Traditional First Nation plant medicine in the wintertime


Shania Henyu Van-Bibber & Jamie Romero Jimenez

Welcome to the sacred world of Traditional First Nation Plant Medicine in the Yukon!
Nestled amidst the pristine landscapes and rich cultural heritage of the Yukon. The traditional healing practices of the First Nations peoples have thrived for centuries. Here, the natural world is not just a backdrop but an essential part of healing and guiding individuals toward holistic well-being and harmony.

In this land of majestic mountains, sprawling forests, and winding rivers. Traditional healers draw upon ancient wisdom passed down through generations. From the elders steeped in ancestral knowledge to the younger First Nations embracing their cultural heritage. The practice of First Nation medicine is a living and breathing tradition.
The Yukon has plentiful of beautiful vibrant, colorful plants that thrive during the spring and summer seasons. Despite the Yukon’s cold weather for majority of the year. While harvesting during wintertime may not initially seem feasible, it is indeed possible. Although limited, the collection of traditional First Nation plant medicine during winter is not out of reach, you absolutely can harvest.

“Any medicinal medicine you harvest that has a flower will not be able to be harvested in the winter months. You can however harvest the roots of almost every single flowering plant.”
-Blake Lepine

Come with us to explore the rich tapestry of traditional First Nation plant medicine in the Yukon and discover the profound wisdom and healing power it offers.
What can you expect from traditional First Nations medicine in the Yukon?

1. Connection to Nature: Central to traditional healing is the deep reverence for the natural world. Plants, animals, and the elements are not merely resources but sacred allies in the journey toward healing and balance.

2. Holistic Approach: First Nations medicine recognizes the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. Healing is approached holistically, addressing not only physical ailments but also emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.

3. Cultural Respect: The practice of traditional healing is deeply rooted in cultural traditions and protocols. Respect for elders, ancestors, and the land is fundamental to the healing process.

4. Community Support: Healing is viewed as a communal endeavor, with support from family, community members, and spiritual guides playing a vital role in the healing journey.

5. Adaptability and Innovation: While grounded in tradition, First Nations medicine in the Yukon is also adaptive and innovative, incorporating modern knowledge and practices while maintaining its core principles.

Explore further about traditional First Nation plant medicine discovered during the winter season.

Refer to the attached interviews below. Which look into the expertise of professional and self-taught practitioners from First Nations born and raised in the Yukon

Join us as we embark on a journey of cultural immersion, spiritual growth,
and holistic wellness.

Interview with

Blake Nelson Shaá’koon Lepine 

By Shania

Blake Lepine was born and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon. He is a member of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation and Dak`laweidí clan. Blake’s ancestral ties are his parents, Karen & Nelson Lepine and his grandparents Les & Marie Johns. His traditonl territories are in the carcorss/tagish southern lakes.  

 

Blake takes pride in being a visual artist by trade, hes been a practing visual artist since he was 18 years old. He grauated from Pacific Rim College for hollistic nutriton and phyto thearpy. Blakes primary job is in education, he works a lot with the younger generations. His number one goal as a First Nation educator is “Trying to transition all of our traditional knowledge back into our kids”. Blake mission in life is to pass on as much of his traditional knowledge to the younger people the best he can.  

 

Blake harvests when the seasons are transitioning  usally at the tail end of spring. That’s when the plants are coming up fresh, vibrant, and beautiful.  Blake has a give and take realtionship with the plants. Before he goes to harvest, if he has any left over plant material from the year prior. Blake will then make a big ginormous pot of tea with all of the plant material. He then feeds that tea to the plants.  

Any nutrients from the plants in the tea, the other plant will intake and utilize. It is even better if you can use tea from the plant itself. For example if you are harvesting fireweed. You can then make a fireweed tea to give back to the fireweed you will harvest. It is a way of giving thanks to the plant and being appreciative. When it comes to berries and fruiting seeds from flowers. Blake will re-plant them and spread them around into the ground. So the plant can grow again.

Who are they? – Name, traditional name, clan (crow, wolf), First Nation, where they are from, age, job, interests.   

