shrubby cinquefoil

During the Contrary Dance the plant is used to protect the hands from injury when they are thrust into the kettle of boiling soup. Dried leaves are ground into a fine powder and may rubbed over the hands and body after soaking in cold water. It is then rubbed on the body for protection. Additional commentary: Like red globemallow, shrubby cinquefoil was used to protect the hands when thrust into a kettle of boiling water. It was either rubbed directly on the body, as a powder made from the finely ground dried leaves, or rubbed on the body as a coldwater infusion. It was said to protect the body from severe, but temporary heat.558

It was regarded as a medicine against the enemy

Artifacts/Material use: It was manufactured into a arrow poison Additional commentary: Only holy people could use and prepare the deadly arrow poison derived from this plant. The poison brewed from the leaves was thought to go directly to the heart. In addition to dipping arrows into the poison, it was also put into porcupine quills and shot into the mouth. Before the encounter with Custer’s troops the Keeper of the Sacred Hat wanted to use poison arrows in the battle, but the plant could not be found along the Little Big Horn River.

Dried, powdered leaves rubbed over hands, arms and body for Contrary dance. Additional commentary: Referred to as Pentaphylloides floribunda and Potentilla fruticosa. Grinnell describes the use of this plant as similar to other contrary medicine. The leaves are dried, after which time they are ground into a powder. The powder can be rubbed over the hands and body, or an infusion of the powder in cold water can be rubbed over the body—either method is used to protect the contrary society member from the scalding hot water into which he thrusts his hands to fetch boiling meat as part of the ceremony.240

Plant used as a medicine against an enemy.

Artifacts/Material use: Plant considered poisonous