“Getting Back to our Roots”….. New ‘ECO CENTRO’ Project.

BUSH MEDICINE

Well after travelling around the Islands and visiting with many senior citizens, there is plenty of local knowledge about 'Bush Medicine."It therefore seems a great idea to not only gather all the local information together on 'bush medicine' but to bring the various plants to Salt Cay and grow a 'Bush Medicine Garden' which at some point in time when we get our development, will be of great interest to visitors.

Be prepared...We shall  collate all the facts and fiction of bush medicine throughout the TCI.

It is said that bush medicine was first introduced to these islands by African slaves but it could also be argued that many plants were already here or introduced by the first settlers, the Lucayan Indians who successfully discovered the healing qualities of various bush and trees.

Centuries later there was still no easy access to visiting doctor on the out islands and so many families relied heavily on local concoctions and brews prepared by the local bush medicine men and women who had many types of root, bark and leaves that gave relief and often a cure to various ailments.

The women bush 'doctors' were often referred to as the 'grannies', the local endearment for the brave women of the settlement that became midwifes and were often called out to the homes to administer to the birthing mothers which often meant washing down the mother and baby with 'cooling' brews.         

               Genuine 'Granny' from South Caicos.
                               

Anyway following, is an ongoing list of bush medicine whose name has been called by the older folk as I meet them on my travels throughout the 'Salt' and Caicos Islands. I mention their local description, method of use and purported cures ....verbatim!

CATNIP

"Boil it and steep it and it good for children with worms"

DILLSEED TREE

"Make tea with it and when it dry you make the tea...nice, nice,..you put a piece of parsley leaf in it woman...and it belches up the gasses..dillsed and parsley leaf boiled and strained and you can make your tea...children can drink it...its good for babies griping in their stomachs...you boil dill seed tea and when you done...especially boys you make their bottle of tea and child, it good for gripin'"

SNAKE STICK
"If you have pain of stomach...you break some of the snake stick, you hot some water....you put the snake stick in the cup...you put the hot water in and the salt you cook with...you put a pinch of that and when it done steep...you take a drink of that..woman...that pain of stomach with the Lord to it...will ease."


SOURSOP TREE
"Plenty of little bushes ..you can make your teas from and they taste so nice....


CRAB BUSH

"My mummy learn me again...it by the seaside....you get a piece of crab bush and you chew it...you chew it and you swallow the salts from the crab bush...if you got grippin' in the stomach it will ease it."

PERIWINKLE

FEVER GRASS

LEMON GRASS

OLD MAN BUSH

GUM ELEMI

IRONWOOD

LEAF OF LIFE

CERASEE

BAY TANSY

FIVE MAN FINGER

PRICKLY PEAR

BAY LAVENDER

PEAR (ALOE)

LOVEVINE

MINT

NEEGLY WHITEY

SEASIDE MORNING GLORY

STRONG BACK

All these names have been called in my travels and as I transcibe the tapes and interviews with the older folk I shall add the stories to the list above.

Well if you have heard of any that I should check into... please send me a comment.