The renowned explorer William Bartram
mentions the use of what he called the black
drink among the Alabama Creek Indians in
the winter of 1775 at Tuckabatchie in today’s
Elmore County. A description of its use by the
Alabama Creek Indians says, “Their mode of
disgorging, or spouting out the black drink,
has not the most agreeable appearance.” This
sounds like an understatement to me but the
description further states that “after drinking
copious amounts, the warrior, by hugging his
arms across his stomach, and leaning forward
could hurl the drink a good six or eight feet.
The further one could spout the drink the great-
er the accomplishment.”
Cherokees, Caddo, Creeks, Choctaws and
other Native Americans believed it purified the
drinker and purged him of anger and deceit.
Women can be thankful that the black drink
was prepared and served to men only. To pre-
pare the drink the leaves and small branches
Yaupon Holly
were parched in a ceramic container over a
fire. The roasting of the leaves would make the
caffeine more soluble much like roasting coffee
beans does.
This plant might have gained much wider
commercial use had it not been for the way
the Native Americans used it. This unusual
usage led to the unfortunate Latin name, Ilex
vomitoria that also led to the belief that it was
Borden
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bordenfamilypharmacy.com
256-734-7535
339834-1
14 | SPRING 2020
CULLMAN COUNTY SENIOR MAGAZINE