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ETHNOBOTANY of the NORTHERN PLAINS TRIBES
As told by Oglala Lakota, Richard T. Sherman
Upo! Welcome!Upo! We welcome you to enjoy this workbook as an accom-paniment to our video series: Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes as told by Oglala Lakota, Richard T. Sherman. This workbook provides viewers with additional information about ethnobotany of the Northern Plains. Each segment of this workbook corresponds with a segment of the video and can be used to enrich your learning experience.
ABOUT OUR INSTRUCTOR Richard T. Sherman is an elder from Kyle, South Dakota. Richard grew up on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, which is home to the Oglala Lakota Oyáte (nation). He has practiced subsistence hunting and gathering for over six decades. His philosophy of wildlife and use of native plants stem from the traditional education he learned while listening to his Lakota elders, and from western scientific methodologies. He studied wildlife management at Utah State University, and graduated with a Masters in Regional Planning from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Richard established the first comprehensive fish and wildlife code for the Oglala Sioux Tribe. In 1985 he introduced the Indigenous Stewardship Model as an alternative to western natural resource management. Currently, he conducts guided ethnobotany tours and day hikes in Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park, and the Black Hills National Forest. Richard also provides wild game for people who are in need, both on and off the Reservation.
Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes
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Table of Contents Quick Start Guide 2 Introduction: Opening 3 Lesson 1: Food Plants 7 Lesson 2: Medicinal Plants 13 Lesson 3: Ceremonial Plants 18 Lesson 4: Poisonous or Harmful Plants 22 Lesson 5: Sustainability & Plants
27 End Notes 29 Additional Resources 30 Appendix A: Food for Thought Recipes 31 Appendix B: Gathering More Data 34 Appendix C: Plants List 36
Quick Start Guide The Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes course is comprised of an introduction and five lessons to provide you with knowledge on traditional Lakota uses for plants indigenous to the Northern Plains region.
• Introduction: Opening
• Lesson 1: Food Plants
• Lesson 2: Medicinal Plants
• Lesson 3: Ceremonial Plants
• Lesson 4: Poisonous or Harmful Plants
• Lesson 5: Sustainability & Plants
LESSON COMPONENTS Each lesson has been designed with a variety of components to help maximize your learning experience. Lesson components are indicated throughout this workbook by the icons described below.
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Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes
WATCH Refer to your DVD or the website address noted in the workbook to watch each les- son video.
EXTRA FUN In your spare time, try a more in-depth activity to deepen your personal understanding of the course material.
ACTIVITY Complete the activity in the workbook to reiterate the in- formation covered in the video.
INTERESTING INFO Take time to read these inter- esting points of information to gain a better understanding of the topic at hand.
QUIZ Take a short quiz to see how much you have learned after watching the video and com- pleting the activities.
SHARE Let us know how your learning experience went. Share your thoughts on our Facebook page or give us a call.
Opening Video
lakotafunds.org/learningcenter/lesson/introduction-to- ethnobotany/
The Pine Ridge Reservation This ethnobotanical tour takes place in southwest South Dakota on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in the South Buffalo Pasture of Allen, along the Medicine Root Creek north of Kyle, and at the sacred site known by many northern plains tribes as Bear Butte, near Sturgis. The filming
Ethno, by the way, basically means culture and botany means plant. So, an ethnobotanist studies plants and their usefulness for a particular culture. Though many people today would consider Richard an expert, in the past, Plains tribes needed to know how plants could be used by their people for food sources as well as medicinal and ceremonial purposes. Still today, the Lakota spend one to three hours a week gathering plants!1
Since the Treaty of 1868, southwest South Dakota has been considered home to the Oglala band of Lakota. The Lakota once utilized lands for subsistence living that stretched north of the Canadian
WHAT IS ETHNOBOTANY? “Ethno” means culture. “Botany” means plant. An ethnobotanist studies plants and their usefulness for a particular culture.
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INTRODUCTION
occurred during the month of June. The growing season for harvestable plants in southwest South Dakota is from April to October. border, south of the Platte River in current Nebraska, west to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana, and east to the Missouri River as it flows through St. Louis. The Lakota and many other tribes, despite not being able to hunt, gather, trade, and move freely as in the past, still value their traditional teaching; honor the wisdom of their elders; and practice the ways of their culture through dance, art, language, prayer, ceremonies, hunting, and gathering.
MAP OF PINE RIDGE RESERVATION: HOME OF THE OGLALA LAKOTA
Map artwork created by David Bartecchi of Village Earth.
With over 2 million acres, the Reservation is comprised of mixed grass prairie, along with the occasional creek (wakpála) or river (wakpá) providing water (mní) to the wildlife; canyons and woodlands with fresh springs and cottonwood tree (wá ačhaŋ) groves; along with wetlands and the ǧ South Unit of the Badlands National Park. The Badlands National Park hosts deer, antelope, buffalo, and bighorn sheep as well as predators. Historically, the Reservation was home to prominent figures such as Chief American Horse, Chief Red Cloud, spiritual leader Black Elk, and Olympic Gold Medalist Billy Mills.
