Herbalists and Herbalism: Plant Medicines
among the Stockbridge-Munsee Community
While current medicinal knowledge of the Tribe comes from
many Community members and ancestors, the plant knowledge
represented throughout the exhibit is primarily attributed to the knowledge passed down to Misty Cook starting from her great-
great-great grandmother, Jeanette “Granny” Gardner. Among many teachings, Misty Cook emphasizes that when caring for patients, her ancestors Granny Garner, Mary Burr, and Ella Besaw never expected payment for their medicines.
– Mohican herbalist and author, Misty Cookand record their medicinal knowledge, make use of plant medicines, and share their teachings throughout their community and beyond. The Tribe also owns and operates a state-of-the-art Health and Wellness Center which caters to the needs of the Community, and is open to the broader public.
– Mohican herbalist and author, Misty Cook
Wtakiipakw (Yarrow) growing in the Mohican Miles Medicine Garden
Jeannette “Granny” Gardner learned medicines from her mother Elizabeth, and her Aunt who was an Oneida medicine woman and midwife.
Ella Besaw was Mary’s sister; she learned from Granny Gardner from a young age and was a great teacher of medicines.
Mary Burr would often go with her Granny Gardner on gathering trips, sometimes sleeping overnight.
David Besaw & Misty Cook: David Besaw was Ella’s youngest son. He started gathering medicines with her at age ten. David served as Director of the Health Center. Misty Cook, M. S. of the Stockbridge-Munsee Community is the Tribe’s current expert on plant medicines. Misty continues to pass on traditional knowledge by teaching, giving presentations, and through her book Medicine Generations. Her ancestor David Naunaunnecannuck’s lands were today’s Stockbridge Town Cemetery, right next to this exhibit.
To learn more about the Stockbridge-Munsee Community, please visit Mohican.com or connect through Facebook, YouTube, and the Mohican Newsletter.