The
nuisance in the back yard known for its annoying sting and pungent
earthy smell, nettle is not the most desirable flora of the Pacific
Northwest. For northwest tribes, however, nettle is a cultural and
traditional staple. The Rediscovery Program at the Hibulb Cultural
Center began their spring harvest of nettle sprouts March 12th,
working to reintroduce the use of nettle into the community and
continuing the revitalization of our culture.
Inez Bill, who has spent the last ten years learning about how
to use nettle, harvested nettle sprouts on the bluff above Arcadia
on the Tulalip Reservation. Derek Houle, who has been involved with
the culture program for most of his life, and Lauw-Ya Spencer, who
became involved in 2012 through the summer youth program, joined
Bill as they gathered the sprouts to use in the rediscovery program.
They then process the nettle sprouts for use in foods and preserve
some nettle for continued use throughout the year.
Nettle was a staple for our people for hundreds of years,
explained Bill, It has tremendous health benefits. For food
you have to harvest the sprouts in the spring, or in the summer
you can harvest the tops of the nettle, the stock gets too hard.
Here at the museum we have expanded the uses. We make nettle tea
and different flavored lemonades with nettle tea. We also have created
Hibulb Bread, which is like buckskin bread, only more healthy and
nutritional.
Bill and her husband, the late Hank Gobin, learned to harvest
and prepare nettle and other traditional flora from Valerie Segrest,
Elise Krohn, and the late Bruce Miller, whose dedicated themselves
to cultural revitalization and educating about traditional flora.
Bringing that knowledge to the rediscovery program, Bill continues
their work in revitalizing traditional plant use. As a girl, Bills
elders instilled in her the respect and reverence for these traditional
plants as foods and as medicines and she hands down those teachings
throughout the rediscovery program. She also gets creative, incorporating
nettle into many recipes.
Nutrients of nettle mg/100g (About 1 Cup)
Calcium |
2900
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|
Magnesium |
860
|
Iron |
41.8
|
|
Potassium |
1750
|
Vitamin A |
18,700 AU
|
|
Vitamin C |
83
|
Thiamine
|
.54
|
|
Riboflavin |
.43
|
Niacin |
5.2
|
|
Chromium |
3.9
|
Cobalt |
13.2
|
|
Phosphorus |
447
|
Zinc |
4.7
|
|
Manganese |
860
|
Selenium |
2.2
|
|
Sodium |
4.9
|
Protein |
16.5%
|
|
|
|
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The Hibulb bread is diabetic friendly. It is made with
ground almond meal instead of flour, and without salt or sugar.
Ground nettle is added, but we had to play around with how much
was the right amount. said Bill.
A true superfood, nettle is packed with nutrients. It can be
ground up and added to almost any dish for a healthy boost. The
cultural center makes a seasoning, ground nettle for recipe ingredients,
blanched and frozen nettle for later in the year, nettle stock,
nesto (nettle pesto), and so much more. As a cultural staple, beyond
food, nettle was traditionally made into twine and nets, it is one
of the stronger natural twines.
To learn more about the rediscovery program, or to participate
in activities, contact Inez Bill at the Hibulb Cultural Center at
(360) 716-2638.
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