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FOREWORD
FOREWORD
This bulletin is the third in a series of six, recounting the field work done among Wisconsin Indians to discover their present uses of native or introduced plants and, insofar as is possible, the history of these plant uses by their ancestors. As far back as 1888 Hoffman [85] reported that the medicinal lore of the Ojibwe would soon be gone. But thirty-two years later, it is still partially recalled and practised among the more primitive bands of these people. How long it will persist is proble
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INFORMANTS
INFORMANTS
In the course of this work many informants have assisted the author, among whom the following residents of Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin, should be noted: Jas. W. Balmer, Indian Agent; Walter H. Shawnee, Chief Clerk; Charley Burns, Cagkecci, Indian Policeman; John Allen, Indian Disciplinarian; Anawabi (Exalted One) Village Chief; Jack Doud, Kêkêk (Sparrow-hawk) Captain in Civil War; Bert Skye, Anawabi’s Son; Mrs. Bert Skye; Bear Skin, Mûkwean (Bearskin) Medicine Man; Jack Patterson, Sîkurtz, of San
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CONSONANTS
CONSONANTS
While the writer is not a linguist, Indian pronunciation came easily to him and he was able to pronounce all plant names in an intelligible manner to Ojibwe people whom he had never seen before....
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INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
The subjects of this bulletin, the Ojibwe Indians, have probably been designated by more different spellings of their name than any other tribe in the country. The anglicized version is Chippewa, an adaptation of the Ojibway of Longfellow. Ojibway means “to roast till puckered up,” referring to the puckered seams on their moccasins, from “Ojib”, “to pucker up”, “ub-way”, “to roast”. In historic literature some of the more common ways of spelling their name have been: Achipoes, Chepeways, Chipawa
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OJIBWE MEDICINAL MATERIALS
OJIBWE MEDICINAL MATERIALS
While the Ojibwe use a few remedies outside the plant kingdom, they are not of such great importance as among some other tribes. These are here considered first, the plants following under the proper families alphabetically. Rattlesnake , “jicigwe”. The flesh of the rattlesnake commonly known as the massasauga rattler, is sometimes used in combination with other medicines, for its lubricant effect, similar to Russian mineral oil. The Plains Indians and those farther south in the United States co
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OJIBWE FOOD PLANTS
OJIBWE FOOD PLANTS
Box Elder ( Acer negundo L.), “adjagobiˈ mûk”. The Pillager Ojibwe collect the sap of the Box Elder and mix it with the sap of the regular Sugar Maple to drink as a beverage. Sugar Maple ( Acer saccharum Marsh.), “înenaˈ tîg” [Indian tree] and “adjagobiˈ mîn”. Both names came from the Pillager Ojibwe, [127] and although the trees were scarce on the Flambeau Reservation, they also call it “înenaˈ tîg”, and gather quantities of the sap somewhere south of the reservation. Maple sugar is one of thei
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OJIBWE FIBER PLANTS
OJIBWE FIBER PLANTS
Red Maple ( Acer rubrum L.), “cicigîmeˈwîc”. This leaf is frequently used in the Ojibwe beadwork designs. In fact, many leaves, flowers and fruits furnish designs. Since the plants are sacred to their midewiwin or medicine lodge, it is common for them to use especially valuable remedies in their designs. These may be worked in either porcupine quills or beads. Shell and copper beads were used in the older work, while tiny glass beads obtainable from the whites are now used. Indian women are usua
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OJIBWE DYE PLANTS
OJIBWE DYE PLANTS
Smooth Sumac ( Rhus glabra L.), “bakwaˈnak” [binding tree]. The Flambeau Ojibwe use the inner bark and the central pith of the stem of the Smooth Sumac, mixed with Bloodroot to obtain an orange color. The material is boiled in the mixture. Staghorn Sumac ( Rhus typhina L.), “bakwanaˈtîg”. The Pillager Ojibwe do not have the Smooth Sumac, but use the Staghorn Sumac in the same way as the Flambeau Ojibwe use the other. The writer was unable to discover how they set the color unless it was with som
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APOCYNACEAE (DOGBANE FAMILY)
APOCYNACEAE (DOGBANE FAMILY)
Spreading Dogbane ( Apocynum androsaemifolium L.), “magoˈsiñeˈcnakwûk” [needle like]. [147] The Pillager Ojibwe say that this is one of the roots the use of which is taught in the fourth degree of the medicine lodge, and that it is not only eaten during the medicine lodge ceremony, but is also chewed to keep the other witch doctors from affecting one with an evil charm....
