Background
My people, Diné, have been using plants as natural remedies for healing, food, cleansing, and other purposes for many centuries. Individuals have used native plants to heal aliments/illness, or rejuvenate for generations in ceremonies by medicine people, traditional herbalists, and in homes. All traditional medicines are natural. Many of the native herbs and plants used for healing have been forgotten due to the introduction of western medicine, and easier access in hospitals and drug stores. Today, many Diné utilize few or none of traditional Diné herbs/plants for healing or rejuvenation. Herbs/natural plants are used primarily by medicine people and traditional herbalists who still have the knowledge and training of how and where to acquire the plants for healings or rejuvenation purposes.
Many of the native plants were initially used by people including medicine people and traditional herbalists to assist individuals who needed healing in a specific ceremonial setting or, for a specific purpose or aliment carried out in a ritual. Healing from native plants required a specific method in acquiring and preparing the plant/herbs for healing which included an offering, a prayer, and or a chant for a specific identified individual requiring the healing or rejuvenation from the plant.
Today, there are individual Diné who claim to have knowledge of herbs for healing as they were once made by people two and three generations ago. The purpose and sacredness of the herbs for healing have become commercialized to follow the western "thought" to sell, monetary purposes have become the initial reason while healing and the sacredness of using the native plants are forgotten or ignored.
Traditional Diné Medicine
It is important for students to know how to traditionally obtain plants or herbs for azee' (medicine). Learning and knowing how it is done is particularly important because of the sacredness of life and the wish to have health and longevity. Understanding traditional Diné philosophy on how all living things have special powers and have a purpose is important for students to know. It is the way of our Diné people to heal physically, physiologically, and spiritually. All healing is to obtain harmony and balance with one's environment in reverence.
Diné and other the indigenous people have been utilizing plants in everyday life for medicine and foods, and in certain ceremonies for healing. Diné hataa[ii (medicine people) and azee' nideigeed7g77 (herbalist) collect plants for medicinal purpose only when there is a patient in need of the plant for healing. A Diné hataa[ii is an individual who has been initiated into performing certain ceremonies after years of apprenticeship with a hataa[ii learning all the plants, songs, prayers, and process of a ceremony for healing. A Diné azee' nideigeed7g77 (herbalist) also is initiated into being a healer to have the knowledge of which plants and how to acquire the plants for the healing of a specific individual who needs healing for specific cure.
In recent years there have been individuals who claim to have the knowledge and expertise of the hataa[ii or azee' nideigeed7g77 but have not had the extensive training in learning the traditional knowledge of preparation of the plants for healing. This information is important to this unit so students are aware of the difference in how azee'(medicine) is made, and who makes the azee'.
A person who needs the plant for healing will go to a hataa[ii or azee' nideigeed7g77 and request their service, and pay him or her a biyeel (fee). The hataa[ii or azee' nideigeed7g77 will have a fee in dollar amount or may be willing to trade silver and turquoise jewelry that is equal the dollar amount. The individual goes to the home of the hataa[ii or azee' nideigeed7g77 to consult regarding the health issue, and then request for the azee' to be prepared by the hataa[ii or azee' nideigeed7g77 . The health issue may become known through another medicine person who is a diagnostician or from the evidence of the pain or characteristic(s) of a disorder or illness.
The hataa[ii and azee' nideigeed7g77 consults with the individual/patient to tell the patient the length of time the ceremony or azee' preparation will take. In certain ceremonies or healings the hataa[ii or azee' nideigeed7g77 will request for the patient's sacred warrior name. This sacred warrior name is utilized to request for healing from the plant and Holy People for the patient. In ceremonies patients may be instructed to collect and obtain other materials such as traditional basket, cloth, and other items to be used in the ceremony for the patient.
During the ceremony the hataa[ii will have all the herbs for azee' (medicine) prepared to heal the patient. The hataa[ii will prepare and use the plant in one or more of the following ways: a tea mixture or infusion, powder, ointment (used with sheep fat and red ochre), or dried leaves. The prepared medicine from the plant will be used during certain parts of the ceremony. After the completion of the ceremony the hataa[ii will take the used medicine plant and return it to Mother Earth with an offering. Other times the hataa[ii will instruct the patient to return the used medicine him or herself. When and where the used plant is returned to Mother Earth varies on the type of ceremony. The hataa[ii (medicine man) will instruct the patient.
The person who is the azee' nideigeed7g77 (herbalist) does not perform a ceremony for the patient. Azee' nideigeed7g77 gives the patient the prepared medicine and provides instruction on how to use or apply the medicine to cure or heal the patient. The patient takes the medicine home and follows the instruction of azee' nideigeed7g77. When the patient is done with the medicine he or she will take the residue of the plant, and return the used medicine plant to Mother Earth with an offering of corn pollen. How and where to return the used plant will be instructed by the azee' nideigeed7g77 to the patient. The patient must do as instructed otherwise; the healing or cure may not work to its potential.
Returning the used medicine to Nahasdz11n (Mother Earth) is called n11jiilnih which means to return with an offering for the use and healing of the plant. There are various ways to return the used medicine plant to Nahasdz11n (Mother Earth) but, the most common way is to locate a young juniper or pinon tree that has branches touching the ground. Corn pollen is offered by sprinkling the pollen south to north or west to east on the ground in a small area where the used medicine plant will be placed. The used medicine plant is then placed on the corn pollen and a prayer of thankfulness maybe offered. The used plant is placed on the south side under the tree near the base of the tree out of sight. One turns clockwise to leave the tree.
Plants for medicine are carefully collected by the hataa[ii (medicine people) or azee' nideigeed7g77 (herbalist). The hataa[ii or azee' nideigeed7g77 makes a journey to the area where the medicine plant grows. The hataa[ii or azee' nideigeed7g77 brings an offering of corn pollen (in most cases) or sacred stones and approaches the medicine plant. The medicine plant is approached from the east side then a pinch of corn pollen is sprinkled on the medicine plant from the east, south, west, and north sides. A prayer is then offered to the medicine plant and Holy people to take the plant for healing of an individual. Here the patient's sacred warrior name is spoken for the medicine plant and Holy people to know who and why the plant will be taken for healing. The hataa[ii or azee' nideigeed7g77 then takes the plant from a different plant of the same species. The medicine plant that is given the offering is not taken to be used for medicine.
Today, there are individuals who do not follow the "process" to collect and obtain the plant to use for medicine. Today, there are individuals who sell already prepared azee' (herbs) in flea markets on Diné Nation. This is important to know and be aware of when purchasing azee' (herbs) from non–medicine people for healing purposes. Traditionally, medicine should only be made for a specific person for a specific purpose or healing. Further, non–medicine people may not use the right medicine plant, but use similar plants as medicine to sell for monetary means.
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