest for pain. The Crow made an infusion and took it for respiratory problems. The Dakota made an infusion of the flowers and took it to treat abdominal pain. The Flathead would hang plants on walls for colds and make an infusion to treat coughs, chills, and fever. The Koasati would bathe in a decoction of leaves to alleviate the chills. The Ojibwe used the leaves to treat headaches and would place the leaves in their nostrils to induce sneezing. They also made a decoction of the root to treat stomach pain.  Many communities would use the oil in the plant to treat bronchitis and would seep the flowers and leaves into a tea to treat the flu. The Navajo used a cold infusion of the plant as a wash for headaches and the Lakota used an infusion of the leaves for fainting. The Sioux used an infusion of blossoms for colds and fevers and chills. The Winnebago used a decoction of leaves to treat skin eruptions such as pimples.

Culinary Uses

Many communities including the Cherokee, Lakota, Hopi, Pueblo, Spanish Americans, and Tewa use this plant as food, and some dried it and stored it for the winter. The Apache and Iroquois used the leaves to make a drink out of the leaves. The Isleta and Laguna used the plant as a seasoning for meat and stews. The Blackfoot used the dried flowerheads for sucking broth or soup. The Flathead would pulverize the leaves and sprinkle them on meats as a preservative. The Acoma ground the leaves and mixed them with sausage for seasoning. The Apache would boil young leaves and stems to make a non-intoxicating drink.

Did You Know...

Wild Bergamot is attractive to bees as well as other pollinators including butterflies. It is an important source of nectar for bees.

One of the most common contemporary uses of Monarda fistulosa is as an ornamental plant.

It is also grown to help facilitate prairie restoration and to restore forage for wild bees. 

Carvacrol is a chemical derived from Wild Bergamot which has been shown to have antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. 

This plant has also shown some value as a mosquito repellant. 

Medicinal Monday... Partridgeberry - an aid in childbirth and much more

Mitchella repens also known as the partridgeberry is a most attractive woodland creeping vine. The common name of this plant (partridgeberry) is a reference to the belief that it is a favorite food of foraging partridges.  It is native to North America and can be found in Connecticut. Native American communities use this plant in several interesting ways. 

Partridgeberry forms a verdant carpet on the woodland floor

About Partridgeberry

Partridgeberry is a delicate vine in the Rubiaceae (madder) family. It is only about two inches high forming a beautiful mat of trailing vines on the forest floor. It spreads when the nodes of these vines come in contact with the soil and take root.  This trailing evergreen plant with dark green rounded leaves has white fragrant tubular flowers that grow in pairs and are covered with dense white hairs giving them a fuzzy appearance. The flowers in Connecticut usually begin to bloom in early summer. The flowers are followed by a berry that is initially green but gradually ripens to a bright red by the fall. Look for two bright red eyes on the surface of the berry that is formed because of the pollination of the two flowers that fuse together to form it. If not eaten by wildlife or picked by foragers the berries remain red through the winter. Partridegberries are usually found in the rich woodland soils in eastern North America growing in shaded woods and along stream banks or on sandy slopes. 

Delicate pink and white tubular-shaped flowers

Medicinal Uses

In general, the most common use of this plant among the Native American communities was as an aid in childbirth. Many communities made tea from the leaves which were given to women with severe menstrual cramps, to help with labor pain and ease delivery, and as a wash to treat sore nipples during breastfeeding. There were many other uses for this delicate vine. The Abnaki made a poultice of the plant and applied it to swellings while the Cherokee took a tea for monthly menstrual cramps. They also made an infusion that was given to a baby to encourage breastfeeding and also took it for hives and sore nipples. The Cherokee also made an infusion of the root of partridgeberry and mixed it with milk and took it to treat bowel complaints and piles. As a veterinary aid, they gave an infusion to a pregnant cat and her kittens. 

