Native Nations Medicine: Indigenous Healing in North America

indigenous healers jodynoe sage wintergreen women healers of the world May 29, 2024
wintergreen herb

Excerpted from Holly's documentary book, Women Healers of the World: The Traditions, History and Geography of Herbal Medicine, now celebrating its 10-year anniversary through SkyHorse Publishing:

Today 566 tribal nations call the United States their home—and since each region fosters its own kind of healing using herbs and trees endemic to its area, the broad collection that is native healing is rich and vibrant. While it’s well known that native North and South American food plants such as corn, tomatoes, potatoes, cocoa, cranberries, ramps, juniper berries, squash and pumpkins were new to European settlers/invaders in 1492, it’s not so well-known that North America has its own abundant healing herbs, as well. 

Native Nation Herbalism

Throughout history, native nations have used wild herbs as medicine to treat a wide variety of conditions, from headache and sore eyes to heart problems, skin issues, digestive disturbances, cancers and more. Women’s reproductive issues are commonly listed in books about native medicines and many plants were given monikers referring to their use for women, such as squaw vine (Mitchella repens).

Native plants include the bayberry shrub; the berberine-containing plants barberry, goldenseal and coptis (goldthread); black cohosh and blue cohosh; bugleweed; boneset; chicory and dandelion; and the food plants cranberry and lamb’s quarter. In addition to a myriad of edible and medicinal mushrooms, native people harvested bloodroot and other herbs to use as dyes and paints, and they used many grasses and barks for cordage and rope-making.

Sassafras was a popular herb when Captain Bartholomew Gosnold sailed the northeast seas in the late 1500s and early 1600s; its name is likely a corruption of saxifrage and the root was quickly shipped back to Europe as a potential cure for syphilis. The fragrant roots, twigs, bark, pith, and leaves of the tree were used by native tribes to treat fever, infection, nosebleeds, and to purify the blood.

Native healing methods are not restricted to botanicals; some tribes use fasting or cleanses before taking medicines, others include extensive prayer and spiritual shamanism. The sweat lodge is not only a place for stories and singing but is a vital instrument for healing since letting go of waste products from the body and soul is required before healing can begin. Certain herbs are associated with this cleansing, as well, including sage, tobacco, cedar and sweetgrass.

Healing methods in the native Indian repertoire were more extensive than in European medicine; for example, one common way to relieve chest congestion was to inhale the smoke of burning herbs through a pipe; crushed leaves could be used as a snuff for headaches. These types of methods were seldom employed in other Western systems.  Native medicine also included the widespread use of poultices, teas, rinses (eye problems were common), douches, and ointments.

Today there are roughly 5.2 million American Indians and Alaska natives living in the U.S., which represents 1.7% of the U.S. total population.1 By far the largest tribal grouping is the Cherokee, followed by the Navajo, Choctaw, Mexican American Indian, Chippewa, Sioux, Apache, and Blackfeet.

To read more about this and16 other incredible world healing and health traditions, see the book Women Healers of the World, available here, now celebrating its 10-year publication anniversary.

Learn with Us

All of our courses are online, on-demand, with materials, videos and resources for you to keep for life.

 

Herbal Medicine Courses

( for business courses, see below)

Herbal Medicine FOUNDATIONS certificate

Deepen your understanding of herbal medicine and natural healing in this 96-hour program. We are an official school member of the American Herbalist Guild.

Certificate

Herbal Actions

Learn the 35 core categories of herbs so you can make reliable remedies and medicines. Course covers how to use herbal astringents, emollients, anxiety categories, sedatives, carminatives, bitters, and more.

Actions

Herbs for Mama & Baby

Discover dozens of natural healing methods for pregnancy, labor, breastfeeding, postpartum, and infant care. Course includes dozens of recipes, e-books, charts and resources useful for every pregnancy & baby.

Mama & Baby

Herbal Formulary

Learn the key steps to create a healing formula (quick 37-minute class), teaching the step-by-step methods for straightforward crafting of herbal blends.

Formulary

Herbs for the Brain

Our updated and expanded courses teach how neurons and neurotransmitters work, and how herbs and foods support brain health. Covers neuro-diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, depression, anxiety, and more. Beginner course or Certificate option.

Herbs for the Brain

Herbs for Healthy Digestion

Learn how to address common digestive issues using natural remedies, foods, and herbs. This intro course includes dozens of recipes, e-books and videos.

Digestion

Herbal Healing Beginner's Bundle

Three practical starter courses for learning about herbal medicine, plus an audio course! Save 20% off individual courses.

Healer's Beginner Bundle

Natural Product Business & Entrepreneurship Courses

( for publishing course, see below)

Essential Business Startup

Everything you need to launch your natural, herbal, skincare, or clean beauty brand. Business planning, money mindset, legal setup, hiring, product development, and more so you can safe time, money and effort doing it right.

Brand Startup

Herbal Business Compliance

Learn the legal landscape of natural products, including labeling laws, FDA compliance, organic labels, insurance, cottage laws, ethics, good manufacturing practices, and more.

Labeling & Business

Natural Brand Certifications

Learn what it means to be a sustainable and conscious business, how to navigate certifications, and how to commit your company to environmental and social standards.

Sustainability

Product Maker's Business Bundle

Three comprehensive business courses for makers of natural or organic products. Save 20% off individual courses!

Product Maker's Bundle

Writing & Publishing Courses

Book Proposal Bootcamp

The essential course you need to write the most sales-worthy, compelling book proposal and marketing materials, for any genre and any publishing style (self-pubbing or traditional house).

Book Proposal

Sign up to get notified about new blog articles!

We never rent or sell your info.

Sign up