In this season of darkness and cold, I am so grateful for the teachings of Grandmother Cedar. Her deep green leaves add color to the winter woods and her fragrance helps me remember that we can endure through hardship. It is a dark time in our human world too with political tensions and war, racism and sexism, a movement toward extractive environmental policies, and selfish leadership at the highest level, and so many of us feel anxiety and despair. Cedar’s example of kindness and generosity can help us survive and thrive in these times

Generosity has long been a measure of wealth in Native traditions, and the practice of giving elaborate gifts at community feasts and gatherings continues to this day. This traditional economy is a “gift economy” versus our current market economy. Robin Wall Kimmerer explores this in her beautiful new book The Serviceberry. What could our world be like in a world where we viewed Nature’s abundance as gifts, and we received those gifts with care and reciprocity? As Rudy Ryser (Oneida and Cowlitz descendent) says, true generosity is about giving as well as receiving with an open heart. When we graciously accept gifts and help, we are part of an exchange of energy that supports healthy and connected individuals and communities. Receiving well takes practice and can be hard if we are taught to be self-sufficient and independent. It can soften the places that we have armored over and bring us into interdependence versus isolation. When we practice generosity and kindness through giving and receiving, we build a circle of belonging. This Samish story as told by Roger Fernandes, Lower Elwha Klallam storyteller, includes teachings that are so relevant now.

Grandmother Cedar Story

A long time ago there was a Grandma Cedar Tree. She was very big and very old. One day a little tree began to grow next to her. It was her grandson. He was growing right next to her, and she was very happy. The little tree grew and grew.

One day a big windstorm came, and the wind blew very hard. The wind was blowing on the little tree, and he could not stand up to it. It was going to snap him, and he would die. But Grandma Cedar Tree placed her arms, her branches, between him and the wind. She blocked the wind and protected her little grandson. And he grew some more.

One summer day, the sun was very hot. It beat down upon the little tree and it was so hot it hurt him. He was drying out. But Grandma Cedar Tree put her branches over him and made shade. She protected him from the hot sun. He grew some more.

One night deer came to the little tree. The deer liked to eat the fresh green branches of a growing little tree. But Grandma waved her arms at them and chased them away! She protected him from the deer. He grew even more.

Sometimes the little tree was sad because there were no other little trees around to visit with. He was sometimes very lonely. Grandma used her spirit power to call the birds to the little tree. The birds flew around him and sat in his branches and sang and talked with him. So, he did not feel so lonely. So, he grew and he grew. And now he was bigger than his grandma. He was a big cedar tree and he was taller than her. Grandma was getting very old. She was very old now.

One day a windstorm came and began to push old Grandma Cedar Tree with its great wind power. She was too old to fight back and the wind was so strong it was going to break her and she would die. But Grandson Cedar Tree put his arm branches between her and the wind. He protected her from the strong wind.

One day during the summer, the hot sun beat down upon old Grandma. She was miserable in the heat and was too old to stand it anymore. Her grandson put his arms over her and made shade, protecting her from the hot sun.

One night the deer came. They wanted to nibble the green branches of the old tree. But her grandson waved his arms at them and chased them away. He protected her from the deer.

Grandma was very old and all her old friends were gone. They had died many years before and she felt alone. Grandson used his power to call the birds to Grandma. They flew to her and landed in her branches and sang and talked to her. She did not feel so lonely.

She said, “Grandson, don’t worry about me. I am old now. Take care of yourself. Do not worry about me anymore.” But he said, “Grandma, when I was little you protected me. When the strong wind blew upon me, you blocked the wind with your arms. When it was so hot in the summertime, you made shade with your arms and protected me. When the deer came at night to eat my branches, you chased them away with your arms. And when I was lonely, you called the birds to me so I would not be alone. Grandma, you did all these things for me, and now I will do them for you.” And so, Grandson Cedar Tree took care of his beloved Grandmother Cedar Tree. And that is all.

What teachings does this story speak to you? Western science is catching up with Indigenous knowledge about trees. We know that trees can share water, food, and medicine with young or sick trees. They can warn others of attacking insects or diseases and quickly change their chemistry to protect themselves. Trees can even identify family members and change their growth pattern so they don’t block light from their relatives. How might we care for each other and build a strong community in this difficult time?