Quiz After watching the Opening video segment and reading the section above, select the best response for each question.
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1. Pine Ridge Reservation is home to: A. the Oglala Lakota or Oglala Oyáte B. the Badlands National Park, South Unit C. Chief Seattle’s descendants D. Both A and B
2. Richard Sherman is an: A. Oglala Lakota B. Elected tribal councilman C. Ethnobotanist D. Both A and C
3. Richard’s information comes from _________________ and ____________________. A. traditional education of Lakota elders; the western scientific method B. religious beliefs; the Sherman thiyóšpaye (extended family) C. the National Park Service; Lakota Funds D. All of the above 4. This video series will cover plants that are useful for: A. Food B. Medicine C. Ceremonies D. All of the above
5. On average, Lakota households spend 1 to 3 hours a ________ gathering plants. A. Year B. Day C. Month D. Week
6. The growing season for harvestable plants in southwest South Dakota is: A. February to September B. April to October C. January to September
D. March to November
7. During the World War II period on the Reservation: A. Hunting was temporarily banned B. There was greater plant variety C. The landscape looked a lot healthier D. Both B and C
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INTRODUCTION
DO YOU GATHER PLANTS? Wow, think about that! In an entire year, how many hours does your family spend gathering plants?
The Pine Ridge Reservation is a vast area full of useful plants that grow naturally.
Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes
ON THE HUNT FOR EDIBLE PLANTSTake two hours out of your day and try to find local edible plants around your home. If you are unsure of which plants are edible, go to your local library and pick out some books, search online, or contact an expert to help you identify others that may be useful.
Knowledge is brain food!
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Food Plants Video
Lakota Food The Lakota word for food is wóyute. The foods featured in the video provide just one small sample of traditional and contemporary Lakota foods. In traditional times, the Oglala Oyáte (nation) traded foods and goods, such as their main source of carbohydrates— thíŋpsiŋla (wild turnip)—and buffalo hides, to other nations. Thíŋpsiŋla was peeled, braided, and dried so it would be easy storage or light cargo on long trips for trade or for moving camps.
lakotafunds.org/learningcenter/lesson/food-plants/
Some of their trading partners were the tribes along the Mis- souri River Valley such as the Mandan and Hidatsa farmers to the north but also their cousins, the MnikhAówožu, whose name translates to “Planters by the Water.” They also traded with their Dakota relatives, the Bdewákhaŋthuŋwaŋ or Mdewakan- ton (Dwellers by the Sacred Lake), who grew corn and beans on the Minnesota and Missouri River; and their Nakota relatives, the IháŋkthAuŋwaŋ or Yankton Dwellers at the end of the Camp Circle), of eastern North and South Dakota. According to an 1803 (
witness, the IháŋkthAuŋwaŋ were “tillers of the soil.”2
LAKOTA LANGUAGE LESSON The Lakota word for food is wóyute.
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LESSON 1
A long thíŋpsiŋla braid hanging from a cottonwood tree.
Gathering Data Today, Lakota tribal members eat food grown by nations from all over the world. However, there have been recent efforts across Pine Ridge to start community gardens, family gardens, and a farmers’ markets to enhance the production of healthy local food. Research shows nearly 59% of the Oglala ate a traditional Lakota food in the last month.3
As in the past, waháŋpi or soup, is a favorite meal to many Lakota families. One waháŋpi in particular is known by Spanish speakers throughout North America as menudo, or beef tripe soup. The Lakota term is t aní a. Today, Lakota use buffalo tripe, but beef tripe has become a popular ȟ ǧ substitute. Dried corn (ẃastunkala) is often added to t aní a. In times past, the dried corn was ȟ ǧ acquired from northern trade partners. Several of the foods and other plants found in this video series make good compliments, flavor enhancers, and thickeners for waháŋpi. While watching the video, fill out the chart on the following page.
Data is the scientific term for information used to tell a story. Collecting data is often referred to as “gathering” data. Just as Lakota have always hunted and gathered food, there are many Lakota biologists, ethnobotanists, astronomers, and other scientists who gather data. This exercise will allow you to collect, or “gather,” data about gathering food. The data you record below will help you gather your own plants in the future.
LIFE-SAVING PLANT KNOWLEDGE Could you imagine a group of people speaking a language you don’t understand providing you with knowledge to save your life. Just like the Mormons have the Ute to be thankful for, we have so many other groups of people to be thankful for as well!
Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes8Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes Ethnobotany
of the Northern Plains Tribes PHOTO LAKO TA NAME COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME PHYSICAL PROPERTIES USES Gathering Data Complete this chart while watching the video on food plants.
foodteaFruit puddingTurnip for food
Similar to wild onion but has a lily up top
Tall purple flowerShiny leaves with cherries coming out of the bottom
Fuzzy plant
Calochortus gunnisonii
Amorpha canescensPrunus PumilaPsoralea esculenta
Sego lilyLead plantSand cherryPrairie turnip
Psin thankazintkathachanaunyeyapithinpsinlaptethawote
Ground plum
Astragalus crassicarpus
Small green and red balls
Eat them raw or use in cooking
psinsicamna
Wild Onion
Allium canadense
It has a small onion at the bottom
soup
Quiz After watching the Foods video segment, reading the section above, and completing the activities, select the best response for each question.
1. The main thing to realize when you collect plants is: A. Meat eaters and vegetarians have negative impacts on the environment. B. They will always be abundant. C. Everything you do has an impact, so we need to be as kind to the land as possible. D. You are what you eat.
2. Death Camas can easily be mistaken for _________________, because the flower looks similar. A. Medicine B. Wild Onion C. Thíŋpsiŋla D. T at áŋka t aló ȟ ȟ ȟ
3. ___________________ is a soup made of buffalo or beef tripe. A. Medicine B. Death Camas C. Thíŋpsiŋla D. T aní a ȟ ǧ
4. Research shows nearly ___ of the Oglala ate a traditional Lakota food in the last month. A. 75% B. 20% C. 59% D. 100%
5. Thíŋpsiŋla is peeled, braided, and dried. Traditionally, it was the main source of _____________ for the Oglala.
A. carbohydrates B. protein C. fiber D. Vitamin C
6. _______________ and _________________ are both good for making wóžapi. A. Choke Cherries; Sand Cherries
PH OT
O
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B. Sand Cherries; Lead Plant C. Sego Lilies; Choke Cherries D. Choke Cherries; Wild Onion
7. The ________________ literally kept the Mormons from starving to death. Thus, the Sego Lily is now the state flower of Utah.
A. pšiŋšičamna B. ptet áwoteȟ C. pšiŋ t áŋkaȟ D. ziŋtkát ačhaŋȟ
Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes
The Ground Plum is part of the legume family. The Sego Lily has a beautiful flower and an edible bulb.
“GATHERING” MORE DATAThere is another blank Gathering Data chart (similar to the one you filled out during the video) in the Appendix B at the back of this workbook. This chart can be used for you to gather your own data related to food plants that grow near your home.
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LESSON 1
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Medicinal Plants Video
Lakota Medicine The Lakota word for medicine is p ežúta. According to Lakota stories, mní, or water is known as the first ȟ medicine. Water is life. Of course, water is not the only natural element used for healing and medicinal purposes. Many pharmaceutical drugs for example, were derived from native plants.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: HEALTHY CONTEMPORARY RECIPES THAT INCLUDE
tognake (generosity) is a Lakota value that runs through all aspects of Lakota life and culture. One way to show generosity is through the provision of food. Most Lakota
gatherings
History is also extremely important to the Lakota. History connects Lakota ancestors to the present and future. In Lakota culture, history is taught through the telling of stories. A more contemporary way to tell a story is by sharing recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. Recipes communicate a story of love, skills, and prayer which is passed down in the form of a meal. Just like different peoples and their cultures, recipes change over time. Try one of these modern recipes located in the back of the workbook that are made with
Buffalo Burger Deluxe with Roasted Potatoes
Buffalo Dumpling SoupPrairie Power CocktailDelicious Three Sisters
SHARE A LAKOTA FOOD SELFIEWe know you are going to prepare an awesome Lakota meal! Share a photo of your Lakota meal on our Facebook page at facebook.com/ LakotaFundsCDFI.
lakotafunds.org/learningcenter/lesson/medicinal-plants/
Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes
60,000 years ago!4
The timeless tradition of herbal medicine remains strong today. This is reflected by the increasing presence of herbs in local food stores and a resurgence of growing herbs and native plants for medi- cine. According to the World Health Organization, 75% of the world’s populations are using herbs for basic health care needs.5
LAKOTA CULTURE LESSON The Lakota believe water is the first medicine.
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LESSON 2
Salicin, the pain killer found in Aspirin as noted by our instructor, Richard, is found in the cottonwood and all other members of the willow family. Native people have known the healing power of plants for thousands of years. In fact, in what is now modern day Iraq, herbal medicine has been traced back to
Yarrow is a plant found all over the world, and used for The resin from flowering heads at the top of the Curlythe same medicinal purposes across cultures.cup Gumweed plant cures poison ivy.
The wild rose, or uŋžiŋžiŋtka, grows abundantly on the South Dakota prairie.
The wild rose is one of the many plants used for common ailments. After removing the seeds, the flesh of the berries, or hips, are used as food or a beverage. The root bark is used to make tea for treating diarrhea. Even in 2015 diarrhea was a leading killer of children, accounting for 9% of all deaths among children
Making ConnectionsOn the following page, draw lines to connect the Lakota name and the medical uses to the correct picture. One is already completed as an example.
