Learning to do something new can be frustrating. Over the fall, I harvested elderberries and froze them with the intention to do something with them later. That something came in the form of a medicinal elderberry tincture, courtesy of an instructional video from Spokane Tribal Member Jennifer LeBret in celebration of Native American Heritage Month.

Following her instructions were easy! The aroma of the simmering tincture, with added cinnamon and ginger to enhance the health benefits and flavor, was delightful! While de-stemming the berries is meticulous due to the toxic nature of the stems and leaves, the end result is well worth the effort! I have an immune-boosting tincture ready to use for the upcoming winter months.

Check out Jennifer LeBret’s video and other Native American Heritage Month videos! Find videos for making fry-bread, weaving baskets, learning basic Salish words and phrases, and many more cultural and historical videos.