A Call to the Past:

At Rising Dawn Teas, we are reclaiming the herbal knowledge and wisdom regarding teas, salves, tinctures, and poultices of our West African and US slave ancestors. An important example is Aly’s great-great-great-great grandmother, Mary Eliza, Mer-liza, primarily known affectionately as “Granny”. Granny was a Gullah ancestor possessing extraordinary knowledge of healing and health properties of various plants. Regarding our family history, Mary Eliza was known as a Granny Woman, according to the healing traditions of our people. Granny used to jump rope, play hopscotch, and outrun her much younger grandchildren and great-grandchildren and wild-forage for herbal plants.The Gullah people are descendants of West African ethnic groups and other people groups who live in South Carolina, Georgia, the Sea Islands and other geographical locations. Today, at Rising Dawn Teas, we are translating this historical knowledge into modern-day form and usage. We decided to focus specifically on the TEAS aspect of our rich heritage!

Rising Dawn Teas began as a hobby for Alyson and turned into a vision: a vision to help, heal, and soothe. Alyson began making teas three years ago for herself and her family, borne of a desire to connect with nature and use what she found to help others. Through studying plants, herbs, and their healing properties, Alyson eventually realized that she wanted to think bigger - to use her creations to uplift others and, in some small measure, help them rise through sadness, through trauma, through depression, through exhaustion, and into light. And thus, with the help of Alyson's mother, Helena, Rising Dawn Teas was born.