Traditional Medicines

Joywind and Robert have been on the ’trail’ in one form or other for about 25 years.  We cherish our traditional medicines.  We believe in gathering, harvesting, preserving and sharing.  We have chosen to eat almost 100% organic or wild foods.  We share these traditional medicines carefully.  Medicines are very important to the people and aren’t always accessible in the moments when we need them.

In fact ailments generally don’t happen when we are prepared to cure them….Also more of the Indigenous community live in urban environments and aren’t always able to gather all the medicines themselves.  But that doesn’t mean they are not allowed to have them….Harvested with respect and honour…the medicines belong to all the people and one of the things we do is share them.  Tribal Spirit carefully source or trade with people who have the heart and care to carry the medicines and we honour the effort and work it requires to maintain the traditional medicines.  We live in Canada and ship all over Turtle Island (except where noted: Bear products, Feathers and some wild furs) everything else is good to ship.

Showing all 26 results

  • Sale!

    Small Sweetgrass Special

    10$ Canadian

    Spring time, snow is melting and the Sweetgrass is starting to grow again.  Everybody awaits the next harvest.  Throughout the year we store the braids and loose strands carefully. The secret to keeping your sweetgrass green and preserve the freshness is to wrap it and store it in a dark fresh environment.  In the mean time, if you need to get some, we are overstocked with last year’s small sweetgrass braids.

    It is on special 10% off this week only.

    Sweetgrass is one of the most important Traditional Medicines.  We are very picky about where we get our sweetgrass.  Some growths of sweetgrass are in crisis because of over picking or harvesting by pulling out the root.  We are working with a family who harvest sweetgrass, with ceremony and pluck the grass without pulling the root.

    (Price is per Braid)

  • Leather Medicine Pouches

    40$ Canadian75$ Canadian
    Bear Leather Pouches:
    Our new Medicine Pouches are all one of a kind measuring 2” x 3” approx. Which we fill with the traditional medicines of the four directions.  They can be worn around the neck or tied to a belt loop.
    WE ARE NOT ABLE TO SHIP OUTSIDE OF CANADA!!  Please do not purchase if you live outside of Canada or we will have to refund.  Sorry…
    White Deer Leather Pouches:

    White Deer Leather Medicine Pouches with medicines of the four directions.  Wearing a medicine bag which contains symbols of who you are is a good way to keep the sacred with you all the time, as well as reminding yourself of who you are.

  • Rat Root

    Rat Root (Sweet Flag – Weegas)

    30$ Canadian60$ Canadian

    Rat Root (also called sweet flag, wikkaii or weegas).  This Manitoba-harvested species (Acorus americanus) is free of the carcinogenic that is found in the root imported from India and Asia.

    Within the Native American community Rat Root has a pain relieving effect and was effective in fighting off colds, coughs, upset stomachs and fevers.  It gets its name because muskrats like to chew on these roots.  Can be chewed on when you feel a cold coming on.   A poultice of the crushed root is used externally to help with muscle cramps.

    Not to be used by pregnant women.    Shipping within Canada Only.

  • Northern Saskatchewan Harvested Chaga

    25$ Canadian50$ Canadian

    Another exciting coup for Tribal…Our medicinal harvester has been busy gathering all winter and found an amazing collection of Chaga.  He works and gathers in Northern Saskatchewan area with some of the best Chaga in Canada.  Chaga is a fungus/mushroom that grows on Birch Trees and has been used forever, across the country by Indigenous peoples as a traditional medicine mainly to boost immunity and overall health. It has also been used to treat diabetes and heart disease.

  • White (Buffalo) Sage

    8$ Canadian60$ Canadian

    White sage or Buffalo sage is used in ceremony to purify or clean.  Most gatherings, ceremonies or sweats will begin with a smudging and mostly involving sage.  There are many different kinds of sage used in the community and our favourite is this White sage.  A small leaf will light very easily, blow out the flame, and will continue to smoke until it burns out.  Check out our fans or smudge kits as people will often use a fan to waft the smoke.  Available in loose leaf or as a tied sage stick.

  • Sweetgrass

    18$ Canadian

    Sweetgrass is one of the most important Traditional Medicines.  We are very picky about where we get our sweetgrass.  Some growths of sweetgrass are in crisis because of over picking or harvesting by pulling out the root.  We are working with a family who harvest sweetgrass, with ceremony and pluck the grass without pulling the root.

