Archives

The elder (intsusa) is one of the most cited plants in the writings on traditional medicine in Europe. It is deciduous shrub that can reach a height of between two and seven metres, and whose botanical name is Sanbucus nigra.

The elder has a strong and rather unpleasant smell, and has a trait that is rather unusual in the plant kingdom: its branches have a creamy-white pithy tissue that can removed relatively easily. That leaves a hollow pipe that can be used for different purposes: blowpipes as weapons or to start and stoke fires, a bong or pipe for smoking, or as a flute or whistle. Until relatively recently, youngsters would enjoy making and playing the musical instrument; they would remove the pith from the elder branch, make a hold on the side and cover the other one using cigarette rolling paper. This small flute is known as flota in Elosua (Gipuzkoa) and tulurte in the Larraun Valley (Navarra).

 (more…)