But we have the wayout we can explain them

You can share, if the permission to do so has been given to you.., but everyone has their own pathway.. and ANYONE.. who thinks they have all the answers for everyone else to follow, should be considered a fraud..

Trying to promote yourself with your next post and advertise..and do exactly what I warn against in here, has really spelled out your other agenda here, Kola..

Creator is the one doing the healing.. We are but mere helpers... To charge money for healing work, is an ego stroke.. and goes against the laws...

" To know something we must become one with it. We cannot know what a flower smells like until we actually smell it. Close your eyes and experience the fragrance. The Elders say there are two worlds, the Seen World and the Unseen World. To experience the Seen World we need to physically pick the flower and smell it. To experience the Unseen World we need to know about principles, .......laws and values......; and no matter what our mind or our physical senses tell us, we must decide and act on these principles. If someone does wrong to us, we must pray for that person or persons to have peace, happiness and joy in their life. We must not get even or retaliate in any way. Only by doing this can we understand spiritual matters."

---- Elly Blue Ridge

"Dissimilar things were fitted together to make something beautiful and whole."

---- Nippawanock, ARAPAHOE

"Sometimes we look at something close up and it appears to be ugly; but then we drop back and look at it as a whole and it is beautiful. If we look at an insect close up, it may be ugly, but if we drop back and look at the whole insect it becomes beautiful. We can drop back even more and observe what its role and purpose is, and the insect becomes even more beautiful and whole.

How are we looking at ourselves? Are we focused on something ugly about ourselves, or are we dropping back and looking at ourselves as a whole? We all have purpose, and we are all beautiful."

---- Elly Blue Ridge

"Where today are the Pequot? Where are the Narragansett, the Mohican, the Pokanoket, and many other once powerful tribes of our people? They have vanished before the avarice and the oppression of the White Man, as snow before a summer sun.

Will we let ourselves be destroyed in our turn without a struggle, give up our homes, our country bequeathed to us by the Great Spirit, the graves of our dead and everything that is dear and sacred to us? I know you will cry with me, 'Never! Never!'"

---- Tecumseh (Shawnee)

INDIAN MEDICINE
By Takatoka



This information is provided purely for historical and cultural purposes. If used improperly, the herbs or substances described herein, can be dangerous, if not fatal. For this reason, methods used to prepare these primitive remedies in many cases are omitted. Do not use any remedy described without the advise of a professional health practitioner.



INTRODUCTION
The Creator gave many ways to heal bodily afflictions. It is said that for every ailment known to man, Mother Earth has a cure. We believe this to be so.

All animals, including humans must be attuned with Mother Earth to remain balanced and healthy. We are part of her, we are her and one day we all will return to her. In this electronic fast age of concrete, plastic and the daily grind, we lose connectivity with the peace and glory found at our feet and all around us. Herbal medicine helps to ground and bring balance.

It is useful to know herbal and mineral medicines when we find ourselves or others in serious need of treatment and a medical professional is not available. Total dependence on doctors and hospitals is unwise in this uncertain world. Practical knowledge of emergency medical treatment is important for everyone. Knowing how herbal remedies can benefit you and your family in your daily lives is also important.

Use common sense when it comes to mixing herbal remedies with prescription drugs. Do not do it. We do not advocate the replacement of professional medical intervention with the information provided here.

The practice of herbal medicine is a science, not a pastime. Do not use this information to prescribe treatment for any one. What may work for you, may become fatal to another.

It is good to know the ancient ways and the gifts that are freely given by Mother Earth. Keeping this information alive is vital to human survival. It honors our ancestors and gives our children's children practical knowledge to help them along life's pathways.

THE ORIGIN OF MEDICINE INDIAN REMEDIES
HERBS AND PREGNANCY CHEROKEE PLANT LORE
BEAR'S ONE TIME CURE POISON PLANTS


The Origin of Medicine

A Cherokee Creation Story
By James Mooney

At one time, animals and people lived together peaceably and talked with each other. But when mankind began to multiply rapidly, the animals were crowded into forests and deserts.

Man began to destroy animals wholesale for their skins and furs, not just for needed food. Animals became angry at such treatment by their former friends, resolving they must punish mankind. The bear tribe met in council, presided over by Old White Bear, their Chief. After several bears had spoken against mankind for their bloodthirsty ways, war was unanimously agreed upon. But what kinds of weapons should the bears use?

Chief Old White Bear suggested that man's weapon, the bow and arrow, should be turned against him. All of the council agreed. While the bears worked and made bows and arrows, they wondered what to do about bowstrings. One of the bears sacrificed himself to provide the strings, while the others searched for good arrow- wood. When the first bow was completed and tried, the bear's claws could not release the strings to shoot the arrow.

One bear offered to cut his claws, but Chief Old White Bear would not allow him to do that, because without claws he could not climb trees for food and safety. He might starve.

The deer tribe called together its council led by Chief Little Deer. They decided that any Indian hunters, who killed deer without asking pardon in a suitable manner, should be afflicted with painful rheumatism in their joints.

After this decision, Chief Little Deer sent a messenger to their nearest neighbors, the Cherokee Indians. "From now on, your hunters must first offer a prayer to the deer before killing him," said the messenger. "You must ask his pardon, stating you are forced only by the hunger needs of your tribe to kill the deer. Otherwise, a terrible disease will come to the hunter." When a deer is slain by an Indian hunter, Chief Little Deer will run to the spot and ask the slain deer's spirit.

"Did you hear the hunter's prayer for pardon?" If the reply is yes, then all is well and Chief Little Deer returns to his cave. But if the answer is no, then the Chief racks the hunter to his lodge and strikes him with the terrible disease of rheumatism, making him a helpless cripple unable to hunt again.

All the fishes and reptiles then held a council and decided they would haunt those Cherokee Indians, who tormented them, by telling them hideous dreams of serpents twining around them and eating them alive. These snake and fish dreams occurred often among the Cherokees. To get relief, the Cherokees pleaded with their Shaman to banish their frightening dreams if they no longer tormented the snakes and fish.

Now when the friendly plants heard what the animals had decided against mankind, they planned a countermove of their own. Each tree, shrub, herb, grass, and moss agreed to furnish a cure for one of the diseases named by the animals and insects.

Thereafter, when the Cherokee Indians visited their Shaman about their ailments and if the medicine man was in doubt, he communed with the spirits of the plants. They always suggested a proper remedy for mankind's diseases.

This was the beginning of plant medicine from nature among the Cherokee Indian nation a long, long time ago.

From James Mooney's, "History and Myths of the Cherokees."

INDIAN REMEDIES

Indian remedies shown below are but a few examples of the thousands used by indigenous peoples for ailments of every description. Thousands of years spent gaining intimate knowledge of plants, minerals and their varied uses has given the world a vast pharmacopoeia of medicinal remedies and cures for many common ailments. Indian contributions to pharmacological medicine is unmatched anywhere in the world.