    (Price is per Braid)  (Available is Loose Form As well)

     

  • Western Red Cedar Loose Leaves

    15$ Canadian60$ Canadian

    Western Red Cedar Loose Leaves

    Cuz we gotcha covered….we have been reaching out for this connection for a long time.  We have started working with a young Indigenous woman who is harvesting and drying this Red Cedar leaves from the Great Bear Rain Forest in a good way and sacred way.  Cedar is generally used in smudging ceremonies for purification or cleansing.  It is one of the 4 primary medicines (Tobacco, Sweetgrass, Sage, Cedar).   Coming from very old growth trees cedar is understood to carry the teachings of the ancestors.  Packaged neatly in a linen bag with drawstrings as closure.

  • Sale!

    Medicine “Hat Trick” Stick Special

    12$ Canadian75$ Canadian

    Our brand new Medicine “Hat Trick” Stick (get the hockey and Joywind’s home town reference? lol) includes desert sage, sweetgrass and cedar.  This mixture was so popular last year that we worked hard to get in another supply.

    Available as a Single Stick or a 6 Pack.

  • Osha (Bear Root) Honey Chew

    40$ Canadian

    NEW PRODUCT ALERT!! We are very excited to announce our Osha Root Honey Chew. (Osha is also called Bear Root). Amazing anti viral, great for sore throats…incredible for singers…this is an all around perfect winter virus buster. The chew is a paste and you put a raisin size bit in your mouth and suck or put up under your lip. Tastes like Bear root and honey… the texture is like an old fashion chew….but MUCH better for you!!

    Each tin is 60 g made up of 30g of Bear Root harvested in the Rockies and 30g organic honey. Y ou are going to love this and we will start making more!! lol…(tobacco free!!)

  • Large White Sage Sticks

    14$ Canadian

    White Sage is all about cleansing and purifying.  Need a good mood tune up? or house cleansing? reach for the Sage.  Before all ceremonies sage is used to clean the spirit and energy.  These sticks are huge 9″ long, made with big full leaves.  The cool part with using a stick is that you can light it and then simply stamp it out on a shell or piece of wood for the next time.  Nice and efficient.

  • Deer Medicine Pouches

    25$ Canadian

    Deer Leather Medicine Pouches with Sage, Sweetgrass, Cedar and Tobacco.

    Wearing a medicine bag which contains symbols of who you are is a good way to keep the sacred with you all the time, as well as reminding yourself of who you are. Our little deer leather pouches like these can be worn around your neck or belt loop and can become quite important to you as symbols of your deeper self.  We have included medicines of the four directions and feel free to add items that speak to you.

  • Mint

    15$ Canadian

    This  Mint was grown in our garden Last summer,  Harvested by Joywind and dried above our wood stove. A part from the flavour that gives a nice fresh breath, this plant is also aid digestives issues and upsets, Joywind likes to make teas out of it for a nice soothing night time routine.

  • Marjolaine

    15$ Canadian

    This Plant was grown in our garden Last summer, Joywind harvested it and we dried it above our wood stove.  The flavour is similar to thyme. This plant is a nice addition to your night time wind down. It also has some digestive properties, for that reason, it is a nice ‘spice’ to add in meals. That’s how Joywind likes to incorporate it. You might already have it in your kitchen as part of your “herbes de Provence” spice mix

  • Bergamot “Bee Balm”

    8$ Canadian

    If you like earl you’ll appreciate the taste of this herb in your tea.

  • Yarrow

    15$ Canadian

    Use in Teas.. As part of your Night time routine.

  • Horsetail

    15$ Canadian

    Although sometimes considered a gardener’s nuisance, it is a nice addition in teas. Use sparingly

  • Red Osier Dogwood (Willow)

    15$ Canadian

    The inner bark of the Red Osier Dogwood (sometimes called Red Willow but it is actually a Dogwood not a Willow) is used by many Nations as part of a smoking mixture.  It has a pain relieving effect and can be boiled for use as a pain relieving poultice to treat sores.  Red Osie has also been used as a tea to treat diarrhea, fevers and liver ailments.  This bark was harvest in late winter/early spring when it is at its most potent stage, just before the plant shoots out the buds.  We are offering this by the ounce.

