Dine’ Ancestral Plant Knowledge

Florence Hendren

Why does an emerging Dine’ writer need to know Dine’ ancestral plant knowledge?

• Background information must be accurate in writing. A writer needs to know the characteristics of a plant so he can accurately portray it as it exists in its soil environment.

• The larger the bank of knowledge a writer has, his ability to add variety into his writing expands.

• Not only is the writer’s knowledge of plants increased, but the reader’s knowledge is also increased which may trigger further exploration of plant information.

Connection to Fundamental Law

• In Dine’ Bi Beehaz’aanii Bitse Silei—Declaration of the Foundation of Dine’ Law, it states

“The Holy People ordained, Through songs and prayers, That…

variegated vegetation embody life…”• In Nahasdzaan doo Yadilhil Bits’aadee Beehaz’aanii—Dine’ Natural Law declares

and teaches …”plant life have their own laws and have rights and freedoms to exist.”

• Responsibilities of Dine’Ø “Dine’ have sacred obligation and duty to respect, preserve and protect all…as the steward

for these relatives through our use of the sacred gifts of language and thinking”Ø “Dine’ must treat this sacred bond with love and respect without exerting dominance for we

do not own our mother or father.”Ø “The rights and freedoms of the people to use…other living beings must be accomplished

through the proper protocol of respect and offering and these practices must be protected and preserved.”

Ø “It is the duty and responsibility of the Dine’ to protect and preserve the beauty of the natural world for future generations.”

Connection to Fundamental Law (cont.)

How do we acquire plant knowledge?

• Historically, each Navajo carried a fund of plant knowledge within his person.• As our contact with non-Navajos increased, this knowledge became centered in

individuals such as herbalists and medicine people.• Many of these individuals felt that this knowledge gave them power and longevity

so they were not willing to share this knowledge.• We do have a bank of knowledge that was acquired from persons who were willing

to share their knowledge.• Therefore, as individuals, we can search for and acquire this knowledge. Ask

questions. Be willing to share. Let’s not lose this plant knowledge.

Plant uses by Navajos

• Four sacred plants used in ceremony and often depicted in rugs and drawings: corn, tobacco, squash, and beans.

• Navajos ate foods from these plants:Tubers/fruits Plants/Greens Nuts/Seeds Berries

BeansCornMescal (Agave)Wild potatoesWild onions

PumpkinsSquashYucca fruitPrickly pearGreens from beeweed

AcornsPinon nutsWalnutsSeed from hedge mustard, pigweed, mountain grass

Cedar and juniper berriesSumacRoseCurrantsChokecherriesGrapes and Raspberries

6 medicinal plantsTansy, Sweet Marjoram, Marijuana

Sage, California Poppy, Sweet Violet

Let’s look at a few plant categories before we look at specific Dine’ ancestral plants.

Major plant categories and their characteristics

Mint family

• Irregular flowers

• Opposite leaves

• Square stalk

• Usually aromatic

• Over 3,500 different species

Parsley

• Small flowers with 5 petals and 5 stamens

• Form compound umbels

• Over 3,000 different species

• Some deadly plants so correctly identify safe ones Ex.: water hemlock

Major plant categories and their characteristics

Mustard • Thrive in bare ground • Adapt to harsh conditions with short

lifecycles• Structure from stemà4 sepalsà4 petals

• Center of petals: 6 stamens (4 tall; 2 short)—male parts; pistil in center—female part

• Over 3,200 unique species

Pea• Irregular flowers—not symmetrical• Banner petal between 2 wing petals with

keel petal below• Keel petal is 2 petals fused together• All petal parts inserted into sepals• Few mildly poisonous such as locoweed

and lupine• Foods: peas, peanuts, pinto beans, lentils

Seed to leaf and flower differences

Monocotyledon• One leaf from seed• Usually straight-veined leaves• Monocots have flowers with parts

mostly in threes

Dicotyledon• 2 seed leaves• Usually net-veined leaves• Dicots have flower parts in fours

and fives• Most of plant categories already

presented are dicots

Major plant categories and their characteristics

Lily• Flower structure unique: 3 sepals and 3 petals are

the same size and color• 6 stamens and 3-parted pistil• Straight-veined leaves• Some bunch flowers are poisonous such as death

camas• Other bunchflowers like beargrass leaves are used

to make baskets

Grass• 3 stamens and 1 pistil enclosed in bract, modified

leaf• Straight-veined leaves• Over 10,000 species, most have edible seeds such

as wheat, oats, corn, rice, barley and rye• Can be large and woody like bamboo• Seed infested with ergot fungus can contaminate

food and cause hallucinations and restrict the blood flow to arms or legs and cause fingers and toes to die and rot.