Look for the berries in the fall

Delaware made a hot infusion of the roots and twigs and used it as a steam treatment for stiff joints and sore muscles. They made an infusion of the entire plant to treat suppressed menses and to strengthen female reproduction. The Iroquois used the berries to treat severe labor pains and would also make a compound decoction of the roots and bark for back and urinary pain. They also made a compound infusion for children with convulsions and vomiting and to treat fevers. A decoction of roots was sometimes given to newborn babies as a physic for stomachaches or rashes, and a poultice of vines was given to babies with swollen abdomens. Pregnant mothers would take a compound infusion of the plant to prevent rickets in the baby. 

The Cherokee and Iroquois and others also ate the fruit. They would mash them into cakes, which they dried and later reconstituted with water to make a sauce and mix it into stew or cornbread. 

The Berries will stay red through the winter months

Did You Know...

The genus name, Mitchella is for a Virginia Botanist, John Mitchell, who corresponded with Linnaeus.  Repens refers to the vines creeping habit.

The fruit is consumed by Ruffed Grouse, Bobwhite Quail, turkeys, skunks, and white-footed mice.

Other names for this plant include Twinberry, Running Box, Deer Berry, Pigeon Plum, and Squaw Vine which is no longer used.

The berries are fleshy but not very tasty.

Today partridgeberry is a popular ground cover in gardens and landscaped areas.

Lacrosse – More Than Just A Game New Exhibition @ Institute for American Indian Studies

Lacrosse was originally played by eastern Native Americans and Canada’s First People. The Institute for American Indian Studies located at 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut has just opened a fascinating special exhibition, “More Than a Game: The Story of Lacrosse,” that will be on view at the Institute through August 2022. 

This well-researched exhibition touches on a variety of subjects, many of which are unexpected in light of the game many of us know today. Some of the most interesting aspects of the exhibition relate to the spiritual importance of lacrosse and how it connects to creation stories, the way they settle differences, and its continued social and communal significance. 

This exhibition also explores the appropriation of lacrosse by Euro-Americans and Canadians. In the 1860’s Dr. George Beers of Canada wrote the first standardized rulebook for lacrosse in an attempt to “civilize” the game. By the 1890s, Native American communities were banned from participating in national competitions. This part of the exhibition includes documentation in the form of newspaper clippings and images that depict the history of lacrosse in popular culture and how it was interpreted. 

More Than a Game also highlights how traditional lacrosse sticks evolved in North America. Several lacrosse sticks on display showcase the three major styles of Native American lacrosse and demonstrate the different regional interpretations of the game. 

This exhibit touches on the relationship between lacrosse and Native communities today. It delves into the saga of the Iroquois Nationals, the only Native American athletic team permitted to compete in international competitions. Don’t miss the exhibition’s video that shows Native Americans making wooden sticks in the traditional way and relating why it is important to the future of their culture. This exhibit can be summed up by a quote by Rex Lyons, Onondaga, “Lacrosse is part of the story of our creation, of our identity, of who we are. So when we play the game, we always say that there’s a simultaneous game going on in the Sky World and our ancestors are playing with us.” 

The Institute for American Indian Studies is open Wednesday – Sunday 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. and admission is $12 for adults, $8 for children 3-12, $10 for seniors, and members are free. 

About 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 16th 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.

This Father’s Day Take Dad on an Adventure to 1518! Wigwam Escape @ Institute for American Indian Studies

This Father’s Day it is time to celebrate your one-of-a-kind dad in an unexpected and fun way that he will cherish for years to come. If you are looking for something special, why not give him the gift of a unique experience with Wigwam Escape, a nationally award-winning Escape Room that is located at the Institute for American Indian Studies on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut. 

If the dad in your life is a history buff, loves to solve puzzles, and enjoys being challenged while having fun, Wigwam Escape will be an unforgettable bonding experience for the whole family. A highlight of the Wigwam Escape experience is to gain a better understanding of how Native peoples thrived prior to European contact. This is a gift that keeps on giving because after playing the game, you can continue your experience by visiting the museum whose core exhibition follows the 10,000-year-long story of Connecticut’s Native American people, and hike the Institute trails to a replicated Algonkian Village. 