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ARACEAE (ARUM FAMILY)
ARACEAE (ARUM FAMILY)
Sweet Flag ( Acorus calamus L.), “naˈbûgûck” [something flat]. The root tea of this is used by Big George, Flambeau Ojibwe, on his gill net to bring him a fine catch of white fish. The net still smelled of the Calamus root after being in the water more than twelve hours, and he caught 121 white fish in one pull of the net in Flambeau Lake. It is combined with the root of Sarsaparilla....
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ARALIACEAE (GINSENG FAMILY)
ARALIACEAE (GINSENG FAMILY)
Wild Sarsaparilla ( Aralia nudicaulis L.), “bebamabiˈk” [root runs far through the ground]. This root is mixed with Sweet Flag root to make a tea to soak a gill net before setting it to catch fish during the night. Big George Skye, at Lac du Flambeau, was quite successful in catching them....
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ASCLEPIADACEAE (MILKWEED FAMILY)
ASCLEPIADACEAE (MILKWEED FAMILY)
Common Milkweed ( Asclepias syriaca L.), “înîniˈwûnj” [Indian plant]. [148] The Pillager Ojibwe use the milk of the Common Milkweed along with the milk of Canada Hawkweed to put on a deer call, thinking that it will better imitate the call of a fawn that is hungry or in distress....
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COMPOSITAE (COMPOSITE FAMILY)
COMPOSITAE (COMPOSITE FAMILY)
Blue Wood Aster ( Aster cordifolius L.), “naskosiˈîcûs”. A number of the composites as well as plants from other families are used in the Ojibwe hunting charms. The deer carries its scent or spoor in between its toes, and wherever the foot is impressed into the ground, other animals can detect its presence. It is thus dogs track them. It is a peculiar scent and the Ojibwe tries successfully to counterfeit it with roots and herbs. The root of this aster is but one of nineteen that can be used to
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CORNACEAE (DOGWOOD FAMILY)
CORNACEAE (DOGWOOD FAMILY)
Alternate-leaved Dogwood ( Cornus alternifolia L. f.), “mosoˈmîc” [moose tree]. The root is boiled by the Flambeau Ojibwe to wash a muskrat trap and make it lure the muskrat....
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ERICACEAE (HEATH FAMILY)
ERICACEAE (HEATH FAMILY)
Shin Leaf ( Pyrola americana Sweet.), “bîneˈbûg” [partridge leaf]. The Flambeau Ojibwe hunter makes a tea from dried leaves of this plant and drinks it as a good luck potion in the morning before he starts to hunt....
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IRIDACEAE (IRIS FAMILY)
IRIDACEAE (IRIS FAMILY)
Blue Flag ( Iris versicolor L.) “wikê”. [149] Both Flambeau and Pillager Ojibwe use this as a charm against snakes and claim that Indians all over the country use it the same way. When the Ojibwe go out blueberrying all day, every one carries a piece of it in his clothes and will handle it every little while to perpetuate the scent. They believe that snakes will shun them while so protected. They say that the Arizona Indians use it when they hold their snake dances and are never struck as long a
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LABIATAE (MINT FAMILY)
LABIATAE (MINT FAMILY)
Heal-all ( Prunella vulgaris L.), “basiˈbûgûk”. The Flambeau Ojibwe use the root of this plant to make a tea to drink before going hunting. It is supposed to sharpen their powers of observation....
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LILIACEAE (LILY FAMILY)
LILIACEAE (LILY FAMILY)
Northern Clintonia ( Clintonia borealis [Ait.] Raf.), “adotaˈgans” [little bell]. [150] The Pillager Ojibwe claim that dogs chew the roots of this plant to poison their teeth, and if they then bite an animal it will die. A man may protect himself from such a bite by using the same root as a poultice on the wound. Sessile-leaved Bellwort ( Oakesia sessilifolia [L.] Wats.), “neweîaˈkwisînk” [one sided]. The Flambeau Ojibwe use the root of this plant as a part of their mîcaoˈgacan hunting medicine
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ORCHIDACEAE (ORCHIS FAMILY)
ORCHIDACEAE (ORCHIS FAMILY)
Rein Orchis ( Habenaria bracteata [Willd.] R. Br.), “gokoˈcgûnda mîneskweˈmîn” [pig does, red root]. This plant is a sort of love charm among the Pillager Ojibwe often put to bad use. Slender Ladies’ Tresses ( Spiranthes gracilis [Bigel.] Beck), “bîneˈbûg” [partridge leaf]. The Flambeau Ojibwe use the root as an ingredient of their hunting charm to bring game to them....