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under age 5 worldwide. This equals over 1,400 young children dying each day, despite the availability of a simple treatment.6
Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes
Native and Western: Making Connections
Following the example, draw lines to connect the Lakota name and the medical uses to the correct picture.
LAKOTA NAME PHOTO & COMMON NAME MEDICINAL USES
heyókhAa thAaphAéžuta
Scarlet Globemallow
Asthma relief and poison ivy treatment
čhaŋšíŋšiŋla
Wild Rose
A styptic: used to stop bleeding
thíčaničahu
Yarrow
Treats skin ailments from burns, swellings, and rashes
hAaŋté čhaŋhAlógUaŋ
Slimflower Scurfpea
Treats diarrhea and used in drops to treat eye inflammation
uŋžiŋžiŋtka
Curlycup Gumweed
Pain reliever, similar to aspirin
Quiz After watching the Medicinal Plants video segment, reading the section above, and completing the activities, fill in the blanks below with choices from the word bank. A word
can only be used once. Some words will not be used at all.
1. The Lakota word for medicine is Phezuta______________.
2. Water__________ is known as the first medicine.
3. The Lakota name, heyók a t ap éžuta, refers to heyók a medicine. It was used during ȟ ȟ ȟ ȟ ceremonies to pull meat out of boiling water without getting burned. The common name for this plant is Scarlet globemallow____________________.
4. The Lakota root word for Curlycup Gumweed, čhaŋšíŋ, is the same word used for gum___________ today.
5. Yarrow_______________ is the common name for the plant used by some Sundancers to heal wounds from piercings.
6. Slimflower scurfpea root can be used to make a tea. It’s medicinal properties are similar to Wild Rose____________.
7. The scientific name for Yarrow is Achillea millefolium_______________________. Millefolium_______________ means “a thousand leaves” referring to the intricate leaf structure.
iníka Aǧ Achillea millefolium lúta T uŋkášilaȟ p ežútaȟ tenuiflora
wóyute (food) t até (wind)ȟ t at áŋka (buffalo)ȟ ȟ Scarlet Globemallow gum Aspirin
mní Millefolium Prunus pumila pumila Psoralia tenuiflora Yarrow
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NATURAL MEDICINEDuring this week, take time to find one plant, or natural medicine in a store made from a plant, and begin using it for an ailment (ie. skin rash) or symptom (ie. low Iron). Keep record of the results and let us know what you find.
SHARE YOUR NATURAL CURESIf you use plants or herbs as natural medicine, let us know. Share your natural cures with us on our Facebook page at facebook.com/ LakotaFundsCDFI.
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LESSON 2
Ceremonial Plants Video
Lakota Ceremonies Ceremonies and rituals are an important part of any culture. This is especially true for the Lakota, who value spirituality as part of everyday life. The plants in this video segment can be used for a variety of purposes, including ceremonial use.
There are special locations used by the Lakota for praying, vision quests, and other ceremonies. Bear Butte near Sturgis, South Dakota is one of those places. It is considered sacred to the Lakota and many other plains tribes as well. Areas such as Bear Butte are continually threatened by development,
recreation, and other activities that have negative environmental impact on those areas. Help keep sacred sites sacred by
lakotafunds.org/learningcenter/lesson/ceremonial-plants/
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Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes
honoring the earth and respecting Indigenous peoples’ spiritual practices.
For over a century, Lakota people and other Native Americans were banned from expressing themselves spiritually. This included participating in ceremonies. It was not until the passing LEGALITY OF LAKOTA CULTURE In the past, participation in
Lakota and other Native American ceremonies was illegal. One of the most notorius spiritual practices was the Ghost Dance, which came to a head near Cuny Table on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
of The American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978 and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 that Native peoples could freely practice their beliefs again. Today, Sundance ceremonies, sweat lodges, and vision quests occur all over the world. In fact, some hospitals, rehabilitation programs, and correctional facilities utilize the sweat lodge as a form of healing and rehabilitation for praying and purification.
Lakota ceremonies often incorporate tobacco, sometimes mixed with other plants. Red Willow is an important part of these mixtures. Red Willow is actually not a willow at all, but it is technically a Red Osier Dogwood. The leaves of the Red Willow are not smoked. The inner bark of the small tree is scraped and smoked.
Šá is the Lakota word for red. The thin branches on the Red Willow are red, which is where the word was derived.
In addition to Skunk Bush, mint, or čheyáka, is often added to tobacco mixtures. Mint can also be used to make tea and stored in dry food goods to keep insects away.
Creating a Tobacco Mixture Tobacco is a very important part of Lakota ceremony. If you were asked to collect plants for a tobacco mixture, which plants would you collect?
Look in the left hand column, and then circle all of the plants you would collect. Then draw a line from the circled choices, connecting them to their Lakota name.
LAKOTA LANGUAGE Čh
a ŋ is the Lakota word
for tree.
