Traditional Land Based Teachings
By William Singer III
“Traditional learning never ends; this knowledge needs to continue passing through the generations. Preserving ecology from a traditional indigenous standpoint is not written for research. The traditional knowledge is through having a connection to the land. All of the work we are doing now is for our children and the future of our people.”
There were many more plants here at the river bottom when I was a young boy than there is today. Part of the problem is that the river used to come up high past the banks to replenish the health of the land.
The river has since been re-routed for agriculture, so we no longer have the water as high as we used to. The St. Mary’s dam is an example.
We also no longer use fire to control to overgrown brush and renew the soil for our plants. Fire is very important, we used to use it all the time. The traditional plants are what sustains us and brings vitamins and medicines with them and food security.
Another problem are the invasive species of plants that crowd out our traditional plants. Some species were brough from Europe for agricultural purposes and with livestock.
These invasive species are now on the reserve and are killing our traditional plants and can do it within two years. You can see how the landscape has changed just from these invasive species of plants. All of our plants are under threat.
This tree is a Cottonwood tree that has had a woodpecker affecting the tree. The woodpeckers pick at the tree to dislodge the bugs inside to eat with its long beak. When the holes are large enough, other smaller birds and insects make hives for their eggs. The cottonwood trees are disappearing.
“Some of the trees we see here have grown bent. There is a story about Naapi and the Buffaloberry trees”:
In Blackfoot legend, Naapi is a trickster. He is also referred to as the ‘Old Man’. There are many stories around Naapi to teach us lessons about his misadventures. Each story contains an underlying element we need that reminds us about how to not behave like Naapi.
“Naapi was walking around, wasn’t married yet, and relied on family and his community to feed him. He got hungry one day and needed water. He went walking down the coulees and found the river and started to drink the water. When he looked into the water, he saw some berries hanging on a tree. He kept looking for these berries in the water, looking, and looking until he almost drowned. He crawled back up onto the edge of the river and turned on his back. When he looked up towards the sky, he saw all of the berries on the trees. He got mad about this and took a stick and beat the trees with the berries. To this day we still pick by hitting the bush and having a canvas below to catch the berries and they still grow bent.” The best time to harvest is after the first frost when the berries are sweet.
In the story of Naapi and the Buffaloberries, there are now small bunches of fungus on many of the trees along the river bottom was the result from Naapi eating too many berries [1].
The buffaloberry, Mi’ksiniitsiim, also known as bulberry, is now recognized as a superfruit that is high in antioxidants and good for health [2,3].
The Chokecherry plant, Pákkii’p had many uses to the Blackfoot people. Berries were used is soups, stews, eaten raw or mixed with pemican. The bark was boiled and used with sweet cicely and valerian for the treatment of dysentery” [3]. The inner bark made a cure for colds and dried roots were chewed and placed on wounds to stop bleeding.” [3]
The Saskatoon berry, Okonok, is also known to the Blackfoot as the sarvis, or service berry [4]. “The Saskatoons were enjoyed by native people fresh, dried or mixed with dried meat” [5]. They were also used in soups and stews [3].
Milkweed, or Onnikiisaikimsska, was used by a number of tribes for medicinal purposes. The latex juice from the plant were used to remove warts, as an eyewash to heal snow blindness, as well as a cough remedy [6].
The Blackfoot people used the hard pods of the milkweed flower as spoons or cups to eats from, such as soups or concoctions [1].
The Alberta Wild Rose and rosehips are also known to the Blackfoot people as ‘wild tomatoes’ Kiníí and are very high in vitamin C and commonly used for their immune boosting benefits [1].
Wild licorice, Aahsowa, is also known as Burr. Aaahsowa in Blackfoot means to grab or seize, which the burrs do as animals or people walk by to spread their seeds. Licorice root is used to make tea to cleanse the blood, reduce inflammation, and relieve sore throats. The root can also be chewed to clean teeth and quench thirst [7] Aahsowa can be toxic if used in large quantities [7].
“We used to put licorice root in children’s water to drink. It would keep their blood sugar steady. Now too many kids drink sugary drinks, like pop, and we have a higher rate of diabetes” [1]
Wild onion, Saokiipisatsiinikimm, also known as nodding onion, was used in soups and stews, or eaten raw like the onions we know today [1]. The nodding onion’s relatives are the prairie onion and wild chives. All were used by the Blackfoot people [7].
Alberta wild sunflowers, Naató’saapistsisskitski were used for healthy snacks while traveling and in food preparations. The oils were often used for health of the skin. They are smaller than the commercial seeds bought in stores [1].
Sweetgrass, Sipátsimo, is used by the Blackfoot people for smudging, often with white sage. It is often tied at one end and braided.
“Sweetgrass grows all over, but it isn’t growing at the river bottom because some people pull it from the root. It should be cut so the grass can regenerate. It is not regenerating as quickly as it should” [1].
Sweetgrass is also used for spiritual purposes. There are three different strands that mean different things for different people. Some hang the braid above doors to prevent negative spirits from entering their home.
“We harvest berries, plants and ochre for medicines and many other uses. Berries were also macerated and used for paint as their pigments bring various colors we have always used for painting. The only person who has access to the paint was the one who was given the ‘right’ and the tools to use the paint. All the different plants have an ‘organic’ technology that we would use to make cups and spoons” [1].
Api’soomaahka (Running Coyote) William Singer III continues to emphasize the importance of preserving traditional ecology by learning and re-connecting with the land. He practices and teaches the traditional learning that never ends.
The Blackfoot people are working along with Western science together to bring back knowledge of the land and to control invasive species of plants in Southern Alberta.
The Blackfoot translations are from Naapi’s Garden at www.buffalotreaty.com (First Rider, A., Little Bear, L, Fox, K., Singer III, W. Russel, N.J.) and from the Blackfoot online dictionary. For more information, please visit Naapi’s Garden at: www.buffalotreaty.com.
References
1. William Singer III (2022). In discussion, August, 2022.
2. Dodd, P. & Jankunis, M. (2019). Chokecherry. Retrieved online September 2022, from: Chokecherry — Galt Museum & Archives
3. De Zwart, M.L. (2016). Buffalo Berry – A Super Fruit. Retrieved online September 2022, from: Buffaloberry: Canada's new super fruit - BC Food History Network.
4. Online Blackfoot Dictionary. Retrieved September 2022 from: https://dictionary.blackfoot.atlas-ling.ca/.
5. Retrieved online September 2022, from: The secrets of Saskatoon Berries… – The Rocky Mountain Goat.
6. Hartung, T. (2022). 8 Native Plants for Native Medicine. Retrieved online September 2022, from: 8 Native Plants for Native Medicine - Storey Publishing.
7. Janelle, J. Napi’s Garden: A guide to culturally important Blackfoot plants- Buffalo Treaty. Retrieved onlineSeptember 2022, from: https://www.buffalotreaty.com/flux/naapis-garden-a-guide-to-culturally-important-blackfoot-plants.