Making Tea at Grandma’s
Making Tea at Grandma’s
Written by Patti Tetlichi in collaboration with
the Yukon Department of Education.
Photographs by Chris Siddall, Old Crow.
Page 18 photo by John Meikle, Government of Yukon.
Special thanks to Mrs. Helen Charlie, a Vuntut Gwitchin Elder and
students Percilla Charlie-Tizya and Shae Han Garrett-Charlie from
Chief Zzeh Gittlit School, Old Crow, Yukon.
Printed in Whitehorse, Yukon.
ISBN: 1-55362-316-9
n this book, you will meet:
Shae
Grandma
Percilla
1
2
Shae and Percilla went
to see Grandma.
3
4
“ can make tea for you.”
said Percilla.
5
6
Here is the ice.
Here is the teapot.
Here is the sugar.
Where is the tea?
7
8
Where is the tea?
The tea is not up here.
The tea is not down here.
9
10
Percilla said, “Oh no!
Where is the tea?”
Shae said, “Grandma,
where is the tea?”
11
12
“Look!” said Grandma.
“Here is the tea.”
13
14
t is Labrador tea.
15
16
Mmm, we like tea.
17
LABRADOR TEA
(Ledum palustre)
In the Vuntut Gwitchin language, Labrador Tea
is called lidii maskeg or masgit.
Sometimes called muskeg tea in English, this
30 cm bush grows in wet areas in all parts of the
Yukon. The leathery leaves are green all year
round and are fuzzy orange on the underside,
with curled edges.
The leaves can be picked and boiled at any
time of the year. The pleasant smelling tea has
a spicy taste and helps to heal coughs, sore
throats and fevers as it is high in vitamin C.
If making Labrador tea with your class, steep
the leaves for less than 10 minutes. Do not use
any type of metal pot or cup for Labrador Tea.
18
When making Labrador tea or any other tea
the people of Old Crow and many other
rural communities prefer to use melted ice to
enhance the flavour of the tea.
NorthWind Books
NorthWind Books Working Group Members:
Elder, Pearl Keenan, Teslin Tlingit Council
Teacher, Rosemary Popadynec, J. V. Clark School
Reading Recovery™ Teacher, Patti Tetlichi, Chief Zzeh Gittlit School
Teacher/Vice-Principal, Fran Etzel, Ross River School
Teacher, Diana Knopp, Elijah Smith Elementary School
Education Technician, Shandelle McCarthy, Council for Yukon First Nations
Reading Recovery™ Teacher Leader, Aileen McCorkell, Department of Education
Editing and Production
Co-ordinator of Primary Programs, Jeanette McCrie, Curriculum
Cultural Inclusion Consultant, Sharon Shadow, First Nation Programs and Partnerships
Layout and Design
Dianne Villesèche, Raven Ink
Text, photos and logo copyright ©2007 by the
Yukon Department of Education, Public Schools Branch.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system.
Level 4/5 — Running Words: 77
Education