The list below intended for example purposes only and should not be used to medically treat ailments. In most instances, plants must be prepared using exacting methods. If used otherwise, the results may ineffectual if not dangerous or life threatening.

Asthma
Skunk Cabbage Used by the Winnebago and Dakota tribes to stimulate the removal of phlegm. The rootstock was official in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1882 when it was used in respiratory and nervous disorders and in rheumatism and dropsy.

Mullein Introduced by Europeans. The Menominees smoked the pulverized, dried root for respiratory complaints while the Forest Potawatomis, the Mohegans, and the Penobscots smoked the dried leaves to relieve asthma. The Catawba Indians used a sweetened syrup from the boiled root, which they gave to their children for coughs. Smoke and steam from the leaves of the mint were also used by many tribes.

Backache
Arnica The Catawba Indians used a tea of arnica roots for treating back pains. Arnica can be dangerous if taken internally and may cause severe and even fatal poisoning. Also used as a wash to treat sprains and bruises.

Gentian The Catawba Indians steeped the roots in hot water and applied the fluid on aching backs.

Horsemint The Catawba tribe crushed and steeped fresh horsemint leaves in cold water and drank the infusion to allay back pain. Other tribes used horsemint for fever, inflammation, and chills.

Blood Remedy
Sassafras A tonic was prepared using the leaves and bark. Often other plants such as onion and willow bark was added.

Boils
Grape and Peach Leaves Southern nations applied a poultice of the ground leaves to the area and changed the bandage several times a day.

Bronchitis
Creosote Bush A tea of the leaves was used for bronchial and other respiratory problems.

Pleurisy Root The Natchez drank a tea of the boiled roots as a remedy for pneumonia and was later used to promote the expulsion of phlegm.

Wormwood The Yokia Indians of Mendocino County used a tea of the boiled leaves of a local species of wormwood to cure bronchitis.

Broken Bones
Bone Set Pulverized into a wet mash poultice next to the skin prior to affected area being wrapped in clay over the poultice and changed daily. Saplings were used to reduce mobility.

Burns
Yellow-Spined Thistle The Kiowa Indians boiled yellow-spined thistle blossoms and applied the resulting liquid to burns and skin sores.

Oak Bark The inner bark was boiled and as the water cooled, the top layer was skimmed off and applied directly to the burn without a bandage.

Chills
Snake Root The root was pealed, boiled and the ground for use as a tea.

Colds
Boneset Boneset tea was one of the most frequently used home remedies during the last century. The Menominees used it to reduce fever; the Alabamas, to relive stomachache; the Creeks, for body pain; the Iroquois and the Mohegans, for fever and colds. Wild ginger was also used by the Iroquois and other nations.

Colic
Catnip The Mohegans made a tea of catnip leaves for infant colic.

Constipation
Seed Bladder Nuts The nuts were ground into a flour and mixed with fruit.

Contraceptives
Ragleaf Bahia The Navajos, who called the Ragleaf bahia herb twisted medicine, drank a tea of the roots boiled in water for thirty minutes for contraception purposes.

Indian Paintbrush Hopi women drank a tea of the whole Indian paintbrush to "Dry up the menstrual flow."

Blue Cohosh Chippewa women drank a strong decoction of the powdered blue cohosh root to promote parturition and menstruation.

Dogbane Generally used by many tribes, a tea from the boiled roots of the plant was drunk once a week.

Milkweed Navajo women drank a tea prepared of the whole plant after childbirth. American Mistletoe. Indians of Mendocino County drank a tea of the leaves to induce abortion or to prevent conception.

Antelope Sage To prevent conception, Navajo women drank one cup of a decoction of boiled antelope sage root during menstruation.

Stoneseed Shoshoni women of Nevada reportedly drank a cold water infusion of stoneseed roots everyday for six months to ensure permanent sterility.

Coughs
Aspen Cree Indians used an infusion of the inner bark as a remedy for coughs.

Wild Cherry The Flambeau Ojibwa prepared a tea of the bark of wild cherry for coughs and colds, while other tribes used a bark for diarrhea or for lung troubles.

White Pine The inner bark was used by Indians as a tea for colds and coughs.

Sarsaparilla The Penobscots pulverized dried sarsaparilla roots and combined them with sweet flag roots in warm water and used the liquid as a cough remedy.

Chestnut The inner bark was used like white pine and wild cherry.

Diabetes
Wild Carrot The Mohegans steeped the blossoms of this wild species in warm water when they were in full bloom and took the drink for diabetes.

Devil's Club The Indians of British Columbia utilized a tea of the root bark to offset the effects of diabetes.

Diarrhea
Black Cherry A tea of blackberry roots was the most frequently used remedy for diarrhea among Indians of northern California.

Wild Black Cherry The Mohegans allowed the ripe wild black cherry to ferment naturally in a jar about one year than then drank the juice to cure dysentery.

Dogwood The Menominees boiled the inner bark of the dogwood and passed the warm solution into the rectum with a rectal syringe made from the bladder of a small mammal and the hollow bone of a bird.

Geranium Chippewa and Ottawa tribes boiled the entire geranium plant and drank the tea for diarrhea.

White Oak Iroquois and Penobscots boiled the bark of the white oak and drank the liquid for bleeding piles and diarrhea.

Black Raspberry The Pawnee, Omaha, and Dakota tribes boiled the root bark of black raspberry for dysentery.

Star Grass Catawbas drank a tea of star grass leaves for dysentery.

Digestive Disorders
Dandelion A tea of the roots was drunk for heartburn by the Pillager Ojibwas. Mohegans drank a tea of the leaves for a tonic.

Yellow Root A tea from the root was used by the Catawbas and the Cherokee as a stomach ache remedy.

Fevers
Dogwood The Delaware Indians, who called the tree Hat-ta-wa-no-min-schi, boiled the inner bark in water, using the tea to reduce fevers.

Willow The Pomo tribe boiled the inner root bark, then drank strong doses of the resulting tea to induce sweating in cases of chills and fever. In the south, the Natchez prepared their fever remedies from the bark of the red willow, while the Alabama and Creek Indians plunged into willow root baths for the same purpose.

Feverwort The Cherokees drank a decoction of the coarse, leafy, perennial herb to cure fevers.

Headache
Pennyroyal The Onondagas steeped pennyroyal leaves and drank the tea to cure headaches.

Willow Bark Many tribes knew the inner bark of the willow ground into powder and mixed with water relieved headaches. It was also used for potential heart attacks.

Heart and Circulatory Problems
Green Hellebore The Cherokee used the green hellebore to relive body pains.

American Hemp and Dogbane Used by the Prairie Potawatomis as a heart medicine, the fruit was boiled when it was still green, and the resulting decoction drunk. It was also used for kidney problems and for dropsy.

