Page 6 - Chehalis Tribal Newsletter - January, 2018
P. 6
6
HEALTH/WELLNESS
Healing properties of Evergreen trees
Class participants learn how
to use valuable resources
The Chehalis Reservation is rich in Instructor Elise Krohn leads students through a traditional tree medicine class.
medicines in our aboriginal area. We
live in the shadow of beautiful cedar, taken home. a rich culture and historic wealth to
fir, spruce and hemlock. The trees play Erika offered a separate class for the Northwest coastal Indian people.
a powerful role in our environment, It provides in many ways, including
shaping the weather and the plant children, which allowed parents to focus longhouses, canoes, durable clothing,
communities on studying with Elise. Youth had fun watertight baskets, cordage, tools, art,
beneath them. making holiday cards for loved ones. and medicine. During class, we used tree
They are woven ingredients to make cedar body butter,
into our winter The cedar tree has been named cedar bath tea and forest lip balm.
holiday festivities Grandmother, Long Life Maker and Rich
and carry rich Woman Maker. The cedar has provided
cultural traditions
and teachings.
A traditional
tree medicine class
was held on Dec.
11 in the Elders building. After a delicious
meal, Elise Krohn taught about Evergreen
tree medicine. She has vast knowledge
about making medicines and the different
types of ingredients harvested. The class
is always a treat and provides a wealth of
information.
Participants divided into groups to
share and learn how to identify various
trees used in making medicines. A handout
was made available for participants
to assist on their traditional medicine
journey. Elise encouraged volunteers to
help process ingredients for samples to be
Evergreen Tree Oil and Lip Balm
Evergreen leaves are rich in needles off branches. Either the double boiler on and off as One half cup of oil and 1 ounce of
aromatic oils and nutrients that finely cut the leaves or needles or needed. Oil should take on a green beeswax will make about 251/16
support skin health. You can place them in a food processor color and strong smell. Allow the ounce roll-up tubes. Gently heat
infuse many tree leaves into or blender to finely chop them. oil to infuse for several hours. the oil and beeswax in a double
beautiful-smelling oil from cedar, This will help cell walls in the plant You can leave it for several days, boiler until the beeswax is just
fir and spruce. Extra virgin olive open and aromatic compounds occasionally bringing the oil to a melted. Turn off heat and add 10
oil is inexpensive, great for skin and medicine extract more warm temperature and stirring it. to 15 drops of pure essential oil
health and high in Vitamin E, readily. 4. Strain oil with muslin cloth. (nice options include Douglas
which acts as a healing agent and 3. Place chopped leaves or Compost the leaf material fir, fir needle, grapefruit, sweet
a natural preservative. Other oils needles in a double boiler. Cover and pour oil into a glass jar for orange and lavender). Pour lip
such as grapeseed oil, apricot with extra virgin olive oil so oil storage. If there is any remaining balm into the tubes and allow it to
kernel oil and sunflower oil can is about ¼ -½ inch over the water in the oil, it will fall to the cool before placing caps. Address
also be used. plant material. Heat very gently bottom of the jar. labels work well for lip balm tubes
1. Harvest healthy looking to hasten extraction and help if you cut off about 25 percent of
branches from evergreen trees. remove water from plant material. PREPARATION the length of the label.
2. Pull apart leaves or pull Keep the temperature low so Use 1 part beeswax by weight to 4 See TREES, page 7
it does not boil. You can turn parts of infused tree oil by volume.
HEALTH/WELLNESS
Healing properties of Evergreen trees
Class participants learn how
to use valuable resources
The Chehalis Reservation is rich in Instructor Elise Krohn leads students through a traditional tree medicine class.
medicines in our aboriginal area. We
live in the shadow of beautiful cedar, taken home. a rich culture and historic wealth to
fir, spruce and hemlock. The trees play Erika offered a separate class for the Northwest coastal Indian people.
a powerful role in our environment, It provides in many ways, including
shaping the weather and the plant children, which allowed parents to focus longhouses, canoes, durable clothing,
communities on studying with Elise. Youth had fun watertight baskets, cordage, tools, art,
beneath them. making holiday cards for loved ones. and medicine. During class, we used tree
They are woven ingredients to make cedar body butter,
into our winter The cedar tree has been named cedar bath tea and forest lip balm.
holiday festivities Grandmother, Long Life Maker and Rich
and carry rich Woman Maker. The cedar has provided
cultural traditions
and teachings.
A traditional
tree medicine class
was held on Dec.
11 in the Elders building. After a delicious
meal, Elise Krohn taught about Evergreen
tree medicine. She has vast knowledge
about making medicines and the different
types of ingredients harvested. The class
is always a treat and provides a wealth of
information.
Participants divided into groups to
share and learn how to identify various
trees used in making medicines. A handout
was made available for participants
to assist on their traditional medicine
journey. Elise encouraged volunteers to
help process ingredients for samples to be
Evergreen Tree Oil and Lip Balm
Evergreen leaves are rich in needles off branches. Either the double boiler on and off as One half cup of oil and 1 ounce of
aromatic oils and nutrients that finely cut the leaves or needles or needed. Oil should take on a green beeswax will make about 251/16
support skin health. You can place them in a food processor color and strong smell. Allow the ounce roll-up tubes. Gently heat
infuse many tree leaves into or blender to finely chop them. oil to infuse for several hours. the oil and beeswax in a double
beautiful-smelling oil from cedar, This will help cell walls in the plant You can leave it for several days, boiler until the beeswax is just
fir and spruce. Extra virgin olive open and aromatic compounds occasionally bringing the oil to a melted. Turn off heat and add 10
oil is inexpensive, great for skin and medicine extract more warm temperature and stirring it. to 15 drops of pure essential oil
health and high in Vitamin E, readily. 4. Strain oil with muslin cloth. (nice options include Douglas
which acts as a healing agent and 3. Place chopped leaves or Compost the leaf material fir, fir needle, grapefruit, sweet
a natural preservative. Other oils needles in a double boiler. Cover and pour oil into a glass jar for orange and lavender). Pour lip
such as grapeseed oil, apricot with extra virgin olive oil so oil storage. If there is any remaining balm into the tubes and allow it to
kernel oil and sunflower oil can is about ¼ -½ inch over the water in the oil, it will fall to the cool before placing caps. Address
also be used. plant material. Heat very gently bottom of the jar. labels work well for lip balm tubes
1. Harvest healthy looking to hasten extraction and help if you cut off about 25 percent of
branches from evergreen trees. remove water from plant material. PREPARATION the length of the label.
2. Pull apart leaves or pull Keep the temperature low so Use 1 part beeswax by weight to 4 See TREES, page 7
it does not boil. You can turn parts of infused tree oil by volume.
