Naturally
BY RONDA ADDY

Until recently, Australia was the only continent occupied exclusively by nomadic hunters and gatherers. In fact, Aboriginal remains have been found dating back 40,000 years. Their history has been passed down through the oral telling of songs, poem and stories. It is their belief that all life-animal, plant, human and mineral-is connected in a network of relationships that can be traced back to the Great Spirit ancestors of the Dreamtime.

The Aborigines were in need of medicine long before modern medicine made its way onto the scene. They would have headaches, toothaches, broken bones and animal bites, probably more so than people do today. As with all tribal cultures, different Aboriginal tribes would have different remedies, but the basic principle remained the same. In order to stay healthy, an individual needed to maintain a balance in the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual elements surrounding them. If just one element were out of balance, the individual's health would suffer.

Little is known of traditional Aboriginal medicine, especially in the southern and eastern areas of Australia where traditional Aboriginal culture was wiped out hundreds of years ago. Thanks to a project called the Aboriginal Pharmacopoeia in the northern territory, however, anthropologists are trying to save Aboriginal medical knowledge there and have learned much.

Aboriginal people throughout Australia believed that serious illness, death and even accidents were caused by spirits or someone practicing sorcery. To track down the cause, a spiritual doctor was brought in. These men (rarely were they women) had been trained since childhood and knew all of the tribal secrets. They were the ultimate authority on spiritual matters and the only ones who could say what caused a serious illness or death and what or who could cure an illness.

When it came to dealing with non-spiritual, less serious ailments, older women in the tribe were considered the experts, but anyone could use herbs, plants and magic to ensure success. These remedies were prepared in a number of ways, including through the inhalation of steam or the rubbing down with ointment. With the exception of ointments, medicines were rarely mixed together. There was very little call for exact measured amounts, mostly because medicine was almost always used externally.

The strength of the herbs and plants used as medicine could vary according to the season, with some being stronger after a rain and others needing to be picked while still green. Earth, mud, termite dirt and sand, however, could be used any time. Wounds were often packed in mud, dirt or ash. Some tribes ate small balls of white clay and pieces of termite mounds to cure stomach problems and diarrhea.

This is just a small percentage of the natural herbs and plants the Aborigines would use to cure what ailed them. Even today, they use medicines from plants brought from South America and Africa. While the plants and herbs used may have changed over time, the basic premise of bush medicine hasn't. An individual must keep their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual elements in balance in order to stay healthy.