Hemorrhoids
White Oak The Menominee tribe treated piles by squirting an infusion of the scraped inner bark of oak into the rectum with a syringe made from an animal bladder and the hollow bone of a bird.

Hiccups
Wild Cherry Tea Used in case of chronic hiccups, the liquid was gulped down repeatedly for several hours.

Inflammations and Swellings
Witch Hazel The Menominees of Wisconsin boiled the leaves and rubbed the liquid on the legs of tribesmen who were participating in sporting games. A decoction of the boiled twigs was used to cure aching backs, while steam derived by placing the twigs in water with hot rocks was a favorite Potawatomi treatment for muscle aches.

Influenza
Native Hemlock (as opposed Poison Hemlock of Socrates fame). The Menominees prepared a tea if the inner bark and drank it to relieve cold symptoms. A similar tea was used by the Forest Potawatomis to induce sweating and relieve colds and feverish conditions.

Insect Bites and Stings
Fendler Bladderpod The Navajos made a tea and used it to treat spider bites.

Purple Coneflower The Plains Indians used this as a universal application for the bites and stings of all crawling, flying, or leaping bugs. Between June and September, the bristly stemmed plant, which grows in dry, open woods and on prairies, bears a striking purplish flower.

Stiff Goldenrod The Meskwaki Indians of Minnesota ground the flowers into a lotion and applied it to bee stings.

Trumpet Honeysuckle The leaves were ground by chewing and then applied to bees stings.

Wild Onion and Garlic The Dakotas and Winnebagos applied the crushed bulbs of wild onions and garlics.

Saltbush The Navajos chewed the stems and placed the pulpy mash on areas of swelling caused by ant, bee and wasp bites. The Zunis applied the dried, powdered roots and flowers mixed with saliva to ant bites.

Broom Snakeweed The Navajos chewed the stem and applied the resin to insect bites and stings of all kinds.

Tobacco A favorite remedy for bee stings was the application of wet tobacco leaves.

Mullein A poultice of the wet puffy mullein seed pods was used by many nations.

Clay The purple, yellow and blue clay surrounding crystals was sifted to remove tiny crystals and ground into a powder, made wet into a paste and applied as a poultice.

Insect Repellents and Insecticides
Goldenseal The Cherokee pounded the large rootstock with bear fat and smeared it on their bodies as an insect repellent. It was also used as a tonic, stimulant, and astringent.

Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy Leaves The moist leaves were heated by steam for several hours and rubbed into the skin, especially to areas surrounding the afflicted spots. While this method did not provide much relief from itching, it did build an immediate immunity to the surrounding skin and future contact.

Rheumatism
Pokeweed Indians of Virginia drank a tea of the boiled berries to cure rheumatism. The dried root was also used to allay inflammation.

Bloodroot A favorite rheumatism remedy among the Indians of the Mississippi region - the Rappahannocks of Virginia drank a tea of the root.

Sedatives
Wild Black Cherry The Meskwaki tribe made a sedative tea of the root bark.

Hops The Mohegans prepared a sedative medicine from the conelike strobiles and sometimes heated the blossoms and applied them for toothache. The Dakota tribe used a tea of the steeped strobiles to relieve pains of the digestive organs, and the Menominee tribe regarded a related species of hops as a panacea.

Wild Lettuce. Indigenous to North American, it was used for sedative purposes, especially in nervous complaints.

Snake Bite
Red Elm After removing as much venom as possible, Indians used the ground inner bark and young early spring leaves as a poultice applied directly to the bite.

Sore Throat
Elm Bark Tea Widely used to reduce inflammation.

Stomach Ache
Golden Seal Many tribes drank a tea made from the leaves of this plant.

Thrush
Geranium The Cherokee boiled geranium root together with wild grape, and with the liquid, rinsed the mouths of children affected with thrush.

Persimmon The Catawba stripped the bark from the tree and boiled it in water, using the resulting dark liquid as a mouth rinse.

Wild Iris This plant was used as a tea and mash for sore mouths.

Toothache
Prickly Ash The root and leaves were pounded into a wet mash and applied on the gums to deaden nerves and reduce inflammation.

Vomiting
Beech Bark Tea Used wherever this tree grew, a tea was a sure tonic for vomiting.

Warts
Milk Weed Used by many nations, the white milk sap was used as a poultice.

HERBS, PREGNANCY and CHILDBIRTH

To Speed Childbirth:

Partridgeberry The Cherokee used a tea of the boiled leaves. Frequent doses of the tea were taken in the few weeks preceding the expected date of delivery.

Blue Cohosh To promote a rapid delivery, an infusion of the root in warm water was drunk as a tea for several weeks prior to the expected delivery date.

To Speed Delivery of the Placenta:
American Licorice A tea was made from the boiled roots.

Broom Snakeweed Navajo women drank a tea of the whole plant to promote the expulsion of the placenta.

To Stop Post-Partum Hemorrhage:
Buckwheat Hopi women were given an infusion of the entire buckwheat plant to stop bleeding.

Black Western Chokecherry Arikara women were given a drink of the berry juice to stop bleeding.

Smooth Upland Sumac The Omahas boiled the smooth upland sumac fruits and applied the liquid as an external wash to stop bleeding.

To Relieve the Pain of Childbirth:
Wild Black Cherry Cherokee women were given a tea of the inner bark to relieve pain in the early stages.

Cotton The Alabama and Koasati tribes made a tea of the roots of the plant to relieve the pains of labor.

Milkweed Navajo women drank a tea prepared of the whole plant after childbirth.

Clay The purple, yellow and blue clay surrounding crystals was sifted to remove tiny crystals and ground into a powder, made wet into a paste and rolled into small marble-size balls. One clay ball was consumed each day of pregnancy to promote good health.

CAUTION!
If you are pregnant, the herbs listed below have the potential to cause uterine contractions:

Black Cohosh Fenugreek Parsley
Black Walnut Ginger Peppermint
Blessed Thistle Ginseng Red Clover
Catnip Goldenseal Rhubarb Root
Cat's Claw Horsetail Rosemary
Cascara Segrada Jumper Sarsaparilla
Damiana Lavender Thyme
Devil's Claw Licorice Uva Ursi
Dong Quai Lobelia White Willow
Fennel Myrrh Wood Betony


Good Pregnancy Herbs

Rasbery Leaf Strengthens uterine muscles. Soothes upset stomach and alleviates mild morning sickness. It increases breast milk and after birth, it slows bleeding and helps the uterus to gain tone. Contains easily digested calcium, magnesium and iron.

Nettle Leaves A powerhouse of nutrition, with iron and calcium. It has folic acid that is so important during pregnancy. Can strengthen veins, kidneys and adrenals. It can also help to increase breast milk.

Oatstraw Provides a relaxing sleep after nervous exhaustion.