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LESSON 3
MATCHING FOR YOUR MIXTURE
Men’s Sage Skunk Bush Red Willow Silver Sage Bearberry Lead Plant
čhaŋšáša čhaŋúŋkčemna p eží ota t ot ó ȟ ȟ ȟ ȟ wá ačhaŋ ǧ čhaŋlí wa péȟ ziŋtkát ačhaŋȟ
Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes
Quiz After watching the Ceremonial Plants video segment, reading the section above, and
completing the activities, answer True or False to the following statements. 1. Sacred sites such as Bear Butte are continually threatened by development and recreation. True False
2. The cottonwood tree, or wá ačhaŋ, is used as the sacred pole for the Sundance. ǧ True False
3. During ceremonies, sweet grass brings in good spirits. True False 4. Silver Sage, Women’s
Sage, and Men’s Sage are of the same family as the Sunflower. True False 5. Sages used for ceremonies are of the same family as sage used in Thanksgiving dressing. True False
6. Skunk Bush is of the peanut family. True False
7. Native Americans could not freely practice their ceremonies until 1993. True False
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CONTEMPLATING YOUR OWN CEREMONIESFor the next several days, think about the ceremonies and rituals that you practice or believe in. Are they things you do on a daily basis? Weekly? Monthly? Yearly? Which plants or foods are involved in the ceremonies that you participate in? Do you feel comfortable and accepted while practicing your beliefs? Could you imagine your ceremonies being banned, or being punished for practicing ceremonies that are important to you or your family?
Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes
Bear Butte near Sturgis, South Dakota is considered a Skunk Bush is commonly used in tobacco mixtures for sacred place by the Lakota. Lakota ceremonial purposes.
Poisonous & Harmful Plants Video
lakotafunds.org/learningcenter/lesson/poisonous-and-harmful-plants/
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LESSON 3
Starting in the 1400s, Native tribes throughout the country were fighting back against European colonists. Juan Ponce de León, early Spanish explorer and conquistador, was wounded by a poison arrow which was shot by a Native warrior in the area of present day Florida. The conquistador later died from the wounds.7
REMEMBERING HARMFUL PLANTS To protect yourself from poisonous plants, consider memorizing a mnemonic device. A mnemonic device is something that can be used to assist in memorizing the features or definition of a certain word or object.
POISON WARFARE Native Americans used poison arrows in battles with European colonists in the 1400s.
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Poison on the Prairie As the saying goes, “One man’s pleasure is another man’s poison.” Poison has played a sinister role in different aspects of world history. The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates drank hemlock as a death punishment in 400 BC. Some less potent forms of poison have probably left a mark on your legs or arms after a hike.
Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes
For example, people often confuse Poison Ivy with Virginia Creeper, which has five leaves. With Poison Ivy, you can remember:
“Leaves of three, let it be.”
Water Hemlock, a close relative to the Poison Hemlock featured in the video, has leaf veins that connect from the central vein of the leaf to the inner notches (or cuts) of the jagged edges of the leaf. So if you are near a creek and you see a tall plant with small white flowers and leaves shaped like a spear head with jagged edges, just remember:
“Vein to cut, pain in the gut.” DEADLY POISON: HEMLOCK
Poison Hemlock can be recognized by the purple spots on its stem and small white flowers.
Plant: Malign poison ivy_____________________
Mnemonic Device: Berries white, run in fright______________________
________________________________________________________
YOUR MNEMONIC DEVICE
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LESSON 4
Creating a Memory Tool Create your own mnemonic device to protect you from a poisonous or harmful plant. Or create your own mnemonic device to help you identify a useful plant. Share the saying with
others.
Finding a Cure Although poisonous and harmful plants grow naturally in the Northern Plains, so do their antidotes. There are many plants that have medicinal abilities to heal some of the harm other
plants can cause.
We learned in this lesson’s video that Poison Ivy can cause a skin rash, but the Medicinal Plants video taught us that Curlycup Gumweed is used as treatment for Poison Ivy. Below is a large image of Poison Ivy, and below it are four images of other plants found on in the Northern Plains.
Connect the image of Poison Ivy to the image of Curlycup Gumweed.
Poison Ivy, recognized by its “leaves of three,” can cause an itchy rash. One of the plants below can heal this rash.
WHICH ONE IS CURLYCUP GUMWEED?
Quiz After watching the Poisonous & Harmful Plants video segment, reading the section above, and completing the activities, select the best response for each question.
1. The Snowberry plant is not poisonous, but________________________________________. A. ticks are frequently found on them, so beware.
B. it attracts poisonous snakes. C. it helps treat skin ailments from poisonous plants. D. it looks similar to a poisonous plant.
2. How can you tell the difference between Death Camas and Wild Onion? A. Death Camas has
three leaves.
Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes
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This one
B. Death Camas does not smell like an onion. C. They grow in different environments. D. Their bulbs are similar.
3. Poison Ivy belongs to what plant family? A. Nightshade B. Lettuce C. Cashew D. Legume
4. Poison Hemlock grows tall, has a hollow green stem, grows small white flowers, and ________________________.
A. is a good fire starter B. has purple spots along the stem. C. is of the carrot/parsley family. D. Both B and C 5. Stinging Nettle _______________________________________. A. contains about 25% protein
at peak growth. B. has little spikes along the edges of the leaves that creates an itching sensation. C. can be lashed onto areas with arthritis to relieve symptoms. D. All of the above.
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LESSON 4
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THE GOOD AND THE BAD OF STINGING NETTLEStinging Nettle is native to four continents and has been introduced to many more continents over time. Try to find a Stinging Nettle plant where you live. Be careful touching it, as it will create a burning and itching sensation for several minutes. Cut up some of the leaves and put them into a soup. They add flavor, color, vitamins, and protein, and the cooking process renders them edible. Stinging Nettle becomes completely harmless!
Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes
SHARE THE STING Were you able to find a Stinging Nettle plant in your area? Share a photo of your Stinging Nettle harvest on our Facebook page at facebook.com/ LakotaFundsCDFI.
ALLERGIES BE GONE! The Lakota make a tea with dried leaves of the Stinging Nettle plant to treat allergies.
Sustainability Video
Sustaining Plant Life Food, medicine, rituals of life, and even elements that sometimes seem harmful are necessary for all of us to move forward in a good way. Everything we do as humans has an impact on everything else. Just by entering a room, we change the molecular make-up of that room, forever. Just a smile, can change someone’s entire outlook. It’s like a domino effect.
lakotafunds.org/learningcenter/lesson/sustainability/
If we do something that is not right with nature, it will come back to us at some point. So, as much as we can, we need to care for nature because nature takes care of us. “It’s not so hard”, according to Richard, “when you try to match your heartbeat with that of the land.”8
When you are harvesting plants for your own use, it is important to make sure there is enough left to keep growing for next season. All plants have built-in mechanisms for reproducing. By knowing them, you can be sure to respect the ways of nature.
LAKOTA LIFESTYLE Over 40% of the Oglala Lakota ate a wild plant food within the last month.
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LESSON 5
Symbol of Sustainability Use the box below to draw a symbol. Draw a symbol to remind you, and to help you explain to others, that everything is connected.
Use this symbol as a reminder of how as humans, we have an important role in taking care of nature that makes life possible for all of humanity. Cut the symbol out so you can carry it with you, or show to others.
Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes
YOUR SYMBOL
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THE RHYTHM OF YOUR HEARTBEATFollow in our instructor’s footsteps and, “Match your heartbeat to that of the land.” At the start of your day, repeat this quote three times. Then throughout your day think about every action and how you can modify it to give back to nature as nature has given to us.
SHARE YOUR SUSTAINABILITY STORYHow did you give back to nature? Share a photo of your sustainable actions on our Facebook page at facebook.com/ LakotaFundsCDFI.
End Notes 1 Kathleen A. Pickering and Benjamin Jewell, “Nature is Relative: Religious Affiliation, Environmental Attitudes, and Political Constraints on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation”.
JSRNC 2:1. p.146, 2008. 2 Annie Heloise Abel, “Tabeau’s Narrative of Loisel’s Expedition to the Upper
Missouri”. Rose Abel
Wright, trans. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. p.169, 1939.; Raymond J. DeMallie, ed., “Handbook of North American Indians”. vol. 13 part 2: Plains. William Sturtevant gen. ed. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution. p.729, 731, 2001. 3 Kathleen A. Pickering and Benjamin Jewell, “Nature is Relative: Religious Affiliation, Environmental Attitudes, and Political Constraints on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation”. JSRNC 2:1. p.142, 2008. 4 A. Leroi Gouran, “The flowers found with Shanidar IV, a Neanderthal burial in Iraq,” Science, vol.190, no. 4214, pp. 562-564, 1975.; Si-Yuan Pan, et al., “Historical Perspective of Traditional Indigenous Medical Practices: The current Renaissance and Conservation of Herbal Resources”. Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Vol 2014. Hindawi Publishing Corporation. p.1-2, 2014.
5 Si-Yuan Pan, et al., “Historical Perspective of Traditional Indigenous Medical Practices: The current Renaissance and Conservation of Herbal Resources”. Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Vol 2014. Hindawi Publishing Corporation. p.1, 2014. 6 UNICEF. Diarrhoea remains a leading killer of young children, despite the availability of a simple treatment solution. UNICEF Data: Monitoring the Situation of Children and Women, 2016. 7 Michael Grunwald. “The Swamp”. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-7432-5107-5. p. 25. 2007. 8
Richard Sherman, “Where the Heart Is”. 1 April, 2016. AARP. Accessed online: http://travel.aarp.
org/articles-tips/articles/info-2016/national-park-spiritual-connection.html. 14, July 2016.
