The red cedar is called āthe tree of lifeā because every part of the tree is valuable to coastal indigenous cultures. Cedarwood, bark, pitch, branches, and roots provide materials for shelter, clothing, bedding, food gathering and preparation, transportation, and cultural and spiritual activities.
The wood, which is relatively soft, lightweight, and splits cleanly and readily along the grain, was ideal for the stone and bone cutting and carving tools used before European contact.
I decided to look into some of the sustainable practices that cedar trees can offer. I found that it can be used forā¦
- Basket weaving
- Stripping bark so that the tree will continue to grow, survive and produce
- Resin can be used as glue and for waterproofing
- Make Tea
- Making rope
Last year I learned basket weaving using pine needles and I would love for my next weaving lesson to be using Red Cedar.
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