Cherokees pass down medicinal herb knowledge

By Tesina Jackson
Staff Writer

Roger Cain holds the root of yellow dock he dug up. (Photo by Will Chavez)

COOKSON, Okla. – For many Cherokees, gathering medicinal herbs isn’t part of their lives. For others such as Cherokee Nation citizens Roger and Shawna Cain, gathering herbs is something they have done for years.

“I’ve been interested in plants all of my life,” said Roger, who credits his grandfather for his knowledge of plants and herbs. “My grandpa would always have some kind of roots or plants around. I didn’t realize what things were until I would look at it or be playing with it and I would realize, ‘Oh yeah I remember that.’”

Roger said he and his wife have a passion for learning Cherokee culture from tribal elders. Specializing in traditional and contemporary Cherokee art, they learn about the woodland environment that inspires and sustains their artistic expression.

Shawna, who works along side the University of Arkansas anthropology department, said she became interested in herbs while teaching at Stilwell High School in Adair County, where she would have Cherokee students bring in relatives to teach.

“Plants would always come up in their childhood stories, so I would take out students and we would go gather with some elders,” she said. “After that you just kind of get addicted. You start thinking ‘OK, in May I need to look for this plant, and in March I need to start looking for this plant.’ That time of year comes around and you go out and you either keep doing it or you don’t.”

Of the more than 50 plants the Cains have studied, some plants they can identify without a book are mullein, sumac, yellow dock, elderberry, May apple, grape vine, polk berry, sassafras and catnip.

The sumac shrub provides edible fruit from a large cluster of small bright red berries. (Photo by Will Chavez)

The Cains said more information regarding the gathering, usage and application of medicinal herbs can be learned by talking to Cherokee elders. They said many elders can recall home remedies their families used, as well as information on herbs which they use themselves.

“It’s something that has always been part of my life,” said Myra Robertson, a Cherokee elder who learned from her grandmother about gathering herbs. “We lived out in the woods where there were always plants. We lived by eating off of the plants, off of the land. It wasn’t anything new that I came about it’s just always been a part of my life.”

Robertson is also the founder of Blue Sky Water, an organization she started in 2005 to establish a self-reliant community that enriches it members’ lives by promoting cultural identity and renewal through history, art, language and education. The organization also preserves Cherokee traditions and heritage.

“It’s been knowledgeable because we get to work with elders and have the opportunity to learn from them and be exposed to plants that maybe we didn’t know,” she said. “It’s just more information that you can pass along to younger generations.”

The organization was based on her dream of having a place where anyone could feel welcome and get away from the everyday stresses of life by taking a walk and gathering plants that grow naturally, she said.

Another one of her dreams is to pass along her knowledge of herb gathering to her children and educate Cherokee people. 

“I want to teach my children that there might not always be hamburgers and hot dogs, but they can survive off of what God, our Creator, has given us,” she said. “It’s very important to pass it along because there is so much information that has been lost. If kids can’t get out and see and learn about these then all is lost. They might recognize it and they might be able to name, but they won’t have the same experience or the same love for the plants as they would have if they had the hands on experience.”

Here is a list of some of the herbs and plants that are used as medicines because of what they contain. However, if used wrong they can also be potentially dangerous. 

Here are the dried leaves of the herb mullein. Inhaling the smoke from smoldering mullein roots and leaves can help soothe asthma attacks and chest congestion. (Photo by Will Chavez)

Mullein is one of the oldest herbs to be used as an alternative medicine. The furry leaves at the base of the stem become smaller as they ascend. It has been known to attain a height of 7 or 8 feet, covered with yellow flowers about an inch across with five rounded petals, blooming during July and August. It is recommended inhaling the smoke from smoldering mullein roots and leaves to soothe asthma attacks and chest congestion. The roots can be boiled and used for soaking swollen feet or reducing swelling in joints. You can also boil the leaves and use them as a compress for headaches. A tea can be made from the flowers for a mild sedative.

Sumac is a shrub or small tree growing 6 to 15 feet high, with large green pinnate leaves. In the fall the leaves turn red. The greenish-red small five pedaled flowers bloom in June and July. The large cluster of small bright red berries is edible. All parts of the sumac have a medicinal use. The bark can be used as a gargle for sore throats. A tea from the leaves and berries also reduces fevers and is a good source of vitamin C, and it helps with urinary tract problems and diabetes. Fresh bruised leaves and ripe berries are made into a poultice to soothe poison ivy. The berries can also be chewed on to quench thirst.

Yellow dock has yellowish-brown roots, which accounts for its name. The roots are 8 to 12 inches long, and the stem is 1 to 3 feet high and branched. Yellow dock is also known as curly or curled dock because of its long lance-shaped leaves that are ruffled along its edges. Its leaves are used for food, while both roots and leaves are used as herbal remedies. Juices from the stems can be made into an ointment, which is ground up roots mixed with lard. It is used for itching irritations such as poison ivy, minor sores, diaper rash and other irritations.

Elderberry or American elder has shrubs about 6 to 12 feet in height with white flower heads about 6 to 8 inches in diameter. If viewed closely, one can find a saw-tooth edged leaf and a multi-stemmed flower head. The bark, when aged, can be used as a diuretic, which can increase the flow of urine. The berries, which are high in antioxidants, have been used traditionally in food but can also be used as a cough syrup. Recent studies show that researchers are looking at elderberry to boost the immune system to fight cancer and HIV.

May apple grows to about 18 inches high. The stem separates into two large, dark green leaves, looking almost like umbrellas to protect the large white flower that blooms in April to May. May apple flowers turn into crab apple size edible fruits, gathered in early summer when fully ripe. It can be used for gall stones, urinary problems and boosting the immune system.