Native Americans and Tea

Historically, tea has been used by the Native Americans for centuries. In fact, many of the current medications and remedies, derived from the early tea recipes utilized by the indigenous peoples. The early peoples were very knowledgeable about what botanicals could be used to help various conditions. Did you know that such things as aspirin originated by Native American cures? The original forms of aspirin were taken from the bark of a slippery elm tree. It was boiled down in tea form and administered for such things as headaches and common pain. Through centuries of practice and experiments, the early peoples perfected the use of different plant extracts, to help people that were in need. Of course, tea was also used for other various conditions, from everything, from stomach ailments to the common cold. I’m sure everyone remembers grandmother’s tea when they were not feeling well. All these teas were the result of hundreds of years of trial and error. Of course, not all Natives drank tea for medicinal properties. They would also drink tea for the shear purpose of enjoyment. A good, cup of tea, could just make you feel better about everyday life. On a hot day, it could be refreshing to enjoy a cup of perhaps, mint tea. It would quench the thirst and taste good at the same time.

In my family for instance, we have tea recipes that have been handed down for generations. Having Native American lineage, my family was from the Abenaki Nation in North America. The recipes consisted of various teas that would not only help with simple issues such as headaches and the cold, but also with more intricate conditions such as diabetes and arthritis. As a child, I would be given the various teas for the many conditions that would affect me. All throughout history, there are numerous stories of how people were treated with the various teas. The recipes within the tribe, were safeguarded and highly respected among the members and even the new settlers that were arriving to America. The numerous teas over time were recognized for their amazing benefits and were examined by science to determine how the results could be synthesized into the various medications that we have today. Many of the name brands that we have on our shelves began by Native elders mixing the various plants together to make the final products that we purchase today. If it wasn’t for the early peoples making these beneficial products, we would not have advanced to the point where we are today.

The belief in tea has not only become monumental today but has also become our favorite hot beverage. Tea sales have surpassed the sales of coffee and we are now considered a “tea drinking society”. With the numerous tea products on the market today, tea has also become one of the most profitable and fastest growing markets in America. To think that it all began with the first leaf that was boiled in clean, clear stream water.