THE THINGS WE DO...: Polyn - the bitter wormwood (05/16/04)

THE THINGS WE DO...

by Orysia Paszczak Tracz

Polyn - the bitter wormwood

"Hirke yak polyn" - Bitter as wormwood. That's the phrase uttered by Ukrainians if something is really bitter, or is so figuratively. Polyn/wormwood (Artemisia) really is as bitter as it comes.

Wormwood is used medicinally by Ukrainians and, in the past, also had a symbolic, ritual purpose. There are many varieties of polyn: Austrian polyn (Artemisia austriaca or repens), polyn Bozhe derevo or God's tree (Artemisia abrotanum), polyn estragon (Artemisia dracunculus), and a few others. One, polyn zvychainyi (ordinary polyn - Artemisia vulgaris) is also called chornobyl. Yes, the same chornobyl as the name of the ill-fated city in north-central Ukraine which, on April 26, 1986, became the site of the worst nuclear accident in the world.

Then there is polyn hirkyi (bitter polyn, or Artemisia absinthium), the main ingredient of the liqueur absinthe. In the past, excessive drinking of absinthe in Western Europe caused accumulation of wormwood's toxic properties in the body, often resulting in death, although some researchers place part of the blame on other toxic ingredients blended into the liqueur.

In the North American prairies, wormwood sage, the same ordinary polyn, is considered a noxious weed. But it is a special plant for Native Americans, as it is used in ritual and medicinal ceremonies, especially for smudging, as an incense.

Because it is so pungent, it was used ritually (especially during the feast of Ivan Kupala - Midsummer's Night, the shortest night of the year) to keep away the "nechysta syla" (unclean, i.e., evil spirit) and the rusalky (the water nymphs who lured you to the water and tickled you to death). Young women wore garlands of polyn as belts, and wove it into the wreaths for their heads. The polyn belt was also believed to protect against various internal illnesses.

On the feast of Makoveya, the first harvest celebration in early August, bouquets of medicinal plants are blessed in church, and polyn must be included.

If the stuff is so bitterly nasty, why is it consumed?

Because, as a medicinal plant, it works. Ukrainians, both in North America and in the homeland, swear by it. It is an excellent aid for digestion and improving the appetite. It can be taken as a tea and as an infusion in alcohol (horilka, i.e., vodka) - it was then called polynivka.

It is also mixed with other medicinal plants, depending on the need and purpose. It helps the pancreas, spleen and liver, and increases stomach secretions. It has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, and helps with many fevers (malaria, cholera). It is also used for gynecological problems, for tuberculosis, and to cure alcoholism.

Externally, compresses, rinses and soaks are applied. Polyn helps in insect bites, eye problems and wounds that are slow to heal, as well as in dermatological problems. And if you need to soak aching feet, do it in warm water steeped in polyn. Caution is advised, as extended ingestion can be poisonous, and polyn should not be used by pregnant women, because it is an abortifacient.

Most varieties of polyn itself are greyish, and some have a yellow tinge to the stem and yellow flowers. Chornobyl has a pink tinge and pink flowers. The dried stems of both also make strong and very practical brooms. The plant was also believed to induce sleep, and was placed under the pillow to counter insomnia.

On your next walk, take a look at the weeds in vacant lots. Only in urban North America are the plants considered weeds. To most Europeans they are practical and beneficial medicinal plants. And the tall grey polyn is prominent among them.

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