Indigenous peoples in California relied on traditional gathering to provide for all of their food and medicinal needs. California’s landscapes produce hundreds of indigenous plant species that have been used thousands of years prior to European contact. And many of these plants and their preparations as medicine informed modern pharmacopeia, most notably aspirin, which is derived from the bark of the willow tree. Native herbalism continues to be relevant today. There is a resurgence of traditional medicinal practices in Native communities and a growing interest in this knowledge in popular culture. In this video, we explore how Native herbalism is practiced today and how a holistic approach to health and the environment can inform healthy living.
Ancestral Guard is an indigenous organizing network teaching traditional hunting, gathering and preparation of local foods. Their hope is that the indigenous tribes will build networks that revolve around the land and its resources to help heal the land and preserve some traditional ways of life for tribes in northern California. From sustainably harvesting mussels and fish, cooking for their community and teaching their youth about native plants, they are helping their local traditions live on.
