“I’ve read that the Outer Banks natives used Yaupon as a tea, but I can’t find anything about it. What is it, where do you find it, and can you still make it?” ~Anonymous
We’re going to answer this in several parts stretched over a few posts with the help of local resident, Rebecca Rollinson.
Part 2: What was Yaupon used for?
The first written documentation of it’s use on the island was by John Lawson, an English explorer. In the 1700’s, he traveled to the NC coast and met with Natives in the area who regarded yaupon with “great veneration above all other plants”. He was told that its medicinal purpose was to treat severe depression. Yaupon tea is highly caffeinated so you can see how it could lift the spirit and give energy.
Lawson was also told that the tea was used as a means of cleansing the system by drinking vast quantities on an empty stomach. This was to induce vomiting which they believed was important for physical and spiritual well-being. The tea was taken every other day to maintain health.
In the 16th century, European settlers who were shipwrecked or who had migrated to island lived peacefully with the Native Americans and many people intermarried. The tradition of yaupon continued through the generations of people.