Major plant categories and their characteristics

Roses

• Flower structure: 5 sepals and 5 petals with numerous stamens and pistils in the middle

• Over 3,000 species with rose-like flowers

• Produce rose hips, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries

• Few stamens and 1 pistil produce apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches, and plums

Aster

• Flower structure: Composites consist of many small flowers attached to a pitted disc

• 5 petals fused around stamens and pistil; big ‘petals’ are ray flowers

• Ex.: sunflowers, dandelions with no disc flowers, lettuce chamomile, sagebrush

• More than 19,000 species

Navajo Tea ch’ilgohwe’he’Thelesperma

• Also known as greenthread plant. • Picked in the summer.• Bundled and dried to be used in the winter.• Used to dye wool an orange color.• Treat infections such as UTI (urinary

tract infection and some sexuallytransmitted diseases.

Purple Larkspur TxadidiidootłizhDelphinium scaposum

• Picked in mid April.

• Used to dye wool a gold color.

• Used as after-birth wash.

• Toxic to cattle because of high alkaloid

content.

Rabbit Brush g’iiłtsoihChrysothamus Latisquameus

• Picked in late July. • Used to dye wool a yellow color from flowers,

leaves make darker shades of dyes.• Sticky substance from stem makes a gum, also

high grade rubber.

• Used in Evil Way Ceremony to cause vomiting.• Used in other traditional healing mixtures.

Sage Brush Ts’ahArtemisa Tridentata

• Can be picked year round.• Used to smudge off homes, animals, and individuals (especially before entering sweatlodge).• Used to dye wool a light yellow color.• Used in Life Way, Mountain Way, Evil Way, Lightning

Way and Ant Way.• When used for medicine, pollen offered, explanation

for use, prayer; sometimes precious stones offered too.• Flavor food.• Winter forage for livestock.

Indian Paint Brush dahitxįhidaáCastilleja integra

• Picked in late May.

• Used to dye wool a medium brown color.

• Contraceptive or decrease menstrual flow.

• Parasitic relationship with nearby sagebrush

plant.

Brown onion skin cl’oh chin yishclizh

• Can be picked year round.

• Used to dye wool a golden rod color.

• Used a food, flavoring, can be roasted, dried

and stored for winter use.

• Insect repellent.

Canyaigre Dock root chaad’iniihRumex Hymenosepalus

• Picked in late May.• Used to dye wool a dark yellow to orange color.• Decoction of the root to stimulate milk

production, both in goats and in women.• High tannin content to tan hides.

• Tannin and high starch from roots used as poultice for wounds and boils.

Holly Berries chitsoi deni’n biznezt’áBerberis Fremontii

• Picked in mid August. • Used to dye wool a red to violet color.• Used roots as a laxative.• Used a cold infusion to treat scorpion bites.• Used a decoction of the leaves and twigs to treat

stiffness in joints.• Whole plant used as an internal cleansing agent.

Sumac Leaves and Bark chiiłchin bikasht’ozhbitá

Rhus Trilobata• Picked in mid June.

• Used to dye wool a gray color.

• Pudding made from cornmeal and ground

dried sumac fruit.

• Lemonade like drink made with berries and

sugar mixed in water.

• Medicine made with sumac leaves and berries

treat body aches.

• Stem fibers used to make water jugs, baskets and ceremonial

prayer sticks and hoops.

• Toy bows, arrows, and toys made from stems.

Why does an emerging Dine’ writer need to know Dine’ ancestral plant knowledge?

• Our lives depend on plants.

• In conclusion according to Diyin Bits’aadee Beehaz’aanii—Dine Traditional Law “from time to time, the elders and medicine people must be requested to provide the cleansing, protection prayers, and blessing ceremonies necessary … to provide for the physical and mental well-being for every individual.”

Resources

• Clifford, Arnold, telephone interview. July 9, 2019.

• Deschinny, Isabell, Native Plant Dyes, Series 1: Introduction. Copyright 1984

• Dine’ bikeyahdoo Ch’il Nanise’ Altaas’ei, The Purposes and Uses of Plants of Navajoland. Chinle Curriculum Center, Chinle AZ. Revised 1995.

• Ecoist, MomtasticWebEcoist, 18 of Nature’s Most Powerful Medicinal Plants. https://www.momtastic.com/webecoist/2008/09/30/most-powerful-potent-medicinal-medical-plants-in-nature/ July 15, 2019

• Elpel, Thomas J., Shanleya's Quest, a Botany Adventure for Kids Ages 9 to 99. Illustrated by Gloria Brown. HOPS Press, LLC, Pony Mt 59747, 2005.

• Hendren, Juana L. Technical Assistance, July 15, 2019.

• 1 N. N. C. (Navajo Nation Code) 202, 203, 205—C, D, E, F, and G

• Navajo Tri-State Federally-Recognized Tribes Extension Program in collaboration with New Mexico State University, Selected Plants of Navajo Rangelands with Navajo names, Dine’ bikeyah Chi’l nooseligii Baahaanosin: Take care of our Navajo Rangelands.mmedia@nmsu.edu. Copyrighted 2017, 2019 New Mexico State University Board of Regents. June 17, 2019.