Black Drink
Black Drink is a traditional ceremonial beverage consumed by various Southeastern American Indian tribes, particularly during significant events like council meetings. The drink is characterized by its dark color, which led European settlers to name it "Black Drink," while Indigenous peoples referred to it as "White Drink," highlighting its perceived purity and medicinal qualities. Made primarily from the leaves and twigs of the holly plant, the preparation involves roasting and boiling the materials to create a dark, caffeinated liquid. Black Drink is known for its stimulating effects, containing a caffeine concentration comparable to eighteen to twenty-four cups of coffee, and it also acts as a diuretic, often inducing sweating. The drink held deep cultural significance, serving as a purifying agent that fostered hospitality and social cohesion among participants. In some instances, such as in mourning rituals, Black Drink was consumed for several consecutive days by friends of the deceased. Certain tribes, like the Chickasaw and Timucua, incorporated unique practices involving the drink in their ceremonies, further emphasizing its importance in their cultural heritage.
Black Drink
Tribes affected: Southeast tribes
Significance: Black Drink was the main ceremonial beverage of Southeastern Indian tribes
Black Drink was a ritual beverage consumed by many tribes in the Southeast cultural area before and during important occasions such as certain council meetings. It was called “Black Drink” by the Europeans because of its color, but American Indians called it “White Drink,” referring to its purity and medicinal properties. Consuming the drink purified men of any pollution, made them hospitable, and served as “symbolic social cement.”
Black Drink was made of holly leaves and twigs gathered along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Inland tribes traded for the holly plants and transplanted them. Some tribes, for example the Seminole, combined the holly with other medicinal herbs. To prepare Black Drink, the holly plant was dried and roasted in earthen pots to a parched brown. The roasted leaves and twigs were then boiled in water until the liquid was dark brown. It then was strained and generally consumed hot and fresh.
Black Drink was a stimulant, with one cup containing as much caffeine as eighteen to twenty-four cups of coffee. It was also a diuretic and brought on profuse sweating. If an important man in the tribe died, friends would consume Black Drink for eight successive mornings. A practice of the Timucuans was to consume large quantities and after about fifteen minutes cross their hands on their chests and vomit six to eight feet. The Chickasaw would place a little Black Drink into their ceremonial fire to provide social purification for all present.