In honor of Father’s Day, the Institute is running a promotional code that is 20% off the booking and includes gift certificates when using code DAD1518 at checkout. For more information and to book, click here. 

Wigwam Escape – The Story

You, the game player, find yourselves in a Native American village in the woodlands of Connecticut in the year 1518. You’ve just received word that an illness is affecting the neighboring fishing village of Metachiwon and they are asking for help. It is seven miles to Metachiwon so you have to act quickly. It’s up to you to figure out how to gather and prepare supplies for your journey ahead. You have one day (roughly one hour of game time) to hunt, gather and cook using only the resources found in the village and surrounding forest. This empathetic experience connects players to the ways Native peoples lived and the skills they relied on 500 years ago in their daily lives. 

 FAQs - Wigwam Escape 

 Wigwam Escape allows two to seven players to experience the room. To enhance the experience the room caters only to private groups, so when you book the room, it is for your group only. 

The ticket prices are $25 for General Admission, $20 for Students, and $22 for Seniors. Your ticket also includes museum admission to the Institute for American Indian Studies which can be used on the day of your visit. The suggested age for Wigwam Escape is 12 and up; however, as long as there is a parent or guardian present during the game kids under 12 are welcome. 

The suggested age for Wigwam Escape is 12 and up; however, as long as there is a parent or guardian present during the game kids under 12 are welcome. 

Wigwam Escape is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday by reservation. Office hours are Wed. and Thurs. from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To purchase your tickets, visit www.wigwamescape.com or call (860) 868- 0510.

Medicinal Monday - American Licorice

When thinking of licorice most of us think of it as the main ingredient in candy and beverages, but this sweet root has a long Native American history because of its culinary uses and medicinal benefits that are still relevant today.

About American Licorice

Glycyrrhiza lepidota known as American Licorice is native to most of North America and can be found in Connecticut.  This perennial plant grows in woods, fields, and meadows throughout the United States. It can grow as tall as three feet high in rich moist or sandy soil and has long tough brown roots that are said to be sweet and similar in taste to a sweet potato. It is a close relative of peas and beans and is in the genus Fabaceae. American licorice reproduces by seed and underground stems called rhizomes.  The tapered leaves grow in groups of 11 to 19 leaflets and have a blunt tip. It has light green to white cylindrical cone-shaped flowers that grow in spiked clusters. The plant blooms in the spring and ripens in the fall into clusters of burs that contain pods of small bean-like seeds.

Medicinal Uses & Culinary Uses

American Licorice was widely used by the Native Americans throughout the country. The Bannock boiled the root and made a tonic that was taken for a sore throat and to improve singing. The Blackfoot made a tea from the root to relieve coughs, chest pain, stomachaches, and sore throat. The Cheyenne made an infusion of the roots and leaves to treat diarrhea and chewed the roots to cool the body in a Sweatlodge or during the Sundance Ceremonies. 

The Pawnee, Sioux, and Lakota used the root of the plant as a medicine for the flu and steeped licorice leaves in boiling water to make a topical medicine for an earache. They also placed the root in their mouths as a treatment for toothaches. The Keresan used an infusion of the entire plant to treat chills. Several Native American communities used an infusion of the roots to treat fever in children.

Wild licorice leaf poultices were an excellent remedy for sores on people and on horses. The Isleta used the leaves to absorb moisture in shoes. Young shoots of this plant also had a use, they were nibbled on to keep the mouth sweet and moist; the Zuni, for example, chewed the roots to keep their mouth refreshed.  Even burrs of this plant were used and were sucked on by Buffalo runners of the Blackfoot to keep from getting thirsty.  The Cheyenne, Montana, and Northwestern Tribes, among many others, ate the tender spring shoots raw.  Many Native American communities roasted the roots and ate them like sweet potatoes.

Did You Know...