  • Tribal Fire Cider

    35$ Canadian
    Fire Cider is a tincture made with locally sourced organic mixture of garlic, ginger, onion, cayenne pepper, horseradish and thyme in an apple cider base.
    In our house Fire Cider is a mandatory part of our fall/winter cold/flu prevention treatment…..and at any sign of a sniffle or tickle in the throat the entire family goes straight to the Fire Cider several times a day for a system boost.
    Thinking ahead to the flu & cold season we asked our Herbalist if she would prepare a monster batch of Fire Cider for Tribal Spirit.  It takes an entire growing season to plant, grow and harvest the ingredients enough to make a big batch.  Our thought was that we wanted to be able to offer something so vital to our customers/friends.  Our Herbalist is extremely dedicated and diligent in her work.  Every ingredient is grown locally (not imported from somewhere….) and organic.
    Glass bottles are 50 ml with a dropper.  
  • Dried Rose Petals

    Organic Rose Petals

    10$ Canadian

    From our teachings, Rose petals are of the direction of the north bringing wisdom into our lives.  A very cool part of a smudging ceremony, these rose petals are fragrant and inspiring.

    One ounce of dried rose petals packed in a 6″x6″ ziploc bag.

    Store in a cool, dark, dry place in an airtight container.

  • BlueSageSticks

    Blue Sage Sticks

    5$ Canadian50$ Canadian

    These Blue Sage sticks are harvested and wrapped in the USA.  Each are carefully wrapped, and are approximately 4.5″ long x 1″ wide.

    Available as a Single Stick, a pack of 6 or pack of 12.

  • Smudge Kit with Tribal Spirit Moose Leather Bag

    110$ Canadian
    Absolutely perfect for travel, rugged, attractive and you will always be ready when a good smudge is needed.  The kit includes a farmed abalone shell (we have a beautiful selection of the nicest shells we have seen in years), a jute bag of Californian White Sage, a small feather fan that attaches to the outside of the bag and one of our hand made moose leather saddle bags.
    Available in fringed style or moose antler button.
  • Tribal eGift Cards

    50$ Canadian500$ Canadian

    Introducing Tribal Spirit eGift Cards.  Cuz you asked for it and we listen!!   Offer your loved ones the Tribal choice.  SO the way this works…is that you select the amount you wish to offer and in the ORDER NOTES please include your loved one’s name and address.  We will mail them one of our Holiday Cards with a note from you with the amount of the egift card.  Once your loved one receives the card they can email us or phone us and we will honour your gift.  And we will take very good care of them!!  SO please don’t forget to include their name and address.

  • Maple Sugar

    20$ Canadian

    We have a travelling friend who drops by once a year and we trade stuff…..he makes the best freakin Maple Sugar we have ever tasted.  It is made over a wood fired boiler and using the very last of the maples sap of the year (which is the most caramel-y of the sap run) brought to a very high temperature and paddled stirred until it dries.  Then is crushed to a fine powder.  The result a woody, slightly smoked powered touch of bliss.  Really seriously bliss.  We are including this in the Tribal Medicine category….cuz a teaspoon of this Maple Sugar definitely makes the medicine go down….

  • Mayan Copal

    35$ Canadian120$ Canadian

    Copal Maya “Pom” 

    Copal is a tree resin from the Protium Copal Tree.  The word copal comes from the Nahuatl language (copalli = incense)  Our Mayan Pom Copal is Indigenous harvested in Yajalon, Chiapas Mexico.  It has a woody/evergreen odour that creates a distinctive holiday vibe.  You can burn our copal by putting a small piece of lit wood coal in a shell and place a pinch of copal on the red coal.  Or you can also just light a small piece of copal with a lighter.  The resin will catch fire….and you can blow it out…and a light smoke will share the blessing.  

    Copal is also used in ceremonies, it is burned as a medicine for cleansing energies, the home, crystals and oneself. The medicine of copal helps oneself to release/relax and open the mind and body.    This copal came to us in form of a trade.  

  • Abalone Shell

    20$ Canadian

    Farmed Abalone Shell

    Approximately size – 6″ x 5″ x 2″ deep

  • Tribal Eye Pads

    32$ Canadian

    For relaxation, twitching eyes and insomnia eye pads are a remarkably simple healing tool.

    When you wake up in the middle of the night and the brain just won’t shut down place your eye pad over your eyes, take a deep breath and relax.  Filled with lavender (natural soothing herb) and flaxseed the mild weight on the eyes brings a level of calm that is so simple and yet very effective.   We made two styles, Deer leather and a Tribal cotton print.