Willow Trees (Sáille / Saille)

Common name: Willow Tree
Scientific name: Sáille / Saille
Spanish name:
Kumeyaay name:

Native California Indians used the indigenous willow tree for may uses including willow Indian bows and aboriginal clothing items like bark skirts, willow baskets, willow-tulle aboriginal shelters, fish traps and medicinal uses like natural asprin, teas...adult willow trees grow to over 70 feet in ideal growing environments.

MEDICINAL Uses of Willow

Anyone who has done any research on willow will tell us the willow tree bark contains salicylic acid, a basic ingrediant of modern-day asprin that is still in use today.

WILLOW for Food Storage Baskets and Housing

The California Indians have used willow in their food storage baskets and built their homes out of willow because willow leaves and willow branches contain salicin, a natural insect repellent that helped keep hungry insects away from their food and seed stores and homes.

Native basketweaver Claudia Dominguez, Kumiai, Necua, Baja California, Mexico, shows off two of her miniture willow baskets for a picture outside her home.

DIEGUENO-LUISENO Kumeyaay-style 'ewaa ancient willow house or kicha aboriginal Indian shelter of Native California Indians photos and movie documentary from planning to completion, professionally photographed and video to cultural movie DVD, written and produced by Shumup Ko Hup and KUMEYAAY.INFO as a special multimedia project for the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.

Photo/page/design by G. BALLARD