This plant contains a substance called Glycyrrhizin that is 50 times sweeter than sugar, with the highest concentration found in the roots.

Other common names for this plant are Wild Licorice, American wild licorice, and Dessert root.

Commercial licorice comes from this variety Glycyrrhiza lepidota.

American licorice root extract is used to sweeten cough drops, syrups, laxatives, and nicotine lozenges 

The root is also added to some foods to sweeten them. Licorice extracts may be added to candy, cakes, ice cream, and packaged desserts. Today, licorice extract may be synthetic or an anise flavoring may be used instead.

Theophrastus, an ancient Greek physician, and botanist used licorice to relieve coughs and asthma. Its medicinal benefits are documented in  The Code of Hammurabi, a 6th century Babylonian King, and the ancient Egyptians created a tonic made from the roots and packed it in funeral jars to bring with them to the afterlife.

Medical studies have found that consumption of licorice root extract may help to lower cholesterol and act as an antioxidant. Another study found that topical application of licorice extract may be effective in treating dermatitis. 

It takes five to six years for the roots to be ready to harvest which is why farming is generally not profitable. It is important to protect the wild collection areas of this plant.

Deer and pronghorn antelope eat the foliage and birds eat the seeds.

Traditional Native American Bark Basket Workshop At Institute for American Indian Studies June 5

Native Americans have created baskets for centuries. In fact, archeologists believe that basket-making is one of the oldest known crafts in the world. If you have always wanted to learn how to create a bark basket of your own, join this in-person workshop conducted by Jennifer Lee of Pequot and Narragansett ancestry on Sunday, June 5 at the Institute of American Indian Studies located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington, Connecticut. This four-hour workshop begins at 11 a.m. and has a break for lunch. 

About Native American Baskets 

Baskets have been an integral part of Native American material culture for centuries. Native American baskets range from very simple to very elaborate. Often the art of basket making was passed down from generation to generation among Native American Indian mothers to their daughters. It is a skill that takes place of pride among many Indigenous people today. 

• White Pine Bark mokok with collar (4 ½H x 7W x 3D)

Bark baskets made by Eastern Woodland Indians were used for cooking, gathering berries, hauling water, storing food, as cradleboards, and even burying the dead. Most often baskets were made from pine, ash, or birch bark that was harvested in the spring when the bark was most pliable. The bark was then folded into the desired shape and sewn together with spruce root and rimmed with arrowwood or other natural materials. 

 About the Workshop  

Jennifer Lee is an 18th-century re-enactor and material culture presenter. Bark basket making is one of the programs that she offers. "I want my programs to dispel old stereotypes and increase awareness of present-day Native Americans," says Lee. 

• White Pine Bark mokok with collar (7H x 4W x 3D).

Participants in this workshop will learn about the lore and tradition of basket making from Lee while creating their very own bark basket. A highlight is learning about how baskets were used in everyday life and what role they play in Native American communities today. Lee will guide participants through the process of creating a bark basket using white pine bark, spruce root, and willow. During the scheduled lunch break (please bring your own snack and non-alcoholic beverage) participants can wander through the museum for inspiration and brainstorm with others for ideas. 

Participants can choose from three different basket designs that include a white pine bark wall pocket, and two sizes of a white pine bark mokok with collar. Whatever basket you choose to make, it is something unique to treasure at the end of the day. 

• White Pine bark wall pocket, curved bottom (7H x 7W x 4D)

Space is limited for this workshop that is expected to sell out, so sign up early. To participate, please register and pre-pay by June 2. The cost of participation, including all materials and tools, is $75 for members of the Institute and $85 for non-members. To register click here. If you have questions call (860) 868-0518 or email events@iaismuseum.org. 

Medicinal Monday - Western Chokecherry

The chokecherry is a bush that is native to North America and can be found growing in Connecticut. For many Native Americans, chokecherries are an important fruit in their traditional diet as well as useful medicinally. Like cherries and apricots, the fruit and skin of the chokecherry are not poisonous, rather the seed/pit are. It contains amygdalin which once eaten is metabolized into cyanide, a deadly poison.

