Long before western red cedar became familiar as lumber or garden hedging, Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest developed deep relationships with this remarkable tree. For generations, it has provided materials for shelter, clothing, transportation, medicine, and ceremony. Its importance reaches far beyond any single use—it is woven into cultural traditions that continue today. (UBC)

Historical and Educational Context
This article discusses historical and cultural uses of plants. Describing a traditional use does not establish that a plant or preparation is safe or effective for that use. These historical accounts are not recommendations for use and do not establish benefits of Ghost Pipe Botanicals products.

Why Cedar Is Called the “Tree of Life”

Western red cedar, known botanically as Thuja plicata, is often called the “tree of life.” Among peoples such as the Kwakwaka’wakw, that name reflects the extraordinary range of necessities the tree provides. Its wood becomes canoes and house planks; its bark, roots, and branches become clothing, baskets, and cordage. Cedar helps support both everyday life and ceremonial practice. (PORTLAND)

Seen in this context, cedar’s relationship with well-being extends beyond medicine. A tree that provides a home, a means of travel, and tools for gathering and storing food helps sustain an entire community. (USDA)

Cedar in Traditional Healing

Historical and ethnobotanical accounts document western red cedar’s use in Indigenous medicines. The USDA’s plant guide notes that medicines were derived from the tree, while ethnobotanist Nancy J. Turner describes medicinal uses alongside its broader cultural and spiritual importance. These uses belong to particular knowledge traditions—not to one universal “Native American remedy.” (USDA)

It is also important to be precise about the plant. Western red cedar and yellow cedar are distinct species, even though both have important roles in Northwest Coast cultures. A medicinal practice described for one should not automatically be attributed to the other. (UBC)

Traditional use deserves recognition on its own terms. At the same time, a record of historical use is not the same as clinical evidence that a modern cedar product treats a disease.

A Spiritual Relationship, Not Simply a Resource

For many coastal First Nations, cedar’s significance includes recognition of the tree as a living being with its own spirit. The University of British Columbia’s Indigenous Foundations resource describes cedar’s place in spiritual protection, ceremony, and cultural teachings. These relationships differ among nations, families, and communities. (UBC)

Understanding this history means looking beyond the question, “What can cedar do for us?” It also invites another: “What responsibilities come with receiving its gifts?”

Harvesting With Care

Traditional cedar harvesting requires skill and knowledge. Documented bark-harvesting practices involve taking only a portion of bark so the tree can remain alive. Trees bearing these old harvesting scars—often called culturally modified trees—are lasting evidence of Indigenous relationships with the forest. (UBC)

Turner also describes the care and respect involved in harvesting cedar, including practices that allow trees to continue living. This history offers a powerful example of using a plant while considering its future. (USDA)

Honoring a Living Tradition

Cedar’s story is not confined to the past. Indigenous people continue to carve, weave, harvest, and maintain cultural relationships with cedar today. Learning about the tree means recognizing the living communities whose knowledge gives this history its depth. (UBC)

For those of us who appreciate botanicals, western red cedar offers an invitation to learn with humility: to acknowledge where knowledge comes from, listen to Indigenous voices, and respect the distinction between appreciating a tradition and claiming it as our own.

Its history reminds us that a plant’s significance can include much more than its ingredients. It can hold relationships, responsibilities, and generations of knowledge.

Do not use this article as instructions for preparing, dosing, or using a plant as medicine.