Marie des Bois (Mary of the Woods)
Acrylics on masonite board, 2025. LOJC.
I painted this plaque as a devotional to the Virgin Mary as I see her in this land; a mother spirit who, along with other mothers, notably, the black bear (Mi'kmaw: Muin. Nehlueun: Mashkᵘ. Français: Ours noir), roam the woods and guard over all life. Her halo is the moon, and she wears the woven ceinture fléchée, as her mother, Saint Anne, is the patron saint of voyageurs. She holds a white rose, symbol of love and purity.
I painted some of my sacred and important plants in my practice, and included below brief descriptions, their lore, and what they're called in Mi'kmaw, Nehlueun (the Innu language of Mashteuiatsh) and French. I am only employing the words found in these two Indigenous languages when the plant is geographically and culturally relevant from my findings online or through written sources. If I make a mistake, I apologize deeply, and will correct my post. These two languages I prioritize here, as my practice sprung from my ancestors, both settler and indigenous, in these two territories belonging to the Mi'kmaq and the Ilnuatsh peoples. I am not a recipient of traditional Mi'kmaq or Ilnuatsh knowledge, and I shouldn't be. But I know that with my French Canadian and Acadian ancestors coming here, we shared plant knowledge among each other to help each other survive. This path is very much finding nuggets of shared wisdom in the weeds of colonialism.
From top left, down into the right:
Balsam Fir (Mi’kmaw: stoqon. Nehlueun: alnasht. Français: sapin baumier)
Used on Palm Sunday by some Mi’kmaq Christian traditions and some Acadian communities. In Christian tradition, the oil is used along with olive oil to create the Chrism Oil on Holy Thursday. The hardened sap of this tree is used as a gum of the woods, and is rich in Vitamin C, preventing scurvy. My granddad would often pick the gum in the woods as we were walking and hand some over. It has a rich balsam flavour. I hope one day to have a balsam fir on my property, or near it at least. It is a holy tree, and I can't wait to meet it.
Common Mugwort (Français: armoise commune)
A plant that made its way here from Europe and Asia, common mugwort, otherwise known as St. John's Plant, and "Mother of Herbs" in the Middle Ages, has a long and storied folk history among settler and some Indigenous populations in the United States, Australia, anywhere where the plant was naturally found. I was not able to find Mi'kmaq or Ilnuatsh use of the plant for now, but maybe it's there. Legend has it that John the Baptist wore a girdle of mugwort in the wilderness. It was believed to preserve the wayfarer from fatigue, sunstroke, wild beasts and evil spirits. It was also brewed the tea for colds and flus, bronchitis and fevers; dried leaves can be burned to cleanse spaces. In Europe, it was used to ward off evil spirits, hung in doorways to keep disease out of the house, and kept in shoes to alleviate fatigue. Mugwort tea was often consumed before divinations, as it was thought to induce visions. Mugwort is known to repel moths and other insects. I might just keep sachets of Mugwort in my cabinets and grow it in my garden to avoid pests.
Goldthread ( Mi'kmaw: Wisawtaqji’j. Nehlueun: Uishaushkumukᵘ. Français: Savoyane)
Ilnuatsh people use the roots of this plant only, and dig deep in order to get them, as they are quite fragile. The rhizome of the plant was chewed by many First Nations, including Algonquian-speaking peoples and the Iroquois, to relieve canker sores, and is the source of another common name, canker-root. The roots were also used to tan hides, and dye porcupine quills, feathers, wool and flax, and were a shared knowledge between Indigenous and settler populations. Also known as Goldthread, this plant is like all photoberberin dyes, and is used as a direct dye, in a hot dye-bath, to obtain a bright golden yellow on silk or wool. The Mi'kmaq of the Gaspé peninsula and Acadia boiled the rhizomes to dye yellow porcupine quills and hides. The French settlers in Canada adopted this dye for their woolen cloth. The active compounds of Coptis trifolia are the alkaloids berberine and coptine, so any juice from this plant can be damaging to pregnant people, newborns, children etc. As it contains alkaloids, it should not be used without the advice of a qualified herbalist. If I ever find them in my wanderings, I tend to leave them alone, until I know more of how to responsibly use it. They are quite gorgeous in the undergrowth anyway. One day I might be comfy with using it in my sewing projects.
