Smoke Signals
May 1993
Page 9
It's Spring! Time to Start Gathering Plants
As Indian people, we are
raised to know that our ancestors were
hunters and gatherers, and that it is
the Indian Way to use the materials
the earth provideswithout waste.
Traditionally, Indians took only what
they needed, and left the rest for
others. If you are interested in plant
gathering, her are just a few examples
of plants used by the Grand Ronde
Indians and other tribes throughout
the Northwest.
They were used for food,
medicine, tools and baskets, charms,
and other materials.
First of all, the Indians
gathered obvious food sources
provided by nature. A good example
is berries. Northwest tribes ate
gooseberries, elderberries,
huckleberries, salmonberries, wild
cherries and strawberries, and also
crab-apples to name a few.
Another popular plant
among Northwest tribes was
Camassia Quamash, or CAMAS.
Camas was very popular.
With the exception of salmon, there faW(.
was no food item more widely traded Ci
than Camas. It is said to have added
flavor to everything.
It grows best in open spaces
and prairies.
Different tribes preserved and cooked the Camas
bulbs in different ways. Some would cook them in stew with
salmon, while others would mash them together like cheese
for later use. The Nisqually Indians hung them in the sun to
dry out, so they would keep longer.
Another popularplant wasLysichitum americanum,
what is commonly referred to as SKUNK CABBAGE.
Skunk Cabbage was used as food, this is not their
primary use. Mostly, the root of the cabbage was boiled and
used as medicine. It was widely believed to be a blood
purifier, and also cleaned out the bladder. It was used to
soothe an upset stomach. Because it has a soothing affect, the
leaves were sometimes applied to cuts, bruises, and abrasions
on the outside of the body, and also used for headaches,
fevers, and chest pain.
Other uses of Skunk Cabbage include: as basket
liners after the leaves have been dried, or the leaves were
rolled to make a cup for drinking.
Different trees were especially used, because
different parts of the trees could provide many different uses.
In the west, trees like Hemlock, Pine, Yew, Douglas Fir, and
Cedar all had a purpose.
For example, the wood of the Yew tree is considered
to be strong, and was used for bows and arrows often. The
needles could be dried and used in place of tobacco. The
wood was also used for household goods like carving spoons,
cooking utensils, and combs. Because the Yew was
considered to be especially strong, many warriors would rub
themselves with smooth Yew sticks to gain strength.
Bark from the Hemlock tree was boiled, and made
a reddish dye, which was used on canoes, paddles, and
spears. '
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Wood was also used as
firewood.
Quinalt Indians
liked to use the pitch from
the trees on the face, to
prevent chapping in the
wind and sun. As a
medicine, the bark was
boiled and used as a
laxative. Many would bathe
in the boiled bark to help
irritated skin or eyes.
The Douglas fir
was by far the most
abundant in the
Northwest. Firewood was
the main use, but the wood
was good enough to be
used for tools, torches, and
harpoons to spear fish and seals. The bark would produce a
brown dye which would be used on fish nets to make them
invisible.
The pine cones were thought to have special powers
which could influence the whether. If they are burned by the
fire, they could bring on sunshine, or badly needed rain.
There are many, many other plants indigenous to
the Northwest that were used by the tribes. If you are
interested in learning more about the Native American's
knowledge and use of indigenous plants, there are several
books on the subject available at most libraries.
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Can you name these ball players? Spirit Mountain Store in Grand Ronde is sponsoring a contest. Whoever can name the most players gets a free six-pack
of Pepsi. Second and third place winners will receive a double liter and liter of Pepsi respectively. Write down the winning answers and bring them in to
the Spirit Mountain store, 48480 SW Hebo Rd., or send them to Smoke Signals, ATTN: Tracy Olson. Winners will be announced in the June edition.
Here's a hint: This team was Polk County champs in the year 1935.