Dandelion Root Tea Improves digestion, relieves constipation and water retention. High in calcium and iron. A good diuretic that does not deplete potassium. Good for the liver.

Pregnancy Tea and Baths
Sweet Dreams Tea Mix equal parts of rose buds, muswort, sweet melilot and peppermint.

Baby Bath for Mom Lavender, peppermint, strawberry leaf, raspberry leaf, orange petals, orange peel, lemon grass, chamomile, rosemary, sage, celandine, rosehips and rose buds. Mix equal parts in a large bowl, add water, heat and let cool. Strain off and pour liquid into a storage container. You may also add individual herbs to bath water or purchase products at a health food store with these ingredients.

Sore Feet Bath Comfrey, rosemary, goldenseal, marigold, chamomile, and tea tree oil. Prepare same as above.

---- From Mooney's "Myths of the Cherokee and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokee"

CHEROKEE PLANT LORE


The Cherokee have always been an agricultural people and their old country is a region of luxuriant flora, with tall trees and tangled undergrowth on the slopes and ridges, and myriad bright-tinted blossoms and sweet wild fruits along the running streams.

The vegetable kingdom consequently holds a far more important place in the mythology and ceremonial of the tribe than it does among the Indians of the treeless plains and arid sage deserts of the West, most of the beliefs and customs in this connection centering around the practice of medicine, as expounded by the priests and doctors in every settlement.

In general it is held that the plant world is friendly to the human species, and constantly at the willing service of the doctors to counteract the jealous hostility of the animals. The sacred formulas contain many curious instructions for the gathering and preparation of the medicinal roots and barks, which are selected chiefly in accordance with the theory of correspondences. The Indians are close observers, and some of their plant names are peculiarly apt.

Thus the mistletoe, which never grows alone, but is found always with its roots fixed in the bark of some supporting tree or shrub from which it draws its sustenance, is called by a name which signifies "4 it is married" (uda'`l�).

The violet is still called by a plural name, dinda'skwate'sk�, "they pull each other's heads off," showing that the Cherokee children have discovered a game not unknown among our own. The bear-grass (Eryngium), with its long, slender leaves like diminutive blades of corn, is called s�likw�'y�, "greensnake," and the larger grass known as Job's tears, on account of its glossy, rounded grains, which the Indian children use for necklaces, is called sel-uts�' "the mother of corn."

The black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) of our children is the "deer-eye" (a`w�'-akt�') of the Cherokee, and our lady-slipper (Cypripedium) is their "partridge moccasin" (g�gw�'-ulasu'la).

The May-apple (Podophyllum), with its um rella-shaped top, is calledu'niskwetu'`g�, meaning "it wears a hat," while the white puff fall fungus is n�kw�s�'-usdi' "the little star," and the common rock lichen bears the musical, if rather unpoetic, name of uts�le'ta, "pot scrapings."

Some plants are named from their real or supposed place in the animal economy, as the wild rose, tsist-uni'gist�, "the rabbits eat it"--referring to the seed berries--and the shield fern (Aspidum), y�n-utse'st�, "the bear lies on it." Others, again, are named from their domestic or ceremonial uses, as the fleabane (Erigeron canadense), called atsil'-s��`t�, "fire maker," because its dried stalk was anciently employed in producing fire by friction, and the bugle weed (Lycopus virginicus), known as aniwani'sk�, "talkers," because the chewed root, given to children to swallow, or rubbed upon their lips, is supposed to endow them with the gift of eloquence.

Some few, in addition to the ordinary term in use among the common people, have a sacred or symbolic name, used only by the priests and doctors in the prayer formulas. Thus ginseng, or "sang," as it is more often called by the white mountaineers, is known to the laity �'tal�-g�l�', the mountain climber," but is addressed in the formulas as Y��w� Usdi', "Little Man," hileselu (corn) is invoked under the name of Agawe'la, "The Old Woman."

One or two plant names have their origin in myths, as, for instance, that of Prosartes lanuginosa, which bears the curious name of wal�s'-un�l'st�, "frogs fight with it," from a story that in the long ago--h�lahi'yu--two quarrelsome frogs once fought a duel, using its stalks as lances. In the locative form this was the name of a former Cherokee settlement in Georgia, called by the whites Fighting-town, from a misapprehension of the meaning of the word. Of the white clover, the Cherokee say that "it follows the white man."

The division of trees into evergreen and deciduous is accounted for by a myth, related elsewhere, according to which the loss of their leaves in winter time is a punishment visited upon the latter for their failure to endure an ordeal to the end.

With the Cherokee, as with nearly all other tribes east and west, the cedar is held sacred above other trees. The reasons for this reverence are easily found in its ever-living green, its balsamic fragrance, and the beautiful color of its fine-grained wood, unwarping and practically undecaying. The small green twigs are thrown upon the fire as incense in certain ceremonies, particularly to counteract the effect of asgina dreams, as it is believed that the anisgi'na or malevolent ghosts can not endure the smell; but the wood itself is considered too sacred to be used as fuel. In the war dance, the scalp trophies, stretched on small hoops, were hung upon a cedar sapling trimmed and decorated for the occasion.

According to a myth the red color comes originally from the blood of a wicked magician, whose severed head was hung at the top of a tall cedar. The story is now almost forgotten, but it was probably nearly identical with one still existing among the Yuchi, former neighbors of the Cherokee.

According to the Yuchi myth, a malevolent magician disturbed the daily course of the sun until at last two brave warriors sought him out and killed him in his cave. They cut off his head and brought it home with them to show to the people, but it continued still alive. To make it die they were advised to tie it in the topmost branches of a tree. This they did, trying one tree after another, but each morning the head was found at the foot of the tree and still alive. At last they tied it in a cedar, and there the head remained until it was dead. While the blood slowly trickling down along the trunk gave the wood its red color, and henceforth the cedar was a "medicine" tree.

The linn or basswood (Tilia) is believed never to be struck by lightning. and the hunter caught in one of the frequent thunderstorms of the southern mountains always seeks its shelter. From its stringy bark are twisted the hunting belts worn about the waist.

Sour wood (Oxydendrum) is used by the hunters for barbecue sticks to roast meat before the fire, on account of the acid flavor of the wood, which they believe to be thus communicated to the meat. Spoons and combs are also carved from the wood, but it is never burned, from all idea that lye made from the ashes will bring sickness to those who use it in preparing their food. It is said also that if one should sleep beside a fire containing sour wood sticks, the sour wood "will barbecue him." which may possibly mean that he will have hot or feverish pains thereafter.

