Sunflowers and Teton Dakota tribes

The Natural Resources Conservation Service plant guide for sunflowers is fascinating. Among some of the sayings associated with sunflowers from the Teton Dakota tribes is, "When the sunflowers were tall and in full bloom, the buffaloes were fat and the meat good." Many tribes recognize the value of an infusion of sunflowers to treat chest pains. A sun sand painting ceremony performed by many peoples used sunflowers as a coloring agent and then the completed work was erased. One of the accounts I found to be beautifully moving is the account of warriors carrying a bag holding nutritious sunflower seed balls, each wrapped in a piece of buffalo heart skin. They would consume these on lengthy treks. Amazingly intimate knowledge of the animals and plants that supported their cultures.