Wild Ginger

SGWÁIˀDAˀ

Wild Ginger

Asarum canadense

Family: Aristolochiaceae

Native perennial herb

Sgwáiˀdaˀ grows like a carpet in the forest. Each family tended to a patch of Sgwáiˀdaˀ medicine but did not own it. Our traditions teach us that our relationship with Wild Ginger is reciprocal. If a family was no longer able to tend to their patch, the patch would move or fail to flourish. Similarly, if the patch of Sgwáiˀdaˀ a family tends to is not healthy, my community gets concerned for the family and we will do what we can to help them.

Wild Ginger is a foundational medicine for us. We return to our Sgwáiˀdaˀ patches regularly to show younger family members where they are and how to harvest them without depleting them. We take only certain parts of the plant but leave others to keep the patch healthy.