Author: Cheryll Toney Holley

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Root Doctresses & Indian Doctresses

Doctress is a term once used for a female doctor. It was more commonly used when females were not encouraged to practice medicine. It was also used to describe African and Indigenous women who used their cultures’ healing methods within (and sometimes outside) their communities. A root doctress is a practitioner of African American folk medicine and spiritual practices. In Africa, medical practices tied together … Continue reading Root Doctresses & Indian Doctresses

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Indigenous Cosmology and Solar Observatories

Indigenous cosmology refers to the traditional beliefs and understanding of the universe held by various Indigenous peoples worldwide. Indigenous cosmologies are often deeply connected to the land and reflect each community’s unique and spiritual perspectives. These belief systems generally involve complex relationships between humans, the natural world, the night sky, and the spiritual realm. Many Indigenous cosmologies include creation stories that explain how the universe … Continue reading Indigenous Cosmology and Solar Observatories

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Plant Medicine

Syrups & Elixirs & Tonics, part 2

Plants are a source of healing and nourishment for humanity. From ancient times, people have sought remedies from the rich offerings of the natural world. One such remedy is wild cherry (also known as black cherry) bark, a powerful herb known for its therapeutic properties. Below is one of my favorite syrups. Wild Cherry Syrup (or Elixir) Some of the benefits of wild cherry bark … Continue reading Syrups & Elixirs & Tonics, part 2

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Black Indigenous History & Genealogy

Black Anti-slavery Activists in 1850 Worcester, MA

Slavery was a deeply divisive issue in the United States in 1850, with tensions between the North and South continuing to escalate in the years leading up to the Civil War. The country was divided over the issue of slavery, with the southern states depending heavily on it for their agricultural-based economy, while the northern states increasingly viewed it as a moral wrong. The Fugitive … Continue reading Black Anti-slavery Activists in 1850 Worcester, MA

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Black Indigenous History & Genealogy

Hassanamesit

The Hassanamesit Reservation is a special place for Indigenous people in Massachusetts, especially those belonging to the Nipmuc tribe and those with Nipmuc ancestry. It is the only place in Massachusetts that has never been owned or stewarded by anyone other than Indigenous people. In the Nipmuc language, or N & L-dialect Algonquin, Hassanamesit means “place of small stones” – named for its rocky soil. … Continue reading Hassanamesit

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