Ktunaxa Nation Bans Unauthorized Harvest of Sacred Medicine Plant

The Ktunaxa Nation is calling for an immediate stop to unauthorized harvesting of ʔayut — a sacred medicinal root — across its traditional territory, which spans southeastern British Columbia and parts of Alberta, Montana, Idaho and Washington.

In a statement, the Nation said land guardians have encountered people tearing up the ground to extract the plant, also known as Canby’s lovage. The root has been used by Indigenous communities for centuries to treat colds, flu, respiratory illnesses, digestive problems, wounds and infections.

Kathryn Teneese, chair of the Ktunaxa Nation Council, said ʔayut holds deep cultural and spiritual significance and must be protected. “Any kind of resource extraction without our knowledge and our permission is not something that is acceptable,” she said.

While ʔayut is sometimes called “bear root” or “osha root,” the Ktunaxa stress that it is not a commodity. Giving away medicines, not selling them, is a long-held Indigenous protocol. Yet the Nation says businesses are stripping the plant from their territory “by the trailer load” for commercial sale.

“Out of respect for the ʔayut, and in alignment with our responsibilities as Ktunaxa people, the Ktunaxa Nation opposes and does not consent to any further harvesting of ʔayut in 2025,” the statement read. Harvest requests in 2026 may be considered only with written approval from the council.

The B.C. Ministry of Forests confirmed it has met with the Nation to discuss the issue but admitted there is currently no provincial legislation regulating the harvest of non-timber forest products.

For the Ktunaxa, the concern is not only ecological but cultural. “The plant has always been a part of us,” Teneese said. “It should not be commercialized for profit.”