Other Recommended Resources Gilmore, Melvin R. Uses of Plants by the Indians of the Missouri River Region, Enlarged Edition. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 2014.
Johnson, Timothy. CRC Ethnobotany Reference. Boca Raton, FL: CRC, 1999.
Kindscher, Kelly. Edible Wild Plants of the Prairie: An Ethnobotanical Guide. Lawrence, Kan.: U of Kansas, 1987.
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Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes
Kindscher, Kelly. Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie: An Ethnobotanical Guide. Lawrence, Kan.: U of Kansas, 1992. Moerman, Daniel E. Native American Ethnobotany. Portland: Timber Press, 1998.
Sherman, Richard T. Personal Contact. Email: rtsherman43@gmail.com Phone: 605-441-0272
Food for Thought Recipes Following are healthy, contemporary recipes that include traditional Lakota foods.
BUFFALO-DUMPLING SOUP Dumplings 1 lb. ground buffalo meat 2 eggs 2 slices of bread flour bread crumbs 1 grated carrot
1 chopped onion 3 tsp. chopped parsley salt pepper 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Place in bowl. Squeeze water out of bread and mix it with other ingredients in a bowl until you have a compact dough; if it is too soft, add breadcrumbs. Form dumplings (about 1-2 inches in diameter), place in boiling water, simmer on medium heat until dumplings swim to the top (only cooked dumplings do this). When finished, remove from water and place on a plate. Keep the dumpling broth and put it aside for the following soup recipe.
Soup Pour enough sunflower or olive oil into a soup pot to cover the bottom. Sauté 1 lb. cut carrots, 1 lb. cut wild turnips, 1 cup chopped lamb’s quarter, 1 sliced large leek, 1 cup chopped celery, 1 large chopped onion, 2 lbs. peeled and cut potatoes, 2 chopped wild onion pulp (or 1 normal onion), and Cheyenne turnip leaves. Add 1 tsp. turmeric, 1 pinch of fenugreek, ½ tsp. wild bergamot powder, ¼ tsp. calamus, salt and pepper; stir and add 2 quarts of water; simmer until vegetables are cooked, but not too soft (this enables the vegetables to still provide vitamins).
PRAIRIE POWER COCKTAIL 1 wild turnip 2 Jerusalem artichoke tubers ½ cup carrot juice
2 cups mineral water 1 cup apple juice honey
Peel Jerusalem artichokes and wild turnips, then wash and finely slice them. Cook these in mineral water (bottled water). Combine in a blender and strain through sieve. Add apple and carrot juice, and sweeten to taste with honey. If you add chili powder or Tabasco sauce, you will have a cocktail to delight your digestive system.
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APPENDIX A
Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes
DELICIOUS 3 SISTERS 2 lb. chopped elk meat 1 lb. cubed squash 1 lb. corn 1 lb. cut green beans 3 lb. chopped potatoes
ground wild bergamot ground skunkbush leaf ground ginger cilantro leaf ground calamus ½ cup buffalo berries 1 Tbsp. chopped bohnenkraut 2 Tbsp. chopped stinging
nettle 2 Tbsp. cornmeal
CHEF’S DELIGHT 2 lbs. Jerusalem artichoke tubers 1 lb. potatoes ½ cup fresh lambs’ quarter
¼ cup fresh parsley ½ lb. ground buffalo meat 2 garlic cloves herbal salt or normal salt ¼ tsp. ground
Wash Jerusalem artichoke tubers and potatoes. Cook them unpeeled and whole until soft (make sure you do not overcook them!). Drain and peel potatoes, cut ends off Jerusalem artichokes, and then cut potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes in half. Slice each half into four pieces lengthwise. Heat oil or
or clarified butter
2 pints water 1 puffball or ½ lb. other mushrooms ½ cup chopped lamb’s quarter ½ lb. wild turnips 1 lb. potatoes ½ lb. Jerusalem artichokes 1 lb. cubed buffalo meat 1 Tbsp. chopped wild bergamot leaves 2 carrots ½ cup ground-plums
1 small squash 1 large onion rock salt and pepper 1 cup organic sunflower or olive oil 1 tsp. ground ginger ¼ tsp. ground fenugreek ½ tsp. ground coriander ¼ tsp. turmeric 1 Tbsp. flour pinch of cayenne pepper
Heat 1 cup (or more if needed) good quality vegetable oil and add all ingredients. Dust with cornmeal, stir, and add 4 cups (1 quart) water. Simmer at medium heat until meat is soft, adding more water if needed. Flavor to taste with salt and pepper.
PRAIRIE BUFFALO STEW
Peel and slice wild turnips, potatoes, and Jerusalem artichokes, and put all three into cold water to keep them from turning brown (add some drops of lemon juice). Dice carrots, slice ground-plums and mushrooms, and cut squash into small cubes. Heat oil and sauté chopped onions, add buffalo meat and flour and stir. After 5 minutes, add all vegetables and stir. Next, add wild bergamot, lamb’s quarter and all other herbs. Pour on water and let simmer until meat is tender. Salt to taste.
