Ethnobotany studies the relationship
between people and plants (Pojar et al., 1994). It
provides knowledge about, and an understanding of,
the cultural uses of wild plants.
The First Nations peoples of British Columbia
had a well-established assemblage of plants used for
material, food, medicinal and spiritual purposes. A
great deal of this knowledge has been lost due to the
increased use of modern products and the resulting
decline in passing down knowledge through oral
traditions. Recently, however, many groups have
begun to reclaim this knowledge.
A wide range of plant materials were used in
First Nations technology. Woods were used for
fuel, and in construction and manufacture. Barks,
stems and leaves were used to make baskets, bags,
cordage, clothing, mats, containers and dyes. Tree
pitch was used to make glue and to waterproof
materials. One of the most important species in the
technology of the coastal peoples was Western
redcedar (Thuja plicata). This tree has been called
“the cornerstone of northwest coast Indian culture”
(Pojar et al., 1994).
Approximately 130 species of plants were used
by northwest coast First Nations peoples as foods,
beverages, or flavourings. These plants
supplemented the coastal diet of fish, seafoods,
birds and game (Pojar et al., 1994). Traditional
plant foods included: the inner bark of several
species of trees, fruits (mostly berries), green
vegetables, root vegetables, and marine plants. In
the early spring, when plants began to grow, the
tender young shoots, greens, and inner bark were
eaten. From late spring to late fall a succession of
fruits and nuts were harvested. Starchy root
vegetables were generally dug at the end of the
growing season, as the leaves of the plants began to
die back (Pojar et al. 1994). In most of the coastal
groups, each family was responsible for its own
berry patch and/or root-digging ground. These
harvesting grounds were meticulously cared for by
the family to ensure maximum production year after
year. Plant foods were not only eaten in-season, but
were also processed for use throughout the year.
Berries were dried, made into fruit leather, or stored
in boxes with oil. Root foods were pit-cooked,
dried, and stored in boxes. These foods could be
rehydrated with water or oil and eaten year round.
For generations, the knowledge and use of
medicinal plants has been restricted to a few
specialised individuals (the herbalists) in each
native community (Turner & Efrat, 1982).
Medicinal knowledge was often passed down
through the generations in order to keep remedies
within the family and ensure that medicines were
not abused or disrespected. It was often feared that
excessive use of plant medicines would cause them
to lose their “powers”. This fear seems to have
manifested itself in modern medicine’s over-use of
antibiotics: a rapidly increasing number of bacteria
are now antibiotic resistant. Medicinal plants cover
a diverse range of species and one species can often
be used to treat a variety of ailments. Traditional
medicine is closely interlinked with spiritual beliefs;
the use of plant medicines almost always involves
some sort of special prayer, ceremony or ritual.
Turner, N., and Vitt, D. (1994). Plants of Coastal
British Columbia (including Washington, Oregon &
Alaska). (ed. J. Pojar and A. MacKinnon), 527
pages. Vancouver: Lone Pine Publishing.
Turner, N.J. (1995). Food Plants of Coastal First
Peoples, 164 pages. Victoria: Royal British
Columbia Museum.
Turner, N. J. (1979). Plants in British Columbia
Indian Technology, 304 pages. Victoria: The
British Columbia Provincial Museum.
Turner, N. J. and Efrat, B. S. (1982). Ethnobotany
of the Hesquiat Indians of Vancouver Island, 99
pages. Victoria: The British Columbia Provincial
Museum.
Warning!
This is not a ‘how-to’ reference for the use or
preparation of native plants as foods or medicines.
We do not recommend experimentation by the
general public and caution that many of the native
plants in this region, including those recorded in
this brochure, may be poisonous or harmful.
Brochure produced in 1998 by:
Jennifer Eakins, Katherine Mikes, Sheryl Webster
“All medicines, and all plant foods
and materials as well, were regarded
with reverence and appreciation, …”
(Pojar et al., 1994)
REFERENCES
Pojar, J., MacKinnon, A., Alaback, P., Antos, J.,
Goward, T., Lertzaman, K., Pojar, R., Reed, A.,
Sponsored by:
Douglas College Institute of Urban Ecology, BC
Hydro, BC E-Team, BC Gas, and The Real Estate
Foundation
The Material, Food, Medicinal &
Spiritual Uses of Selected Native
Plants
The Site 9 Ethnobotany Demonstration
Garden is a joint project between the:
Douglas College
Institute of Urban Ecology
&
City of Coquitlam