I would like to reflect on the medicine walk our class went on with our professor and Tuma Young, an assistant professor in Indigenous Studies at Cape Breton University http://www.cbu.ca. As we walked through the trail behind CBU, I watched as Tuma took in every detail of nature. You couldn’t help but listen as he spoke about the natural medicines that are provided to us in our own backyards. It is amazing to see how one person could appreciate so much that life has to offer.
I have an interest in medicine and, being in my fourth year of Nursing, feel like I have a pretty vast knowledge when it comes to types of medications and the uses for each type. But listening to the types of natural remedies that Indigenous people use shined a light on an area completely foreign to me in so many ways. We stopped in many spots along the trail, speaking about natural remedies for such illness as depression, alcoholism, cataracts, hypertension, indigestion, and also a natural Polysporin. He also provided us with the knowledge of a natural insect repellent and how to make a tonic that will provide you with energy naturally.
When completing the walk, I couldn’t believe the knowledge I had obtained from one individual. When the class asked him where we could find this information, knowing that we needed to have written instructions because we could never remember everything taught to us that day, Tuma told us that the information was in his brain and that there was no book on these natural remedies. This information has been passed down from generation to generation in most Indigenous communities. Something that I have noticed since taking this course is all of the Indigenous guest speakers spoke to us with information that has passed down from Elders with no written documents keeping track of their stories and information.
From this walk, I will take away the knowledge of natural remedies and always remember when working with different cultures I should always be aware of the herbal medication that they may be on and should always ask questions….
Two-Eyed Seeing for Health 