Skip to content
Pleasant Valley Wetland Heritage Park

Pleasant Valley Wetland Heritage Park

  • News and Events
  • About
    • Advisors and Partners
    • Annual Report
    • Accessibility & Inclusion
    • Board of Directors
    • Dr. Mary M. Thomas
    • Past Projects
      • Bulrush Transplanting
      • Salmon launch
      • Spirit of BC
      • Spilings
      • Youth Skills Link
  • The Park
    • Biodiversity Conservation
    • Wetland Park Creation Guide
    • Cultural Ecological Outreach
    • History of the Land
    • Stewardship
    • Wetland Monitoring
  • Contact
    • Membership
    • Member Login
  • Mini forests
    • Trees for Schools
      • Tree Species
    • Trees and Shrubs
    • Healing Forest
    • Forest Garden
    • Reconciliation in Action
  • Donate
  • Volunteers
  • Toggle search form

Snowberry (Waxberry)

berries: peqpeqúqsa7;
plant: st’el’cwécwlltkllp (cf. stq’íwelstc “broken stick”)

Long ago people used to make brooms out of the branches. They tied the branches together in a bunch about 2 feet (60 cm) long. Palmer (1975: 61) noted, “The stem has a soft centre and can be used for a pipestem, called pekilus. Flint or soapstone will be used for the bowl of the pipe     ” A solution of the branches was used to treat broken bones, arthritis and other aches. The berries were used as eye medicine, and to make a bath for pregnant women.

Mary Thomas recalled that this bush was used to whip boys as part of their training to make them tough. “And then right after they finished switching, then they’d run and jump in the water — right in the middle of winter.”

Loading

We thank the Ancestors for the use of this land. We are guests in the unceded traditional territories of the Secwépemc Nation and the Syilx Okanagan Nation

Registered Charity #802617316RR0001

Copyright © 2025 Pleasant Valley Wetland Heritage Park.

Powered by PressBook Green WordPress theme