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PLANTAGINACEAE (PLANTAIN FAMILY)
PLANTAGINACEAE (PLANTAIN FAMILY)
Common Plantain ( Plantago major L.), “cecaˈgûski bûgeˈsînk” [leaves grow up and also lie flat on the ground]. [151] The highly colored base and root of this plant appeal to the Flambeau Ojibwe who always carry some of the ground root in their pockets to ward off snakes....
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POLYGONACEAE (BUCKWHEAT FAMILY)
POLYGONACEAE (BUCKWHEAT FAMILY)
Swamp Persicaria ( Polygonum muhlenbergii [Meisn.] Wats.) “agoñgosiˈmînûn”. The Flambeau Ojibwe dry the flower of this plant and then include it in their hunting medicine, which is smoked to attract deer to the hunter. Curled Dock ( Rumex crispus L.), “ciobûg”. The dried seeds of this dock are smoked when dried by the Flambeau Ojibwe, as a favorable lure to game when mixed with kinnikinnik....
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PRIMULACEAE (PRIMROSE FAMILY)
PRIMULACEAE (PRIMROSE FAMILY)
Starflower ( Trientalis americana [Pers.] Pursh.), “nawoˈbûgûk” [four-leaved clover]. The root of this is mixed with many others to make the smoking scent that attracts the deer to the hunter, according to the Flambeau Ojibwe....
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RANUNCULACEAE (CROWFOOT FAMILY)
RANUNCULACEAE (CROWFOOT FAMILY)
Bristly Crowfoot ( Ranunculus pennsylvanicus L. f.), “manweˈ gons”. The Flambeau Ojibwe smoke the seeds of this in their hunting medicine to lure the buck deer near enough for a shot with bow and arrow....
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ROSACEAE (ROSE FAMILY)
ROSACEAE (ROSE FAMILY)
Hawthorn ( Crataegus Sp.), “mînesagaˈwûnj”, shown in plate 77 , fig. 2. The bark of the Hawthorn was used by the Flambeau Ojibwe in making up their deer scent for smoking to attract deer while hunting....
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SCROPHULARIACEAE (FIGWORT FAMILY)
SCROPHULARIACEAE (FIGWORT FAMILY)
Wood Betony ( Pedicularis canadensis L.), “mandaˈmînîodjiˈbîkêns” [little corn root]. This is a sort of love charm according to John Peper, Pillager Ojibwe, who said that the root was chopped up and put into some dish of food that was cooking, without the knowledge of the people who were going to eat it, and if they had been quarrelsome, then they became lovers again. However, he said it was too often put to bad uses....
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TYPHACEAE (CAT-TAIL FAMILY)
TYPHACEAE (CAT-TAIL FAMILY)
Cat-tail ( Typha latifolia L.) “bebaˈmasûn” [it flies around]. The Flambeau Ojibwe used to throw the fuzz of the fruit into the eyes of their enemies, the Sioux, claiming that it blinded them....
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UMBELLIFERAE (PARSLEY FAMILY)
UMBELLIFERAE (PARSLEY FAMILY)
Musquash Root ( Cicuta maculata L.), “abagwasîˈgans”. The root of this is used in making a hunting medicine to be smoked to attract the buck deer near enough to shoot with bow and arrow. Cow Parsnip ( Heracleum lanatum Michx.) “pipigweˈwanûck” [flute reed]. According to the Flambeau Ojibwe, there is a bad spirit “sokênau”, who is always present trying to steal away one’s luck in hunting game. He must be driven away from the camp of the hunter by smudging a fire with the roots of the Cow Parsnip.
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CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
The Ojibwe will always be interesting, because they prefer to live in the backwoods, and because they cling so closely to their traditions. A further reason is that they are more numerous than any other Wisconsin tribe. They are good friends of the white people and find it hard to keep to a strictly commercial basis, when hired as guides for fishing and hunting. Many Milwaukee sportsmen have much appreciated friends among the Ojibwe, who have ever been strict and upright in their dealings with t
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