The laurel, in its two varieties, large and small Rhododendron and Kalmia, or "ivy"), is much used for spoons and combs, on account of its close grain, as also in medicine, but is never burned, as it is believed that this would bring on cold weather, and would furthermore destroy the medicinal virtues of the whole species. The reason given is that the leaves, when burning, make a hissing sound suggestive of winter winds and falling snow. When the doctor is making up a compound in which any part of the laurel is an ingredient, great precautions are taken to prevent any of the leaves or twigs being swept into the fire, as this would render the decoction worthless.

Sassafras is not used as fuel among the Cherokee, as also among their white neighbors, perhaps for the practical reason that it is apt to pop out of the fire when heated and might thus set the house on fire.

Pounded walnut bark is thrown into small streams to stupefy the fish, so that they may be easily dipped out in baskets as they float on the surface of the water. Should a pregnant woman wade into the stream at the time, its effect is nullified, unless she has first taken the precaution to tie a strip of the bark about her toe.

A fire of post-oak and the wood of the tel�n'l�t� or summer grape (Vitis �stivalis) is believed to bring a spell of warm weather even in the coldest winter season.

Mysterious properties attach to the wood of a tree which has been struck by lightning, especially when the tree itself still lives, and such wood enters largely into the secret compounds of the conjurers. An ordinary person of the laity will not touch it, for fear of having cracks come upon his hands and feet, nor is it burned for fuel, for fear that lye made from the ashes will cause consumption. In preparing ballplayers, for the contest, the medicine-man sometimes burns splinters of it to coal, which he gives to the players to paint themselves with in order that they may be able to strike their opponents with all the force of a thunderbolt.

Bark or wood from a tree struck by lightning, but still green, is beaten up and put into the water in which seeds are soaked before planting, to insure a good crop, but, on the other and, any lightning-struck wood thrown into the field will cause the crop to wither, and it is believed to have a bad effect even to go into the field immediately after having been near such a tree.

Among all vegetables the one which holds first place in the household economy and ceremonial observance of the tribe is selu, "corn," invoked in the sacred formulas under the name of Agawe'la, "The Old Woman," in allusion to its mythic origin from the blood of an old woman killed by her disobedient sons, "Kana't� and Selu". In former times the annual thanksgiving ceremony of the Green-corn dance, preliminary to eating the first new corn, was the most solemn tribal function, a propitiation and expiation for the sins of the past year, an amnesty for public criminals, and a prayer for happiness and prosperity for the year to come.

Only those who had properly prepared themselves by prayer, fasting, and purification were allowed to take part in this ceremony, and no one dared to taste the new corn until then. Seven ears from the last year's crop were always put carefully aside, in order to attract the corn until the new crop was ripened and it was time for the dance, when they were eaten with the rest. In eating the first new corn after the Green Corn dance, care was observed not to blow upon it to cool it, for fear of causing a wind storm to beat down the standing crop in the field.

Much ceremony accompanied the planting and tending of the crop. Seven grains, the sacred number, were put into each hill, and these were not afterward thinned out. After the last working of the crop, the priest and an assistant-generally the owner of the field-went into the field and built a small enclosure (dets�n��'l�) in the center. Then entering it, they seated themselves upon the ground, with heads bent down, and while the assistant kept perfect silence the priest, with rattle in band, sang songs of invocation to the spirit of the corn. Soon, according to the orthodox belief, a loud rustling would be heard outside, which they would know was caused by the "Old Woman" bringing the corn into the field, but neither must look up until the song was finished.

This ceremony was repeated on four successive nights, after which no one entered the field or seven other nights, when the priest himself went in, and, if all the sacred regulations had been properly observed, was rewarded by finding young ears upon the stalks. The corn ceremonies could be performed by the owner of the field himself, provided he was willing to pay a sufficient fee to the priest in order to learn the songs and ritual. Care was always taken to keep a clean trail from the field to the house, so that the corn might be encouraged to stay at home and not go wandering elsewhere. Most of these customs have now fallen into disuse excepting among the old people, by many of whom they are still religiously observed.

Another curious ceremony, of which even the memory is now almost forgotten, was enacted after the first working of the corn, when the, owner or priest stood in succession at each of the four corners of the field and wept and wailed loudly. Even the priests are now unable to give a reason for this performance, which may have been a lament for the bloody death of Selu, as the women of Byblos were wont to weep for Adonis.

Next to corn, the bean (tuya) is the most important food plant of the Cherokee and other southern Indians, with whom it is probably native, but there does not appear to be much special ceremony or folklore in connection with it. Beans which crack open in cooking are sometimes rubbed by mothers on the lips of their children in order to make them look smiling and good-tempered. The association of ideas seems to be the same as that which in Ireland causes a fat mealy potato, which cracks open in boiling, to be called a "laughing" potato.

Melons and squashes must not be counted or examined too closely, while still growing upon the vine, or they will cease to thrive; neither must one step over the vine, or it will wither before the fruit ripens. One who has eaten a May-apple must not come near the vines under any circumstances, as this plant withers and dries up very quickly, and its presence would make the melons wither in the same way.

Tobacco was used as a sacred incense or as the guarantee of a solemn oath in nearly every important function--in binding the warrior to take up the hatchet against the enemy, in ratifying the treaty of peace, in confirming sales or other engagements, in seeking omens for the hunter, in driving away witches or evil spirits, and in regular medical practice. It was either smoked in the pipe or sprinkled upon the fire, never rolled into cigarettes, as among the tribes of the Southwest, neither was it ever smoked for the mere pleasure of the sensation.

Of late years white neighbors have taught the Indians to chew it, but the habit is not aboriginal. It is called ts�l�, a name which has lost its meaning in the Cherokee language, but is explained from the cognate Tuscarora, in which charh�', "tobacco," can still be analyzed as "fire to hold in the mouth," showing that the use is as old as the knowledge of the plant.

The tobacco originally in use among the Cherokee, Iroquois, and other eastern tribes was not the common tobacco of commerce (Nicotiana tabacum), which has been introduced from the West Indies, but the Nicotiana rustica, or wild tobacco, now distinguished by the Cherokee as ts�l-ag�y��'l�, "old tobacco," and by the Iroquois as "real tobacco." Its various uses in ritual and medicine are better described under other headings.

The cardinal flower (Lobelia), mullein (Verbascum), and one or two related species are called "like tobacco," on account of their general resemblance to it in appearance, but they were never used in the same way.

The poisonous wild parsnip (Peucedanum) bears an unpleasant reputation on account of its frequent use in evil spells, especially those intended to destroy the life of the victim. In one of these conjurations seven pieces of the root are laid upon one hand and rubbed gently with the other, the omen being taken from the position of the pieces when the hand is removed. It is said also that poisoners mix it secretly with the food of their intended victim, when, if he eats, he soon becomes drowsy, and, unless kept in motion until the effect wears off, falls asleep, never to wake again. Suicides are said to eat it to procure death.

