23. Balsam Slice Necklace

Tlingit, Nuxalk, Tagish
antique European beads, 24kt gold beads, home tanned moose hide
3” x 2 3/4”

The Traditional Medicine Collection

My grandmothers life work was learning and practicing with Traditional Medicines. I remember being a grumpy teenager being dragged out of bed super early to go harvest medicines with her on the weekends.  When I reflect back to those memories and those teachings they are some of my most favourite.  Every flu season she'd have a big glass pot on the stove full of traditional teas, an indigenous version of Buckly's and ColdFX if you will. She would give me a shot glass with some tea in there every morning and the years I lived with her I never got sick.  I remember I was stung by a few wasps and she quickly grabbed some leaves, chewed them up and placed them on the stings and it helped to soothe them.  When I had cuts she'd place balsam sap on them and they would heal to much faster and so much nicer.  Her work with traditional medicines was magical and that's what I tried to capture in this collection, to turn these common plant in the north into these gorgeous wearable art pieces that reflect the powerful medicine they hold. I hope they give the wearer good medicine and they can feel the love I sewed into these pieces.

- Heather Dickson