Uses of Salal Berry

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Unripened Salal Berries

The Salal Berry plant is abundant throughout the Pacific Northwest and as such was, and to a lesser extent today, an essential source of food for many of the First Nations bands of British Columbia. Today Salal berries are eaten fresh or prepared into jams or preserves by aboriginal Pacific Northwest people. Traditionally the fruit was gathered for consumption while fresh and for preparation for storage and use in the winter season. This preparation process formed the berries into cakes that then could be reconstituted at a later time. The procedure was typically carried out by women in the communities and involved the mashing and boiling of the berries in formed cedar boxes. These boxes contained red hot rocks which boiled the berry mash. The cooked berry mash was then poured into preformed cedar frames that had been placed over large leaves, for example Skunk Cabbage, to dry on racks over low burning alder wood fires. The cakes were generally, “about 3 cm thick and could be as large as 30 cm wide by 90 cm long” (Turner, 2006, pg. 78). These formed cakes were then folded or rolled for storage. The cakes were normally reprocessed by soaking in water overnight, then broken up and mixed with fish grease for consumption. In addition, Salal berries were often used as sweetener for other foods or as thickener for salmon eggs. Furthermore, Salal berries were utilized for making dyes and stains by aboriginal groups in the Pacific Northwest.

Ripened Salal Berries

In the traditions of the Kwakwaka’wakw people, the Salal cakes that were of the highest quality Salal berries were kept for family meals or for the chief at feasts. Poorer quality Salal cakes or cakes that had been blended with currant or Elderberry were typically used for trade or were consumed by commoners at feasts. During feasting the Salal berries were eaten with black spoons, made from the horn of a Mountain Goat, that were only used for this purpose and occasion.

The use of Salal for medicinal purposes by the First Nations of the Pacific Northwest has been widely assumed but the specific uses are not well documented. “The leaves have an astringent effect, making it an effective anti-inflammatory and anti-cramping herb” (Wikipedia, 2008). The leaves prepared in a poultice can be used for relief of the itching or tenderness from insect bites and stings. In addition, the leaves can be prepared into a tea or tincture for use in a variety of gastrointestinal complaints.

Works Cited:

Turner, N. J. (2004). Plants of Haida Gwaii. Winlaw, BC: SONO NIS Press.

Turner, N. J. (2006). Royal BC Museum Handbook, Food Plants of Coastal First. BC: Royal BC Museum.

Turner, N. J. (2007). Royal BC Museum Handbook, Plant Technology of the First Peoples in British Columbia. BC: Royal BC Museum.

Wikipedia. (2008). Salal – Medicinal Properties (Michael Moore, Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West). Retrieved July 31, 2008 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salal.

Image Citations:

Unripened Salal Berries - C. Voss, 2008.

Ripened Salal Berries - C. Voss, 2008.

For more information about Salal Berry:

Salal Berry

People Related to Salal Berry

First Nations of B.C. use salal as a food.

Salal