| Biography |
|---|
| My whole life, I have been actively learning about my Mohawk (Kaniekeha) culture. I attend our longhouse for ceremonies, sing traditional songs and speak with elders in my community to learn our history and our language. Doing a science project on our ancient practice of drinking cedar tea as medicine was a logical next step, combining my cultural practices with my passion for science. Ideally, I would like to fully analyze the biochemical components of the tea and do testing on its potential health benefits. I think that looking at whether cedar tea could increase people's iron levels (since vitamin C is known to help absorb iron) would be an interesting experiment. Could the vitamin be more easily absorbed than in a pill form? It would also be intriguing to see if our use of the tea for easing cold and flu symptoms could be proven to be effective in a human trial. Furthermore, could this tea work on other ailments? I would tell students that doing a science project that is personally important to them, like mine is to myself, makes it very motivating and satisfying. Especially if it motivates their potential career or lifestyle. |
| Karihohetstha Cupples
Cedar Tea
| Challenge: | Health | | Category: | Senior | | Region: | Aboriginal Québec Autochtone | | City: | Kanehsatake, QC | | School: | Ratihente High School | | Abstract: | I studied the traditional preparation of cedar tea and analyzed its potential germ killing capacities. Specifically I tested for the presence of vitamin C and tested growth of bacteria in the presence of the tea. This is important towards understanding the scientific reasons for the traditional practice and can improve people's health and wellness. |
|
Print/Download as PDF