About Black Western Chokecherry

Chokecherry is in the rose family and is a native, perennial, deciduous, woody, large shrub or erect tree that can grow up to 30 feet high. The oval-shaped leaves are dark green and glossy above and paler beneath. The leaves are toothed with closely shaped sharp teeth that point outward forming a serrated edge. They turn yellow in the fall. The bark varies from grey to reddish-brown and is distinguished by horizontal rows of raised air pores known as lenticels. As the shrub matures these lenticels evolve into shallow grooves. The flowers are aromatic and arranged in cylindrical racemes and have five white petals. The flowers appear between April and July and the fruits form a few months later. The western chokecherry, Prunus virginiana, demissa produce dark red fruit, there are two other varieties that produce crimson and black fruit. This shrub can be found in a wide range of soil types and textures. It does prefer full sunlight and is generally not found as understory in the forest. It spreads by seeds or rhizomes.

Culinary Uses

The name chokecherry comes from the bitter and astringent taste of the fruit. The fruit was a staple for many Native American communities across the United States. They were routinely cooked or dried, which sweetens them and breaks down the prussic acid in the stone pits. Chokecherries are eaten three ways, by Native Americans. The juice and pulp are eaten. Whole cherries are pulverized, shaped into balls, and dried in the sun for future use, and pemmican, a mixture of the chokecherries, tallow, and dried meat is made and cached as winter food. The bark is brewed like tea. Many communities also add the fruit to soups and stews as a flavoring and as a thickening agent. The Algonquin, Quebec make wine out of the fruit. The Blackfoot use chokecherry soup for most ceremonial events, including the transfer of a tipi design or the opening of a Medicine Pipe bundle or Beaver bundle.

Medicinal Uses

Chokecherry can be found in almost every state except some in the southwest and far west. Because of this large geographic range, many Native American communities used it for its astringent properties and to treat respiratory problems. The Arikara women would drink the berry juice to stop bleeding after childbirth. The Algonquin made an infusion of the bark and sweet flag and took it to treat coughs. The Blackfoot had several uses for chokecherry, they drank the juice for diarrhea, made an infusion of cambium, Saskatoon, and chokecherry, and used it as a purge, they also gave this mixture to nursing mothers to pass medical qualities to babies, and they used the berry juice to treat sore throats. 

The Cherokee made an infusion of the bark and took it to treat colds, coughs, and as an astringent wash for old sores and ulcers and to treat the chills and fever. The Cherokee added a compound of bark to corn whiskey and used it to treat measles. Warm tea was given to women when labor pains began and the leaves and branches were one of the six ingredients burned in sweat lodges to treat jaundice and indigestion. The Paiutes made a medicinal tea from the leaves and twigs to treat colds and rheumatism. The Sioux chewed dried roots and then placed them on open wounds to stop bleeding. The Crows also used the bark to cleanse sores, wounds, and burns.

Did You Know...

In addition to chokecherry trees, apple, peach, plum, apricot, nectarines, cherry, and almond trees are also in the rose family.

Chokecherry is an important source of food for many animals as well as a nesting habitat for a variety of birds. It is used extensively as a food source in the winter for deer. Flowers provide nectar for honeybees, ants, and butterflies.

Fruits are collected today and used to make jam and jellies, sauces, and wine.

Today, chokecherries are popular in gardens as ornamentals. 

In Canada, in the prairie provinces, chokecherries are farmed as a minor crop to produce juice.

Chokecherry is the official fruit of North Dakota because its remains have been found at more archeological sites in the Dakotas than anywhere else. 

Chokecherry is toxic to horses, moose, cattle, and goats, especially after the leaves have wilted (like they do after a frost) because wilting releases cyanide and makes the plant sweet. 

Chokecherry bark was listed in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1970. It is still listed as a pharmaceutical aid, as a flavoring agent for liquid medicine.