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Plants of the Omaha Indian Reservation
An Ethonobotanical Report
Achillea millefolium Native American Names and Origin The origin of the common of this plant comes from the great ancient Greek warrior Achilles, he was finally hit with an arrow and he applied Yarrow to treat his wounds. This plant has no Omaha Native names for it. "Hank-sintsh" is a Winnebago name for Yarrow. It means woodchuck tail; it is the appearance of the leaf. Description Yarrow is about 0.2-1.0 m tall and the flowers are white and sometimes a light pink. This plant is perennial and is a forb also. It is a Native plant and usually flowers from May until June and on occasions from September until October. The leaves are narrow and fernlike. Location and Habitat It grows through the roots and grows around open areas and weedy spots. Yarrow can be found throughout the state of Nebraska. Mostly in the sandy soils around open areas. I found Yarrow in front of my house in the countryside of Macy. I would've expected to find it in a shaded area because of the color of the plant was dark when I found it. Uses Native Americans used Yarrow to make tea that treated ear aches, headaches, and tooth aches. Also to wash the eyes and used as a stimulant to reduce swelling. Yes, today you can find the plant used in the Bella Coola Drug and it was used as a treatment for breast cancer, it is also used to treat burns on the skin. The treatment for breast cancer, the leaves are pounded together, then heated and apply the treatment. For the burn dressings the Poultice of chewed leaves is applied to the burns. In 1974 the people of the Black Foot Tribe used this plant to ease the pains of childbirth, during the delivery and taken after birth. It is also used as a respiratory aid; the leaves are smoked to help with Catarrh. A Cherokee drug that is a sedative is taken for restful sleep.The Winnebagos would take a small bunch of the leaves and stick them in the ear for earaches. By Joette Blackbird
This Page was last update: Monday, December 17, 2007 at 11:20:27 AM This site is using the Wood Grain 1.0 theme. |
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