Blake Lepine was born and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon. He is a member of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation and Dak`laweidí clan. Blake takes pride in being a visual artist by trade, hes been a practing visual artist since he was 18 years old.

How are they connected to Traditional Medicine?   
Blake’s connection to traditonal medicine devopled from his attendance at the Pacific Rim College for hollistic nutriton and phyto thearpy. His Indigenous roots also play a part in his connection to traditional medicine.

How do winter medicines differ from summer medicine?  (quoted from interview) 

Any medicinal medicine you harvest that has a flower will not be able to be harvested in the winter months. You can however harvest the roots of almost every single flowering plant. The flower is just the reproductive organs of the plant. The majority of the medicine is stashed within the roots.  So once the flower dies coming fall time, all the energy goes back into the roots. It is then preserved frozen into the ground until springtime when it can spring up again.

If you can learn how to identify the plants in the winter, what they look like after they went through the fall transition you will be able to harvest the roots from those plants in the winter. The majority of your berries as well if you know where your berry patch is in the winter. You can go there in the wintertime and dig deep below the snow to revel some frozen berries. Moss berries, blueberries, as long as they are not too exposed to much frost. They will actually preserve just like frozen fruit in your freezer.

Wintertime all of your tree medicines, the tree needles are actually the leaves of that plant. But they don’t shed them. The tree uses its needles to stash resins over the winter. They do this, so they do not freeze. They also push out the viscus sap or resin into the needles so that the animals won’t eat them. During the trees ability to preserve themselves. It actually makes it a very good time for us to harvest the tree needles. Spruce, pine, and tamarack trees are very good to pick from in the wintertime. There are three different types of spruce in the Yukon. Black, white, and blue spruce. Blue spruce is in the tree lines, where the willows start fading out. Black spruce grows by the swamps, they look shrivelled and kind of sad. White spruce is almost like a Christmas tree, the branches are very straight and vibrant green. They are all interchangeable in their medicinal effects. They are all focused on the lungs for breathing, air exchange. They allow your lungs to push mucus up and out. Any kind of common cough and cold can be cured with the tree medicine.

What does traditional medicine mean to them as an individual?  

His number one goal as a First Nation educator is “Trying to transition all of our traditional knowledge back into our kids”. Blake mission in life is to pass on as much of his traditional knowledge to the younger people the best he can.

Harvest practices!  

Blake harvests when the seasons are transitioning  usally at the tail end of spring. That’s when the plants are coming up fresh, vibrant, and beautiful.  Blake has a give and take realtionship with the plants. Before he goes to harvest, if he has any left over plant material from the year prior. Blake will then make a big ginormous pot of tea with all of the plant material. He then feeds that tea to the plants. Any nutrients from the plants in the tea, the other plant will intake and utilize. It is even better if you can use tea from the plant itself. For example if you are harvesting fireweed. You can then make a fireweed tea to give back to the fireweed you will harvest. It is a way of giving thanks to the plant and being appreciative. When it comes to berries and fruiting seeds from flowers. Blake will re-plant them and spread them around into the ground. So the plant can grow again.  

“Part of my mission in life is to, try to pass on as much traditional knowledge to the young people the best I can.” 

Interview with

Sarah Lennie

By Jaime

Who are they? – Name, traditional name, clan (crow,wolf), First Nation, where they are from, age, job, interests.

  • She is Sarah Lennie, an Elder at the Samay Thia Lounge, in YU.
  • Her roots come from the Inuit people, and her family name means “easy to laugh” from the northwest territories.
  • Her parents and her people went to a winter camp and there got pregnant with her; She got her name from the grand mother (father side)

What is your connection to traditional medicine?
Her mother was a medicine women; She had interest in plants a their uses.

How do winter medicines differ from summer medicine?

There is no difference between both. We get our materials in the spring and use it all year in all the seasons. This is a thousand year old tradition, and it helps us to heal.

Summing up: they harvest it and preserve it to be used all year round.

In winter we made broth from the animals and it is a good medicine for the flu

 

How are you connected to Traditional Medicine?

