Black Drink: A Native American Tea (review)
Magic, ritual, and witchcraft December 1, 2007 Deward E. Walker
This book review describes a reprint of Charles Hudson's 1979 work on the black drink, a caffeinated tea made from Ilex vomitoria used by Native American tribes of the southeastern United States for ritual purification. The volume includes articles on the plant's botany, its importance among southeastern Indians, its prehistoric origins and distribution, its function among the Creeks, and its adoption by non-Indians for medicinal and recreational purposes. The book contributes to ethnobotanical and ethnographic literature on ceremonial plant use and ritual purity, and is recommended for both lay readers and researchers.