A lesson in tea from an Eskasoni elder

This story is part of a series from CBC's Eskasoni Community Bureau, based out of the Sarah Denny Cultural Centre. This series comes from weeks of conversations with community members about what they feel is important to see, hear and read on CBC's platforms.

A longstanding tradition in Mi'kmaw culture is sitting down around a kitchen table and sharing a strong cup of tea.

Elder Albert Marshall of Eskasoni, N.S., said you can expect a boiling kettle on the stove after walking into any home in his community, or rather, any home in Mi'kma'ki. 

"Pitewey (bit-eh-whey), pitewey  — that's tea," said 83-year-old Marshall, as he unwrapped a new box of vanilla rooibos.

"Part of our culture, of course, is that when anybody comes if nothing else at least they will be given tea."

Throughout Eskasoni, you will street signs with names like Tea Berry Lane and Labrador Tea Lane, so it's easy to see how tea is steeped in the local culture.

Marshall said his Mi'kmaw ancestors often made tea using local plants and trees, some of which feature healing properties and were also used as medicine. 

But it's not necessarily the type of tea that is important, rather the intentions behind the person offering it, said Marshall. 

"When you offer something from within you are literally expressing your appreciation for that person [for] coming to your household," he said. 

"Food and even [something] as simple as tea really puts forth that concept of you're not just being welcomed, but you're also appreciated."

Marshall said that people gathered together and sipping tea and chatting provides an opportunity to ease any fear or apprehension someone may be feeling about the conversation. 

"This kind of socializing of tea could be construed as an icebreaker, in which people can relax, and really get deeply engaged in the purpose for why they would come and visit," said Marshall. 

"Before we do anything else, let's drink tea first....  I think the attitude, the environment, just completely changes because I believe, even as we speak, whenever you go to any household here in Eskasoni or any reserve that I can think of, the first thing that you will be offered is tea without explanation, but you know the purpose of it."

Marshall said that during tough times, people can reuse tea bags or keep adding water to make the brew go farther. 

Although he prefers orange pekoe made with two bags and no milk or sugar, Marshall said just what goes into a cup of tea is up to the individual.