Before starting on a journey a small piece of the root is sometimes chewed and blown upon the body to prevent sickness, but the remedy is almost as bad as the disease, for the snakes are said to resent the offensive smell by biting the one who carries it. In spite of its poisonous qualities, a decoction of the root is much used for steaming patients in the sweat bath, the idea seeming to be that the smell drives away the disease spirits.

The poison oak or poison ivy (Rhus radicans), so abundant in the damp eastern forests, is feared as much by Indians as by whites. When obliged to approach it or work in its vicinity, the Cherokee strives to conciliate it by addressing it as "My friend" (hi'g�nali�). If poisoned by it, he rubs upon the affected part the beaten flesh of a crawfish.

One variety of brier (Smilax) is called di`n�'sk�, "the breeder," from a belief that a thorn of it, if allowed to remain in the flesh, will breed others in a day or two.

Ginseng, which is sold in large quantities to the local traders, as well as used in the native medical practice, is called �tal�-g�l�', "the mountain climber," but is addressed by the priests as Y��w� Usdi', "Little Man," or Y��w� Usdi'ga Ada'wehi'yu, "Little Man, Most Powerful Magician," the Cherokee sacred term, like the Chinese name, having its origin from the frequent resemblance of the root in shape to the body of a man.

The beliefs and ceremonies in connection with its gathering and preparation are very numerous. The doctor speaks constantly of it as of a sentient being, and it is believed to be able to make itself invisible to those unworthy to gather it. In hunting it, the first three plants found are passed by. The fourth is taken, after a preliminary prayer, in which the doctor addresses it as the "Great Ada'weh�," and humbly asks permission to take a small piece of its flesh. On digging it from the ground, he drops into the hole a bead and covers it over, leaving it there, by way of payment to the plant spirit. After that he takes them as they come without further ceremony.

The catgut or devil's shoestring (Tephrosia) is called distai'y�, "they are tough," in allusion to its stringy roots, from which Cherokee women prepare a decoction with which to wash their hair in order to impart to it the strength and toughness of the plant, while a preparation of the leaves is used by ballplayers to wash themselves in order to toughen their limbs. To enable them to spring quickly to their feet if thrown to the ground, the players bathe their limbs also with a decoction of the small rush (Juncus enuis) which they say, always recovers its erect position, no matter how often trampled down.

The white seeds of the viper's bugloss (Echium vulgare) were formerly used in many important ceremonies of which the purpose was to look into the future, but have now been superseded by the ordinary glass beads of the traders. The culver root (Leptandra) is used in love conjurations, the omen being taken from the motion of the root when held in the hand.

The campion (Silene stellata), locally known as "rattle snake's master," is called ganidaw�'sk�, "it disjoints itself," because the dried stalk is said to break off by joints, beginning at the top. As among the white mountaineers, the juice is held to be a sovereign remedy for snake bites, and it is even believed that the deadliest snake will flee from one who carries a small portion of the root in his mouth.

Almost all varieties of burs, from the Spanish needle tip to the cocklebur and Jimsonweed, are classed together under the generic name of u'nistil��'ist�, which may be freely rendered as "stickers." From their habit of holding fast to whatever object they may happen to touch, they are believed to have an occult power for improving the memory and inducing stability of character. Very soon after a child is born, one of the smaller species, preferably the Lespedeza repens, is beaten up and a portion is put into a bowl of water taken from a fall or cataract, where the stream makes a constant noise. This is given to the child to drink on four successive days, with the intention of making him quick to learn and retain in memory anything once heard.

The noise of the cataract from which the water is taken is believed to be the voice of Y��w� G�nahi'ta, the "Long Man," or river god, teaching lessons which the child may understand, while the stream itself is revered for its power to seize and hold anything cast upon its surface. A somewhat similar ceremony is sometimes used for adults, but in this case the matter is altogether more difficult, as there are tabus for four or seven days, and the mind must be kept fixed upon the purpose of the rite throughout the whole period, while if the subject so far forgets himself as to lose his temper in that time he will remain of a quarrelsome disposition forever after.

A flowering vine, known as nuniyu'st�, "potato-like," which grows in cultivated fields, and has a tuberous root somewhat resembling a potato, is used in hunting conjurations. The bruised root, from which a milky juice oozes, is rubbed upon the deer bleat, a`w�'-ahyeli'sk� with which the hunter imitates the bleating of the fawn, under the idea that the doe, hearing it, will think that her offspring desires to suck, and will therefore come the sooner.

The putty-root (Adam-and-Eve, Aplectrum hiemale), which is of an oily, mucilaginous nature, is carried by the deer hunter, who, on shooting a deer, puts a small piece of the chewed root into the wound, expecting as a necessary result to find the animal unusually fat when skinned. Infants which seem to pine and grow thin are bathed with a decoction of the same root in order to fatten them.

The root of the plant known as Venus' flytrap (Dion�a), which has the remarkable property of catching and digesting insects which alight upon it, is chewed by the fisherman and spit upon the bait that no fish may escape him, and the plant is tied upon the fish trap or the same purpose.

The root of a plant called unatl��we' hit�, "having spirals," is used in conjurations designed to predispose strangers in favor of the subject. The priest "takes it to water"--i.e., says certain prayers over it while standing close to the running stream, then chews a small piece and rubs and blows it upon the body and arms of the patient, who is supposed to be about to start upon a journey, or to take part in a council, with the result that all who meet him or listen to his words are at once pleased with his manner and appearance, and disposed to give every assistance to his projects.

---- Mooney's "Myths of the Cherokee and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokee"

POISON PLANTS AND WARNINGS //// POINTS TO REMEMBER

If you have not positively identified a plant and its origin. DO NOT EAT or use it in any way. Make certain branches used as skewers during outdoor cookouts are not from a poisonous tree or shrub.

Make certain the plants you use are not deadly look-alikes.

Do not assume because an animal eats a plant that it is fit for human consumption.

Cooking does not always detoxify a poisonous plant.

Store poisonous plants in a secure location out of the reach of children.

Teach children to keep flowers, seeds, berries and leaves out of their mouths.

IF POISONING OCCURS
Immediately call a doctor, hospital or poison control center.

Report the name of the plant, amount and part of the plant digested, the time the poison was ingested and save the plant.

If a doctor is NOT available:

Have the victim drink plenty of water.

IF victim is conscious and NOT convulsing:

Induce vomiting by tickling the back of the throat with a blunt instrument like a finger or spoon.

If vomiting cannot be induced by stimulation, have the victim drink soapy water, saltwater or Syrup of Ipecac. Get Syrup of Ipecac from most pharmacies. Keep in your medicine cabinet or kit at all times. Adult: 2 tablespoons Child: 1 tablespoon Infant: 2 teaspoons

Keep victim comfortable and administer artificial respiration if necessary.

Take the victim and the plant to nearest medical facility.

---- Manataka American Indian Council

POISON PLANTS

APPLES
Apple seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides. If you eat enough of the seeds, you could very well die.