Blueberry (Mi'kmaw: pguman. Nehlueun: minish. Français: bleuet)
Blueberries are widely used as food and medicine by Indigenous Peoples across Canada. However, the exclusion of Indigenous peoples from their lands and the banning of cultural practices have made it more difficult to access and consume berries. In Eastern Canada, this includes consumption by the Abenaki, Algonquin,Cree, Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe and Mi'kmaq of various blueberry species, both fresh and dried. Mi’kmaq people also use the leaves and roots of lowbush blueberries to treat rheumatism. The Algonquin and Cree peoples use tea from the leaves to support women and infant health around pregnancy, and Algonquin people use a concentrated infusion from the roots. Blueberries are also an important traditional and cultural food of Inuit people, often picked together by an entire family. Berry picking has been linked to modern community well-being, and blueberries are among the most widely harvested plants by Inuit. In Western Canada, Indigenous communities cultivate several species of blueberries, and they are an important food source. Coast Salish peoples traded dried berries from the interior to the central coast, and within interior groups. Many Indigenous languages have a diversity of words used to describe to blueberries, signalling their traditional uses and cultural importance. The blueberry is special to me as a kid who grew up in the woods of Saguenay during the summer vacations. We'd go berry-picking and my grandmother would make the most delicious pies and jams. Blueberries are the symbol of the Saguenay region, so much so, people from that area of Québec are colloquially known as 'bleuets'.
St. John's Wort (Mi'kmaw; wape'k. Français: millepertuis)
Brought over from Europe and spread in the wild in Canada since 1883, St. John's Wort in French settler communities was used as a protective herb when picked on the eve of Saint John the Baptist Day (June 24). The plant's name, "Millepertuis" (thousand holes), refers to the tiny translucent dots on its leaves that appear as holes when held up to the light. This led to the belief that the plant could ward off evil spirits and demons, earning it the name "Fuga Daemonum" (flight of demons). The red spots that appear on the leaves, said to resemble drops of blood, are linked to the legend of John the Baptist's beheading, further strengthening the plant's connection to religious and folk traditions. I use these flowers when I find them in woodland lots, or roadsides. I dry them and hang them in little bags around my house to ward off evil spirits, and in my important religious books in envelopes or plastic baggies taped to the inside cover.
Labrador Tea (Mi'kmaw: Apuistekie’ji’jit. Nehlueun: Miluepukᵘ. Français: Thé du Labrador)
I cannot stress this enough: be careful with your dosage of Labrador Tea and its steeping time! Always consult with a physician or certified herbalist before drinking. Be careful not to confuse sheep laurel with Labrador tea, as the former looks similar but is toxic. Seriously, only get it from a vetted source if you're not comfortable picking it yourself. High doses of Labrador tea or prolonged brewing may cause cramps and upset stomach due to the plant’s high tannin content. It is recommended to drink no more than two cups of tea per day and to steep it for no more than 2 to 4 minutes. Women who are under six months pregnant and children under six should avoid consuming Labrador tea.
The aromatic young twigs, leaves and flowers have been used, fresh or dried, as "tea" by First Nations, Inuit, and settlers alike. Tea should be weak; a small handful of leaves steeped in boiling water for 5 min yields a pleasant beverage. If boiled for much longer, it becomes toxic.
Traditionally in Acadian medicine, it was used as a calming, analgesic and sleepy-time infusion. So, for my practice, I would adore having Labrador tea grow near my house if possible. It might use it in sleep sachets to hang near my day bed (far away from my cats).
Sources:
Michael Rapinski. Ethnobiologie et ethnomédecine des Peuples premiers d’Amérique (Cris d’Eeyou Istchee, Parikwene et Pekuakamilnuatsh) : l’impact de l’alimentation et des médecines locales sur la santé et le bien-être des diabétiques. Anthropologie sociale et ethnologie. Université de Guyane, 2021.
Names of plant and animal species mentioned as part of the local medicinal practices and systems of the Pekuakamilnuatsh and the Cree of Eeyou Istchee
Table 4.3. p. 225-233.
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/blueberry
Labrador tea is found in abundance in boreal and arctic climates. The leaves can be picked year-round in all the maritime regions of Québec
The value and meaning behind one of the Arctic’s precious medicinals
Whitehead, R. H. (1982) Micmac Quillwork; Micmac Indian Techniques of Porcupine Quill Decration, 1600-1950. Halifax: Nova Scotia Museum. p.68.