Strawberries are just one of many plants celebrated by the Haudenosaunee culture. This month it takes on special meaning as the fruit is the Oneida name for June -- Aw⋀hihte’.

“The strawberry was one of the first plants that started here on Turtle Island,” Sheri Beglen, Wolf Clan, said.

According to some versions of the Haudenosaunee creation story, Sky Woman brought strawberries, tobacco, and other plants to this world when she fell from the sky. When Sky Woman died and her body was buried in the earth, plants grew from her body. The Three Sisters – corn, beans and squash, the sustainers of life – grew from the head of her grave; sacred tobacco grew over her heart; and strawberries and other medicinal plants grew at her feet.

“Corn, beans, squash, strawberries and the sacred tobacco are among her gifts,” Sheri added. “In our culture, the strawberries are considered the leader of the plants.”

Strawberries announce the arrival of summer, and the Oneidas marked the occasion with a strawberry ceremony mid-month. Everything would be flavored by this first fruit of summer. Strawberry drink, fry bread, and even the corn soup would enjoy a fresh tang with the berries’ inclusion.

“I often ask people, ‘What does this fruit remind you of?’ Most people get it right away -- the heart. It reminds you of a heart, the red color and the shape. The fruit, and the leaves of the plant, are good for the heart, blood vessels and blood,” Sheri said.

Oneidas used strawberries in many ways. Some were eaten immediately; some were mashed and mixed with maize to make strawberry bread; some were mashed and dried in strips (sometimes called “strawberry leather”) or as is to be used later in cooking or to eat alone. Strawberries also are specifically mentioned in the Thanksgiving address.

The juice, or strawberry drink, was known to promote health and well-being and was a feature of various ceremonies. Medicinal teas also were made from the leaves and roots of the plant. Such teas helped to heal such ailments as diarrhea and inflamed, achy joints; and the tea purifies blood.

“I remember my mom and my aunt telling me my grandfather, Wilson Cornelius, used to say, ‘Why are you throwing the leaves away? They are the best part of the plant,’” Sheri said.

Even though berries can be found in markets year-round, Sheri cherishes wild berries the most. “Those were the berries Sky Woman gave to us. Every year I’d take my daughter and other children to pick the strawberries to put in the soup. Now, my daughters are taking children to that same spot.”

It is also said that the Haudenosaunee feast on wild strawberries when they return to the Sky World.