ANGEL'S TRUMPET
All parts of these plants contain dangerous levels of poison. People sometimes die trying to create recreational drugs from the plant.

CASTOR BEANS
One castor bean contains enough ricin to kill an adult within a few minutes.

DAFFODILS
Daffodils are deer- and vermin-resistant, and no wonder -- they have a poisonous numbing effect.

DOLLS'S EYE
The fruit of a doll's eye plant contain cardiogenic toxins that can lead to cardiac arrest and death.

GROUND CHERRY (JAPANESE LANTERN) (CHINESE LANTERN)
These ornamental plants grow low to the ground with many branches. The leaves and unripe fruit are poison.

HEMLOCK
All parts of the plant contain the alkaloid coniine, which causes stomach pains, vomiting and progressive paralysis of the central nervous system.
HOLLY
The berries of these ornamental plants are poison and especially dangerous for small children. Symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.

HORSE CHESTNUT (BUCKEYE)
All parts of this common shade tree and shrub are poison and may be fatal. Symptoms: Twitching, weakness, dilated pupils, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, paralysis, and stupor. Can be fatal.

HYDRANGEA
Large flower clusters grow on this deciduous shrub of vines. The leaves, branches and buds are poison. Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, staggering, convulsions and death.

IRIS (FLAG)
This very popular garden or wild perennial produces leaves and rhizomes that are poison. Symptoms: Severe but not serious stomach upset. The root causes dermatitis.

JIMSONWEED (THORNAPPLE) (JAMESTOWN WEED) (STINKWEED)
All parts of these common annual weeds are poison, especially seeds and leaves. Symptoms: Abnormal thirst, dilated pupils, nausea, hallucinations, convulsions, rapid pulse, high blood pressure, coma. Leaves and flowers cause dermatitis.

JUNIPER (RED CEDAR)
The leaves of these very common evergreen trees can cause skin irritation.

LADY'S SLIPPER
Found in forests, and wooded orchards, the leaves and stems cause skin irritation.

LATANA (RED SAGE)
All parts of this fruit bearing southern perennial ornamental shrub are poisonous. Symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea, muscular weakness, rapid heartbeat, circulatory collapse, kidney damage and difficulty in breathing.

LILY OF THE VALLEY
Most parts of this very fragrant blooming perennial are poison, including roots, leaves, flowers and berries. Symptoms: Large amounts can cause mental confusion, circulatory collapse, and death.

LUPINE (BLUEBONNET)
All parts of this herbaceous perennial and annuals are poisonous, especially the unripe seeds. Symptoms: Labored breathing, convulsions and coma.

MAYAPPLE (MANDRAKE)
The green fruit, roots and foliage of this herbaceous perennial are poisonous. Symptoms: Vomiting and diarrhea. The fruit of this plant is edible.

MILKWEED
This erect, coarse perennial plant is found in fields and damp roadside areas. Its leaves, stems and sap are poison. Symptoms: Stomach upset. Could be dangerous to children if eaten in quantity. The immature seed pod of some species is edible if cooked.

MISTLETOE
Found in many types of trees, the berries of this woody, semi-parasitic evergreen are poisonous. Symptoms: Acute stomach and intestinal irritation, diarrhea and slow pulse. Can be fatal.

MONKSHOOD (ACONITE) (WOLFSBANE)
All parts of these pretty perennial wildflowers are poison, especially the root, and seeds. Symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, spasms, respiratory paralysis and convulsions. Can be fatal.

MORNING GLORY
This colorful vine is a common ornamental plant with seeds that are poisonous. Seeds have a hallucinogenic effect. Symptoms: Digestive upset, stupor, coma and death.

NARCISSUS (DAFFODIL) (JONQUIL)
All parts of these very common perennial garden flowers are poisonous, especially the bulbs. One bulb can cause death. Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Severe cases result in stupor, convulsions and possible death.

NETTLE (STINGING NETTLE)
Great care must be taken when harvesting these tall annual or perennial bristle weeds for cooking. The nettle hairs cause severe itching, burning and skin inflammation.

NIGHTSHADE (BLACK NIGHTSHADE) (DEADLY NIGHTSHADE)
All parts of this woody shrub-like plant are poisonous, especially the unripe berries. Symptoms: Dilated pupils, Intense digestive upset, rapid heartbeat, depression of the central nervous system and may be fatal.

OLEANDER
All pats of this ornamental evergreen tree or shrub are poisonous, especially the fruit. Symptoms: Dilated pupils, digestive upset, bloody diarrhea, weak pulse, dizziness, drowsiness, paralysis of the lungs, coma and death.

PHEASANT'S EYE (SPRING ADONIS)
This very common perennial ornamental plant produces leaves and stems that are poisonous. Symptoms: Stomach upset, nervousness and depression. Can be fatal if consumed in large quantities.

POISON HEMLOCK
All parts of this tall biennial, carrot or parsley look-alike plant are poisonous, especially the seeds and roots. Symptoms: Dilated pupils, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, trembling, slow pulse, respiratory failure, coma and death.

POISON IVY (POISON OAK) POISON SUMAC
All parts of these are very common woody vines, shrubs or trees are poison, especially the leaves. Smoke from burning these plants can cause poisoning. Symptoms: Itching, skin rash. Can be fatal if ingested.

POKE (POKEWEED) (INKBERRY)
The cooked young shoots of this plant are edible, but the raw leaves and berries can cause a severe reaction. Symptoms: Stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hard breathing, weakness, spasms, convulsions and death.

POPPY (POPPY OPIUM) (ORNAMENTAL POPPY)
All parts of this popular erect annual herb are poisonous. The unripe fruit causes stupor, shallow breath and coma. Other parts cause digestive upset and nervous tics.

POTATO (IRISH POTATO) (WHITE POTATO)
As a common garden vegetable, the sprouts, leaves, shoots and green tubers are poisonous. Symptoms: Dilated pupils, digestive upset, numbness, paralysis, circulatory and respiratory depression. Can be fatal.

PRIVET (PRIM)
All parts of this common ornamental hedge or shrub are poisonous. Symptoms: Severe digestive upset, weak blood pressure, possible kidney damage. Can be fatal.

RHODODENDRON (AZALEA) (LAUREL)
All parts of this wood evergreen and deciduous shrub are poisonous, especially the foliage. Symptoms: Increased saliva and nasal discharge, digestive upset, depression of t he heart and nervous system, paralysis, and stupor. May be fatal.

RHUBARB
Grown for its edible leave stock, the leaves and roots of this perennial garden plant are poison. Symptoms: Burning and irritation of the mouth and tongue. May be fatal if the tongue and throat swell blocking air passage. Other symptoms include nausea and vomiting.

