Indigenous Medicinal Uses of Nature Around Us

Nature is one of the most important aspects of our lives, and arguably the most important aspect in our lives. We cannot live without nature, it is a biological fact that nature and the environment is necessary for our survival. Yet, in our era, there is a large group of people who do not realize how important nature truly is. We live in one of the biggest cities in the country, Chicago, which is surrounded by infrastructure and includes a large population of people. Along with the infrastructure, we still have a good element of the natural environment that surrounds us as well. Many of us go outside to go to work or school without truly registering the land and biotic community that constantly surround us on a daily basis.

The land and the other living beings that live with us have a long history in this place before we resided here, and relations with Indigenous people in which they were much more respected. You might not have realized that a lot of the plants you see or that you don’t notice surrounding you have lots of medicinal uses and have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years by Indigenous people.

To understand the different plant species we have here on the land, we must first recognize and respect the different tribes that originated long before us. Three of the main tribes of the Chicago region are the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi nations. Many other tribes such as the Miami, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox, and Kickapoo nations originated on this land too. Many if not all of these tribes have a history of using various different sacred plant species for medicinal use, and have continued these traditions for generations. Most of these native plants are still used to make the conventional medicines that many of us use on a daily basis.

Here is a selection of just a small subset of plants native to the Chicacgo region that are used by Indigenous people:

Indigenous people closely observed the characteristics of Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) which included its growth habits, flowering patterns, fecundity, and the development of its fruits and seeds. The plant is a part of the Asteraceae family. You can find this plant in North America and around the Chicago region. Yarrow can be found growing from April till October. The plant grows at most 3 feet high. Yarrow’s leaves are crushed and applied to wounds and cuts in order to treat them. The leaves work the same way a poultice would. A poultice is a soft moisture and material mass that helps stop bleeding when applied to external wounds. Yarrow's leaves and flowers were also boiled and made into a herbal tea as a remedy for colds, digestive problems, respiratory issues, and fevers. Consumption of yarrow tea causes sweating which may help in the treatment of fevers in particular.

White Snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) grew around Native American communities in open areas where trees were cut down to build houses. Native Americans started using the plants for medicine because it was easily accessible to them. White snakeroot contains the compound eupatorin that may be responsible for its medicinal properties. White snakeroot was used for remedies for kidney stones and fever, which was treated by brewing the plant into tea. The plant was also used to revive unconscious patients and cure snake bite wounds by using the smoke made by burning its dried leaves.

New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) leaves were used for complimenting salads in the spring. This plant can grow in grasslands, old fields, savannas, and woodlands, where it often grows in edge habitat. Native Americans used this plant to treat rashes on skin, and for ear pain and stomach aches. After burning its flowers and leaves, the smoke of the plant was inhaled for religious ceremonies. Dried leaves were also burned to create smoke to help revive unconscious people.

A beautiful native plant that has been used for medicinal and culinary purposes is Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), also known as bee balm. Wild bergamot can be found widely across Illinois and mainly grows in dry woods and the prairie areas. This flowering plant was used by Indigenous tribes such as the Blackfoot, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Winnebago, Ojibwa, and many other tribes. Wild bergamot has a wide variety of medicinal uses, including as cough medicine, to help dermatological issues, to relieve respiratory ailments and headaches, as a digestive aid, and as a stimulant. Wild bergamot could be taken as an infusion to treat colds and respiratory issues such as heavy coughing. The Ojibwa would boil the plant, inhaling the steam to instead cure their bronchitis and other respiratory issues. The plant was used to relieve headaches by chewing the leaves, and plugs of chewed leaves were even placed inside nostrils to have a greater healing effect. The plant was also used topically to help cure wounds and boils by rubbing the plant directly on the skin.

Many trees and plants with bark were used for medicinal use as well. Black Willow (Salix nigra) and Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) are used for not only the modern medicine aspirin, but Indigenous cultures also used these for medicinal purposes. You can find black willow along moist and wet areas such as along lakes and rivers. Pussy willow can also be found in wetland areas. Black willow was used by the Cherokee, Micmac, Miami, Potawatomi and other Indigenous tribes. The bark was mainly used as pain relief, especially for dermatological pain. The inner bark could be plastered onto wounds to help speed the healing process, and would also relieve pain that resulted from wounds. The Cherokee would use black willow as an antidiarrheal medicine, and infusing the bark would help with bowel movements. Pussy willow roots and bark was used by the Potawatomi to help treat hemorrhaging. Not only was pussy willow used for medicinal use, but it was widely used to create tools and woven to make basketry and containers. The woodland Cree would use the bark of pussy willow to make fishing nets, as well as hunting items like bows and arrows.

Willow (Salix sp.) Bark

Northern Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) has a very wide variety of medicinal uses by Indigenous tribes all across North America. These shrubs can typically be found in woodlands and areas that have moist soil. Tribes such as the Comanche and Meskwaki would directly chew on the bark to use as a toothache remedy, or would crush into a powder to help with toothaches as well. Infused drinks would be used to help with digestive cramps and indigestion. Northern prickly ash would also commonly be used in Indigenous cultures as heart medicine. Infusion of the bark would be taken to help with heart pain and problems. The Potawatomi used the root bark to help relieve the symptoms of gonorrhea, and even cleanse the body from the disease.

Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum sp.)

We’ve been so used to the idea of synthetic western and modern medicine that many people forget that we can still use our organic nature as remedies. These Indigenous traditions of making plants into medicine is a practice that is still done to this day, and these plants are still commonly found in our natural environment around us. Doing simple research or educating oneself about the different plants around you that have been used for cultural medicinal purposes can help emphasize how important plants are for our health. You - yourself - can even forage many of these plants and use them for medicinal use! Most of these species are not endangered or vulnerable, so you can harvest them in moderation from a nearby woodland or habitat. Forage for them, research how to use every part for medicinal purposes, and you might even be able to save parts for later use.

So, although we have the wonders of western and modern medicine today, never forget that our environment was there first, and we can thank not only nature for healing us, but thank and respect the people who originally harvested these plants too.

-- Fatima Elgarawany and Melissa Montes