BEARBERRY: Multi-Tribal Uses



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Taxon : Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Family Ericaceae 
Genus Arctostaphylos 
Species uva-ursi 
Common_name Kinnikinnick 
            Bearberry    
            Larb         

Specific_use Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Blackfeet Other Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Cherokee Kidney aid Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Cherokee Urinary aid Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Cheyenne Analgesic Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Cheyenne Diuretic Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Cheyenne Orthopedic aid Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Cheyenne Other Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Cheyenne Psychological aid Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Chippewa Analgesic Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Keresan Other Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Kwakiutl Narcotic Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Menominee Adjuvant Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Montana Ind. Other Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Navaho-Ramah Ceremonial medicine Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Navaho-Ramah Emetic Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Navaho-Ramah Other Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Ojibwa Antirheumatic - Ext. Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Ojibwa Blood medicine Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Ojibwa Ceremonial medicine Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Ojibwa Narcotic Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Ojibwa Panacea Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Ojibwa Unspecified Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Okanagan Antihemorrhagic Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Okanagan Eye medicine Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Okanagan Kidney aid Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Okanagan Tonic Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Okanagan Urinary aid Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Pawnee Other Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Sanpoil Dermatological aid Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Sanpoil Pediatric aid Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Thompson Ind Antihemorrhagic Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Thompson Ind Diuretic Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Thompson Ind Eye medicine Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Thompson Ind Kidney aid Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Thompson Ind Other Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Thompson Ind Tonic Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Thompson Ind Urinary aid

Cultural Note: You'll probably find it as annoying as I did that some of these anthros consider kinikinnik (a sacred herb) to have been used as "a narcotic" by some tribes. This is noted by the same guy, working as far apart as Minnesota-Wisconsin and the southwest, in the 1930's. Apparently this was because he noticed the leaves were being smokeed (or something). I can only suppose the 2 1973 anthros from British Columbia, who lay the same trip on the uses of kinikinnik leaves by NWC tribespeople were either influenced by that guy's writings or don't have any sense themselves, either.

Early settlers noted that kinikinnik was widely used as part of a smoking mix that usually included wild (uncured) tobacco and sometimes red willow or other herbs. When tobacco was not available -- it didn't grow everywhere -- kinkinnik might be smoked alone or with other bark/leaf mixtures. In some tribla cultures, it may have a sacred meaning, but I was told its main use was to cut the harsh taste and feel of uncured wild tobacco -- which I've had in Pipe ceremonies, and it would be harsh if being smoked for relaxation and pleasure. In any event, kinikinnik (dried bearberry leaves, often steamed before drying) do not contain any narcotics, and the reports by ethnobotanists, all of whom made these reports in the 20th century when scientifically they should have known better, appear racist to me. That's especially true of the Canadians, writing in the early '70's, who probably thought if Indians smoked it, it must be like marijuana.



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CREDITS: The photo is from the University of Wisconsin (Madison) botany gopher.

Webmistress --Paula Giese.Text and graphics copyright 1996.

Last Updated: Tuesday, January 16, 1996 - 8:05:26 AM