ROSARY PEA (PRECATORY BEAN) (JEQUIRITY BEAN) (INDIAN LICORICE)
These woody perennial vines produce colorful seeds used for making jewelry and decorations. The seeds are poisonous. Symptoms: nausea, weakness, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, cold sweats, drowsiness, circulatory and respiratory failure, coma and death. One single seed can be fatal.

ST. JOHN'S WORT
This plant is often used as medicinal herb but the leaves are poisonous and can cause skin irritation and severe symptoms if ate.

SCOTCHBROOM
The seeds of this brushy type deciduous shrub are poison and effect the central nervous system causing nervousness, excitability and stomach upset.

SPURGE (POINSETTIA) (SNOW-ON-THE-MOUNTAIN)
The milky sap of the leaves and stems of numerous varieties of this herb or shrub causing severe blistering and burning of the eyes and skin. Ingestion may result in acute irritation of the mouth, throat and stomach. Can be fatal.

STINGING TREE
This plant is the deadliest and most potent stinging nettle in the world. The nettles contain a potent toxin that has been known to kill humans.
SWEET PEA
The seeds of this common annual are poison. They can cause bone deformation, paralysis, shallow breathing and convulsions. Can be fatal in large amounts.

TOMATO
The vines and leaves of this common plant are poison. Symptoms: Stomach upset, nervous and cardiac depression and dermatitis. Fatal in large amounts.

WHITE SNAKEROOT
White snakeroot contains the toxin tremetol. Abraham Lincoln's mother reportedly died after swallowing snakeroot-contaminated milk.

WISTERIA
The seed pods of this common ornamental tree or shrub are poison. Symptoms: Digestive upset. Children may be poisoned by one seed.

YELLOW JASMINE (CAROLINA JASMINE)
All parts of this popular tall, woody evergreen vine are poisonous. Symptoms: Profuse sweating, muscular weakness, shallow breathing, depression, convulsions and paralysis. Can be fatal. The leaves, flowers and roots can cause dermatitis.

EUROPEAN YEW
Nearly all parts of this tree are poisonous. The leaves and the seeds contain a poison called taxanes.

(GROUND HEMLOCK)
Even though the berry pulp is edible, all other parts of this evergreen tree or shrub are poison, especially the seeds. Symptoms: Dilated pupils, vomiting, diarrhea, trembling, labored breathing, convulsions and coma. It can be fatal if taken in quantities.

CREDITS:
Indian Medicine Sources:
Millspaugh, Charles F. American Medicinal Plants. NY: Dover Publications, 1974.
Mooney, James. Myths of the Cherokee and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees.
Nashville TN: Charles and Randy Elders, Publishers, 1982.
Moore, Lee Standing Bear, Indian Remedies. Hot Springs, AR, 1990.
Weiner, Michael. Earth Medicine Earth Food. NY: Fawcett Columbine, 1980.

The Origin of Medicine

A Cherokee Creation Story

At one time, animals and people lived together peaceably and talked with each other. But when mankind began to multiply rapidly, the animals were crowded into forests and deserts.

Man began to destroy animals wholesale for their skins and furs, not just for needed food. Animals became angry at such treatment by their former friends, resolving they must punish mankind. The bear tribe met in council, presided over by Old White Bear, their Chief. After several bears had spoken against mankind for their bloodthirsty ways, war was unanimously agreed upon. But what kinds of weapons should the bears use?

Chief Old White Bear suggested that man's weapon, the bow and arrow, should be turned against him. All of the council agreed. While the bears worked and made bows and arrows, they wondered what to do about bowstrings. One of the bears sacrificed himself to provide the strings, while the others searched for good arrow- wood. When the first bow was completed and tried, the bear's claws could not release the strings to shoot the arrow.

One bear offered to cut his claws, but Chief Old White Bear would not allow him to do that, because without claws he could not climb trees for food and safety. He might starve.

The deer tribe called together its council led by Chief Little Deer. They decided that any Indian hunters, who killed deer without asking pardon in a suitable manner, should be afflicted with painful rheumatism in their joints.

After this decision, Chief Little Deer sent a messenger to their nearest neighbors, the Cherokee Indians. "From now on, your hunters must first offer a prayer to the deer before killing him," said the messenger. "You must ask his pardon, stating you are forced only by the hunger needs of your tribe to kill the deer. Otherwise, a terrible disease will come to the hunter." When a deer is slain by an Indian hunter, Chief Little Deer will run to the spot and ask the slain deer's spirit.

"Did you hear the hunter's prayer for pardon?" If the reply is yes, then all is well and Chief Little Deer returns to his cave. But if the answer is no, then the Chief racks the hunter to his lodge and strikes him with the terrible disease of rheumatism, making him a helpless cripple unable to hunt again.

All the fishes and reptiles then held a council and decided they would haunt those Cherokee Indians, who tormented them, by telling them hideous dreams of serpents twining around them and eating them alive. These snake and fish dreams occurred often among the Cherokees. To get relief, the Cherokees pleaded with their Shaman to banish their frightening dreams if they no longer tormented the snakes and fish.

Now when the friendly plants heard what the animals had decided against mankind, they planned a countermove of their own. Each tree, shrub, herb, grass, and moss agreed to furnish a cure for one of the diseases named by the animals and insects.

Thereafter, when the Cherokee Indians visited their Shaman about their ailments and if the medicine man was in doubt, he communed with the spirits of the plants. They always suggested a proper remedy for mankind's diseases.

This was the beginning of plant medicine from nature among the Cherokee Indian nation a long, long time ago.

---- James Mooney's, "History and Myths of the Cherokees."

KINNIKINNIK is "a mixture used by North American Indians as a substitute for tobacco, or for mixing with it..." or "any of the various plants used for this, as the Silky Cornel, Cornus sericea, Red-osier Dogwood, Cornus stolonifera, and esp. Bearberry, Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi...." The word is derived from an Algonquin word meaning "mixture."

Cherry Bark is often used, in this mixture, also..

"Male and female is fundamental to life; partners in work to be done."

---- Oren R. Lyons, Spokesman, Traditional Circle of Elders

"We're sitting on our blessed Mother Earth from which we get our strength and determination, love and humility, all the beautiful attributes that we've been given. So turn to one another; love one another; respect one another; respect Mother Earth; respect the waters, because that's life itself!"

---- Phil Lane, Sr. YANKTON SIOUX

You should put all this into a book and self publish. Seriously.

Very little in here, are my own words... I am thinking about completing a book I started years ago, though.. Just need to get some other artistic projects finished first, though..

Sharing is good... Attention. money and fame is not my purpose here..

But.., Miigwetch, for your words..,

You're welcome.

"We know that in all creation, only the human family has strayed from the Sacred Way."

---- OJIBWA Prayer

"Everything's so simple, and we make everything so complicated. That's why we're confused."

---- Vickie Downey, TEWA/Tesuque Pueblo