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Cedar Medicine

There are so many names for cedar in indigenous languages including Tree of Life, Grandmother, and Long-Life Maker. Grand longhouses, swift and rot-resistant canoes, durable clothing, ornate baskets, cordage, tools, art, medicine and many other things continue to be fashioned from cedar. While every part of cedar is precious, the leaves are especially useful now for baths and making respiratory steams to help fight coughs and colds. These simple home remedies are easy to make and have so many precious gifts.

Cedar thrives in cool damp forests where molds and fungi thrive. Scratch cedar leaves or cut the wood, and you will smell strong essential oils. Cedar makes these oils to repel molds, fungi, bacteria, viruses, and insects. When we cut cedar leaf, cover it with boiling water, and inhale the steam, we are using cedar’s powerful antimicrobial oils to fight infection in our own tissue.

Cedar promotes our immune function through stimulating white blood cell scavenging. Inhaling cedar steam also stimulates blood flow in our lungs, which enables us to absorb more oxygen into our blood and remove more waste products. Nutrients flow more easily into lung tissue while debris from fighting an infection is carried away. This helps us to heal more quickly.

Gathering Cedar

Cedar (Thuja plicata) is easy to identify once you get to know it. It is a distinctive tall evergreen tree with a drooping leader, a wide buttressing base, and a fibrous, fluted trunk with gray to cinnamon-red bark. Greenish-yellow leaves are flat with opposite scales. Branches are often J-shaped. Seed cones have 8-12 scales, are about ½ inches long, and are shaped like rosebuds. The largest cedar trees are up to 19 feet in diameter and 200 feet tall. Some of the oldest trees are over 1,000 years old!  

You can gather cedar leaves any time of year. Look for fresh boughs that have fallen down from a storm. If they are not available, carefully prune small fan-like branches here and there so you not leave a visible impact.

Leaves can be used fresh, or they can be dried by bundling several small branches with a rubber band then hanging them or placing them on baskets in a dry place with good ventilation. Keep them whole, and then crush them just before you use them to retain the fragrant oils. Store in a paper bag or glass jar for up to a year.

Cedar Respiratory Steam

All you need is a few sprigs of cedar, a bowl, scissors, a towel, and hot water for steaming. Cut the cedar leaf into small pieces until you have about ½ cup in a medium sized bowl (do not use metal since it will get hot). Pour boiled water over the cedar until the bowl is half full. Place your face over the steam at a comfortable distance, and cover your head with a towel. Breath deep! Try to steam for at least 5 minutes. Pour more hot water in if necessary. For chronic coughs or sinus congestion,steaming several times a day may be necessary.

Variations: Other herbs including fir needle, pine needle, eucalyptus leaf, rosemary, peppermint, yarrow, or lavender can also be added. You can add one to two drops of essential oil if desired. Eucalyptus helps to thin mucus, peppermint is anti-inflammatory, rosemary stimulates circulation, and lavender is relaxing and healing to skin. Most essential oils have some antimicrobial action.

Caution: Cedar contains strong volatile oils that are known to be toxic in large quantities. While steaming with cedar leaf is very safe, exercise caution when using the essential oil. 

Cedar Oat Bath

Time: 15-20 minutes

Materials: Dried cedar, oat flour, muslin bags (3 by 5 inches), paper or plastic bags, labels

This simple recipe is especially soothing for irritated skin. Oats soothe dry, itchy skin, while cedar stimulates immunity and fights infection.

1 part dried cedar leaf

1 part oat flour or powdered rolled oats

Essential oil of cedar, spruce, pine, or fir (10–15 drops per cup mixed cedar oat blend)

Cut dried cedar leaves so that the pieces are about ½ inch or smaller. In a bowl, mix half dried cedar and half oat flour. Add 10–15 drops of essential oil per cup of mix and stir well. Place ½ cup of mix into a muslin bag and tie. Place in a waxed paper bag or plastic bag to retain scent. Place the whole bag in the bath and squeeze to release the oat flour. The bath water will become “milky” and the cedar will infuse into the hot water. You can rub the bag on your skin like a loofah.

Learn More!

The Tend, Gather, and Grow and Plant Teachings for Growing Social-Emotional Skills Toolkits include teachings and activities around Grandmother Cedar. Learn more about trees on our Tend Tree Communities page and access curriculum resources at https://nativeplantsandfoodsportal.org

Watch Valerie Segrest and Becky Shelton on Cedar

Teachings from Muckleshoot Language Department: https://www.muckleshootlanguage.com/lessons/cedar

Watch The Teachings of the Tree People 

20-minute video on the life and teachings of Skokomish elder, Bruce Miller. https://vimeo.com/64099709