Juana Briones and Herbal Healing.m4v

Many believe that a generational tradition of passing down herbal healing remedies and practices was common in Mexican Indian ancestry. Juana's mother,Ysadora Briones, was of mixed ancestry having both African and Mexican Indian heritage; her herbal knowledge would have been influenced by both and passed down to her children (McDonnell 2008). Similarly, Juana's paternal aunt, Guadalupe Briones de Olivera was a nurse at another Alta California Mission and as Juana spent her youth near her aunt, she most likely learned from her as well (McDonnell 2008, pg 128). Juana's niece, Carmen Miramontes, and nephew, Pablo Briones were also taught herbal healing by Juana and other family members proving its importance to the family line (McDonnell 2008, pg 129). But Juana must have also learned about herbal remedies from the Native Americans, including the Ohlone and Coastanoans, who understood the local ecology of the San Francisco region. This native plant life would have been the basis of Juana's practices. However, the Ohlone and the settlers alike encountered new diseases, brought by the Spanish colonists, such as cholera, syphilis, smallpox and many others. While the Ohlone were unable to cure some of these disease, Juana, utilized a wider background of knowledge to heal those who fell ill (McDonnell 2008, pg 123). For herbal medicine, at this point in time was not just about the transmission of knowledge from once source to another but a corroboration and collaboration between Juana, and other healers, and the local Native Americans (Kari Jones, personal communication). Juana's home, at El Polin Springs, and later in other places throughout the San Francisco area, became a refuge for anyone and everyone that needed her aid. Juana did not reject anyone from care, but for little to no compensation, aided wounded sailors and soldiers who came to shore (McDonnell 2008, pg 124-5). She was known for a healing mint tea from the yerba buena plant; it is said that this tea may have been the namesake of that township that would become San Francisco. Her domain stretched up and down the coast and over time, Juana became known in the area for much more that herbal healing.

Microhistory by Francesca Favila for Anthro 136e, Digital Documentation and Representation of Cultural Heritage, a UC Berkeley course taught in partnership with the Presidio of San Francisco Archaeology Lab, Summer 2011.

Resources:
Bowman, J. N. (1957). Juana Briones de Miranda. Los Angeles.
Jones, K. (2011 August 02). personal communication.
McDonnell, J. F. (2008). Juana Briones of nineteenth-century California. Tucson: University of Arizona Press.

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Education

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• archaeology