Cedar Visit
Cedar Unit

The goal of this unit is to learn about the healing, protective and medicinal properties of cedar.

ʔuləx̌əd – Gather from nature

x̌payʔac – Cedar Tree

stidgʷəd – Cedar bough

st̕əlǰixʷ - Medicine

ʔəst̕igʷid – Thankful

tix̌dxʷ - Take care/Protect

ɬuʔuləx̌əd čəɬ - We will go harvesting.

ɬux̌alalikʷ čəɬ - We will color.

ʔəsʔəx̌idalus tiʔəʔ – What color is this?

č̓uɬəyʔalus tiʔəʔ – It is green.

stab tiʔəʔ - What is this?

stab čəxʷ ʔəsšudxʷ - What do you see?

1. Check your yard for any x̌payʔac (cedar tree), if you have one at your house, you can use that, if not, take a drive or a walk and see if you can identify a cedar tree to ʔuləx̌əd (harvest) from. If you need to travel, make sure you have water, snacks, a bag for harvested cedar, and some scissors.

2. Once you have found a x̌payʔac (cedar tree) make some observations. This is a good time to use Lushootseed: stab tiʔəʔ (What is this?), stab čəxʷ ʔəsšudxʷ (What do you see?), ʔəsʔəx̌idalus tiʔəʔ (What color is this?)

3. Say a prayer and thank the tree  (t̕igʷicid x̌payʔac) before beginning to harvest.

4. Cut or peel off the stidgʷəd (cedar bough), get pieces that are from 6-10 inches long. ʔuləx̌əd (gather) at least one piece of stidgʷəd (cedar bough) for each person participating in the activity.

5. When you get home or to a place where you will be doing your craft, lay out the stidgʷəd (cedar boughs). If they are wet, pat them dry. Lay one piece out and lay a piece of paper on top of it. Emboss the silhouette stidgʷəd (cedar bough) onto the paper by laying a crayon on it side and rubbing it against the paper lightly.

6. Look at the embossings together and notice the patterns of x̌payʔac. Share what you know about the medicine x̌payʔac offers and discuss any questions you have or what you might want to learn more about.

Family and intergenerational learning:
Those that are physically able should go out to harvest the cedar, if you have small children or elders going to harvest, find easily accessible trees that do not require a far/unstable path. If able, have elders share stories of their experiences with harvesting cedar.

Local Place Connections:
Cedar trees are very important and special to our people, our ancestors had many uses for cedar because cedar trees were a very abundant resource in our traditional territory.

huyadadčəɬ:
Cedar is like our mother our whole lives were encircled with Cedar. – Jerry Jones
This activity helps us understand and remember the importance of Cedar and one of the many ways that our people used Cedar traditionally.

Making a Cedar Bough

Cedar Unit

The goal of this unit is to learn about the healing, protective and medicinal properties of cedar.

ʔuləx̌əd – Gather from nature

x̌payʔac – Cedar Tree

stidgʷəd – Cedar bough

st̕əlǰixʷ - Medicine

ʔəst̕igʷid – Thankful

tix̌dxʷ - Take care/Protect

ɬuʔuləx̌əd čəɬ - We will go harvesting.

ʔəsʔəx̌idalus tiʔəʔ – What color is this?

č̓uɬəyʔalus tiʔəʔ – It is green.

stab tiʔəʔ - What is this?

stab čəxʷ ʔəsšudxʷ - What do you see?

1. Check your yard for any x̌payʔac (cedar tree), if you have one at your house, you can use that, if not, take a drive or a walk and see if you can identify a cedar tree to ʔuləx̌əd (harvest).

2. Once you have found a x̌payʔac (cedar tree) with bright green tips, say a prayer and thank the tree t̕igʷicid xp̌ ayʔac before beginning to harvest.

3. Once the x̌payʔac (cedar tree) has been thanked, you can ʔuləx̌əd (harvest) the stidgʷəd (cedar boughs) by cutting or peeling off a stidgʷəd (cedar bough) about 6-18 inches of length. Gather 3-5 pieces of the stidgʷəd (cedar boughs) for a bundle to put above the entry and exit doors of your home.

4. You can use these phrases while you ʔuləx̌əd (harvest): stab čəxʷ ʔəsšudxʷ (What do you see?), stab tiʔəʔ (What is this?), ʔəsʔəxǐ dalus tiʔəʔ (What color is this?), č̓uɬəyʔalus tiʔəʔ (It is green)

5. After harvesting the stidgʷəd (cedar boughs) lay them out and group them by a bundle of 3-5. Then once they are grouped up, tie them together at the base of the bundle using yarn or string. Once you have your stidgʷəd bundled, hang it above your entry/exit door. While hanging the stidgʷəd, say a prayer for the x̌payʔac  to protect your home.

•ɬutix̌dubuɬ ti x̌payʔac The cedar tree will protect us.

• ɬutix̌dub ʔə ti x̌payʔac ti ʔalʔalčəɬ Our home is protected by the cedar tree.

• ɬutix̌dub ʔə ti x̌payʔac ti sʔibəščəɬ Our journey is protected by the cedar tree.

6. If able, have elders or others share stories of their experiences with harvesting x̌payʔac and the medicine x̌payʔac offers.

Family and intergenerational learning
Those that are physically able should go out to harvest the cedar, if you have small children or elders going to harvest, find easily accessible trees that do not require a far/unstable path. Ask those who were not able to harvest to help tie the cedar boughs and say a prayer over them.

Local Place Connections
Cedar trees are very important and special to our people, our ancestors had many uses for cedar because cedar trees were a very abundant resource in our traditional territory.

huyadadčəɬ:
Cedar is like our mother our whole lives were encircled with Cedar. – Jerry Jones

This activity helps us understand and remember the importance of Cedar and one of the many ways that our people used Cedar traditionally.