To many, it may look like a simple wild strawberry. But to Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island (North America), the heartberry — known in Anishinaabemowin as ode'imin (literally, "heart berry") — holds deep spiritual and cultural significance. This small, vibrant fruit tells stories of healing, connection, and community that have been passed down through generations.
🍓 A Berry That Speaks from the Heart
In many Anishinaabe teachings, the strawberry is considered the first berry, and the first medicine. It’s called ode’imin because its shape resembles the human heart — and just like the heart, it represents love, compassion, and emotional truth.
The heartberry is often the first fruit to ripen in the spring, and its appearance marks a time of renewal and reawakening. This timing is deeply symbolic, reminding us of the importance of beginning again with honesty, softness, and kindness — especially toward ourselves and those we love.
🌿 A Teaching Tool in Ceremony and Story
In traditional teachings, the heartberry is more than food — it’s a medicine and a teacher. During ceremonies, it is used to represent healing from grief, to promote unity, and to open emotional pathways. In many communities, heartberries are offered in women's ceremonies, as the fruit is also linked to the strength and sacredness of women and feminine energy.
When Elders and Knowledge Keepers speak of walking the path of the heart, they are referring to a way of living that is led by compassion, integrity, and humility — values carried by the heartberry.
🧬 Intergenerational Strength and Survival
The heartberry also holds space for stories of resilience. For many Indigenous people, particularly in the context of intergenerational trauma and the impacts of colonialism, the heartberry serves as a gentle but powerful reminder: healing is not linear, and love is a medicine that must be nurtured within ourselves and our communities.
By honouring the heartberry, we honour the teachings of our ancestors, the strength of our people, and the ongoing journey toward collective healing.
💄 Why Heartberry Inspires Cheekbone Beauty
At Cheekbone Beauty, the Heartberry is more than inspiration — it’s a symbol of the values we live by. Love, resilience, and healing are woven into everything we create. When you see a product like the Heartberry Blush, it’s not just a shade — it’s a story. A connection. A tribute to Indigenous wisdom and a future we are all helping to shape.
The next time you see a strawberry — whether in the wild, in ceremony, or as part of your beauty ritual — remember that you’re seeing more than a fruit. You’re witnessing a symbol that has guided hearts, healed wounds, and carried culture for generations.
It’s not just a berry.
It’s the heartberry — and its medicine is love.