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bl ack pepper 2 pinches ground caraway seeds ½ tsp. ground turmeric 1 cup organic cold pressed sunflower or olive oil
butter in pan and steam chopped garlic cloves, add potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes, and fry until golden brown. Stir in buffalo meat and season with herbal salt or regular salt and all spices. Add lambs’ quarter and parsley and fry for 5 more minutes.
STINGING NETTLE POWER SNACK Cover a slice of bread with butter and cover with fresh seeds of Stinging Nettle (early autumn). In the seed is the power of the whole plant. Attention: seeds of singing nettle do not burn.
BUFFALO BURGER DELUXE WITH ROASTED POTATOES AND CATTAIL-CUCUMBER DIP Burger Use same meat and vegetable mixture as for Buffalo Dumplings, plus 1 zucchini.
Soak bread in water. In the meantime sauté in 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil the chopped onion, carrot, zucchini and parsley, and place in bowl. Press water out of bread and add the vegetable mixture to the bowl. Knead until dough is fairly firm. If it is too soft, add some breadcrumbs. Shape dough into dumplings about 1-2 inches in diameter) and flatten into burgers. Cover both sides with flour and fry in hot oil.
Roasted Potatoes Boil potatoes in skins (Make sure you do not overcook them!). Peel and cut cooked potatoes into quarters lengthwise. Cover the bottom of a skillet with good quality vegetable oil, sauté chopped onion, add potatoes and sauté until the potatoes and onions are golden brown. Shake or turn over often. Add seasoning. Before serving, add fresh chopped lamb’s quarter.
Dip Mix 1 pkg. Philadelphia cream cheese with same amount of plain yogurt. Add 3 crushed garlic cloves, salt, pepper, small cubed cucumber and some cattail shoots.
Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes
Woyute Un Zanipi
If any questions or concerns arise in preparing one of the meals above, please contact Richard T. Sherman directly at: 605-441-0272 or rtsherman43@gmail.com.
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These recipes by Christina Voormann and Charles White Buffalo with the great help of Richard T. Sherman as part of:
Battle Diabetes with Gifts from Mother Earth Lakota Food for Health
PH OTO COM MON NAM ESC IENT IFIC NAM EPH YSIC ALP ROPE RTIE SUS ES
Ga ther ing Mor eDa taCo mpl ete this cha rtw hile sea rchi ngfo rw ildfo odp lant s.
Notes
Ethnobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes
39
Acknowledgments Lakota Funds is grateful for the opportunity to preserve and revitalize Lakota culture through the development of the Eth- nobotany of the Northern Plains Tribes course as part of the Building Native Industry Institute. Our staff worked diligently to see this project to fruition. We would also like to thank the following individuals and organizations who contributed to the project.
Wóphila Tȟáŋka (Big Thanks) Funding support was provided by the Administration for Na- tive Americans.
Richard T. Sherman brought his lifetime of experience and knowledge of plant life and the Lakota culture as our instruc- tor for the course. For any questions, comments, requests for tours, or other information regarding ethnobotany, hunting, and gathering, please contact Richard at 605-441-0272 or rtsherman43@gmail.com.
Fibonacci Productions delivered expert videography services and spent hours out on the prairie filming as well as in the lab editing in order to create a fabulous video.
With their in-depth knowledge of Lakota culture and the Pine Ridge Reservation, Sweet Grass Consulting developed curricu- lum content and activities for an enriching learning experience.
Cuny Communications applied exceptional creative ability to the design and development of the curriculum layout, as well as the online course. Their attention to detail allowed us to produce this superior final product.
PO Box 340 Kyle, SD 57752 (605) 455-2500 tel (605) 455-2585 fax
www.lakotafunds.org
- Quick Start Guide
- Opening Video
- The Pine Ridge Reservation
- MAP OF PINE RIDGE RESERVATION: HOME OF THE OGLALA LAKOTA
- Quiz
- Food Plants Video
- Lakota Food
- Gathering Data
- Quiz
- Medicinal Plants Video
- Lakota Medicine
- Native and Western: Making Connections
- Quiz
- Ceremonial Plants Video
- Lakota Ceremonies
- Creating a Tobacco Mixture
- MATCHING FOR YOUR MIXTURE
- Quiz
- Poisonous & Harmful Plants Video
- Poison on the Prairie
- Creating a Memory Tool
- Finding a Cure
- Quiz
- Sustainability Video
- Sustaining Plant Life
- Symbol of Sustainability
- Other Recommended Resources
- Food for Thought Recipes
- Dumplings
- Soup
- Roasted Potatoes
- Dip
- Extra Fun: Gathering More Data
- Plants List
- Notes
- Notes
- Notes
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