Medicine Plants
As a kid I always had a snotty nose. My mum told me she read a book on raising Aboriginal children and learnt that we need a higher amount of vitamin C because our traditional foods were so vitamin rich. She started to send fruit juice to school with me and my health improved. This story stuck with me and I have spent many years learning about the medicinal properties of our native bush tucker. Sadly, many of our native bush tucker and medicinal plants are rare and endangered. There is so much to learn, country to country around Australia that I have selected to showcase a couple that are endemic to and that are still plentiful on Bundjalung Country.
LiliPili
There are over 60 species of LiliPili in Australia with fruits in shades varying from vibrant magenta to cherry red and blue. Lili pili is an important food source for many native species and was an essential part of the traditional diet as the different varieties fruit at different times of the year. This fruit features widely in traditional medicine, used as a treatment for sore ears, wounds and skin conditions due to the antibacterial properties, and generally consumed as an immune system booster due to the superfood power of LiliPili containing high levels of vitamin C. My favourite endemic LiliPili is the brush cherry or Syzygium austral which is just coming to the end of the season.
Lemon Myrtle
The medicinal uses of Eucalyptus and Ti Tree oil is well known both locally and internationally. Another important native medicine that is rising in popularity due to its flavour is Lemon Myrtle - Backhousia citriodora. I’ve noticed over the last decade the common occurrence in sinus infections in people living beneath Ti Tree as it flowers. When flowering, the Ti Tree produces a heavy pungent potato like smell. This is the time that residents begin to get sinus infections. Drinking frequent cups of tea made from fresh lemon myrtle leaves acts as a powerful decongestant and helps reduce the symptoms and longevity of the sinus infection. Medicinal properties of Lemon Myrtle is widely documented and among its superpowers are antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Intellectual Cultural Property and Social Enterprise
Aboriginal people have had a close relationship with native medicinal and bush tucker plants for many thousands of years and have prioritised these relationships through caring for Country. As wider society is learning about the benefits of our native foods and medicines there is a rush to establish businesses that capitalise on this knowledge and element of Country. It is important that the Cultural Intellectual Property rights of Aboriginal communities are respected and elevated allowing custodians to restore populations of native species on Country. Custodians too should be supported to determine the right time for communities to develop social enterprises that benefit the Aboriginal communities that passed on the knowledge for generations.
In the meantime – get out there and plant native medicinal species on Country, plant one extra for the birds, bees and butterflies that thrive on them.
Author: Belle Budden
The Echo Newspaper 2022