Because of her mother. She delivered babies. The land gives us plants from the land and animals to heal ourselves. Her mom had the tattoos of endurance, strength and courage.  Back then tattoos were made with bone needle.

Key message?

    • We believe in good things offered to us by the Universe. Is up to us to do good or not, because we have free will

What traditional medicine means to them as an individual?

    • I enjoy it because I can go by myself or in group with friends in a long walks in the land
    • The plants are here to heal us
    • Picking them, harvesting them is an special time

We don´t believe in luck. Is not from our culture.

The Making of Spruce Gum Tea:

A Journey into Traditional First Nations Medicine 

By Jaime

In the heart of the Yukon wilderness, amidst towering spruce trees and the whispers of the wind, lies a tradition deeply rooted in the healing power of nature. It is here, guided by the wisdom of elders like Sarah Lennie, that we embark on the ancient practice of making Spruce Gum Tea. 

To begin this sacred process, preparation is key. Before venturing into the woods, one must gather tobacco and dress appropriately, especially during the winter months when the chill of the air bites at the skin. 

Led by the experienced hand of elder Sarah, our journey into the woods is a deliberate one. We tread carefully, seeking out the spruce trees that hold the precious gum, the essence of their healing medicine. With patience and reverence, we select only the healthiest trees, ensuring the gum is ripe and ready for the process. 

Standing before the chosen tree, I offer tobacco as a gesture of respect and gratitude, stating my intention to honor the tree’s medicine and share its healing properties with others. With a steady hand and a small knife, I carefully extract the gum, mindful of the tree’s gift and the generations of knowledge it represents. 

With our collection of gum secured in a zip lock bag, we return to Sarah’s guidance for the final step in the process: making the tea. Gathering around a small stove, we fill a tin can with water and set it to boil. As the water reaches its crescendo, we add the Spruce gum, allowing it to infuse the liquid with its healing essence for a full hour. 

Throughout the process, Sarah tends to the tea with care, ensuring the water level remains steady and the gum fully melts into the brew. Once the gum is properly incorporated, Sarah strains the tea through a coffee filter, revealing the final product: Spruce Gum Tea. 

As I take my first sip, I am enveloped in the strong aroma of the forest, transported to a place of deep connection and reverence for the land. The tea warms me from the inside out, its healing properties palpable with each comforting sip. 

In this moment, I am reminded of the profound wisdom embedded in the traditions of First Nations medicine. Through the simple act of making Spruce Gum Tea, we honor the land, the trees, and the ancestors who have passed down this knowledge through the ages. 

I extend my deepest gratitude to elder Sarah for sharing her time and wisdom and guiding us on this journey into the heart of traditional medicine. May we continue to learn, respect, and cherish the healing gifts of the natural world for generations to come. 

 

Steps in the making of Spruce Gum Tea: 

1.- To make the Spruce gum tea we need to get ready before going out into the woods. We need to get some tobacco and in the winter get dressed properly. 

 

2.- When in the woods I was led by elder Sarah Lennie, who has a long time experience with the trees; so it took a while until we reached the spruce trees and then it came a selection of the best trees to get the gum out.  We were looking for healthy trees and gum ready for medicine. 

 

3- Once we chose the best tree for collecting the gum I picked out the tobacco and placed it in the base of a tree and said my intention.  “I will take some gum out of you to teach others how your medicine can heal us”.  Then I proceed to get out the gum using my little knife. 

 

4.- We did this proceeding with around 6 trees and put the material in a zip lock bag. 

 

5.- In another meeting with Sarah we proceeded to make the tea. For this activity, we needed a small stove or electric stove, half a liter can, and two liters of water.  

 

6.- Sarah turned on the stove and placed the tin can on it.  She put water up to ¾ and waited until it was boiling.  She added the Spruce gum on it and we waited for one hour.  If the water level evaporates she puts more water on it. 

 

7.- When the gum is properly melted and incorporated into the tea, using a coffee filter Sarah strains the tea and there is our Spruce Gum Tea. 

 

I was able to taste it and I can say that besides the strong aroma, it’s good.  The hotter the better.  Thank you Sarah for taking the time this week to teach us about traditional medicine.