Native American Plant Myths - Mistletoe must be married...

Extracted from:  Myths of the Cherokee. Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau  of American Ethnology. Washington Government Printing Office 1902  Oral History recorded by James Mooney (1861-1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee.

PLANT LORE

The Indians are close observers, and some of their plant names are peculiarly apt. Thus the mistletoe, which never grows alone, but is found always with its roots fixed in the bark of some supporting tree or shrub from which it draws its sustenance, is called by a name which signifies "it is married" (uda'`li).

Native American Plant Myths - The Gatherer A Penobscot Legend

 

1590 North American Atlantic Coast Natives by John White (c1540 – c1593). The village of Pomeiooc (Pomeiock) was a Native America settlement, designated on de Bry’s map of Virginia, Americae Pars Nunc Virginia Dicta, between today’s Wyesocking Bay & Lake Landing, North Carolina. John White designates the settlement as Pomeyoo.

Plant Lore

Arrowhead Finger: A Penobscot Legend

Generations ago, when the village relied on the forests & the rivers for food & medicine, there was a Penobscot girl who knew the woods & the rivers, & knew every plant which grew in them as well as she knew her own family. She always knew where to find the ripest berries in the summer & the juiciest roots in the winter. She knew the plants that could be used to cure the sick, & knew where to find them, as though they were calling out loud to her. With her spear & her basket of bark, she would wander the wild places, sometimes by herself, sometimes with her sisters & cousins, through the meadows & forests, along the rivers & streams. She worked hard for the people of her village, gathering food & herbs long after the other girls had gone home, or gone off to play. She would always bring home a basket filled with food when the day was done. Because she loved to gather plants, she was known as Gatherer.

The children laughed at Gatherer, but the old women loved her. They saw how she never took more than she needed, nor more than the plants could bear to give. They saw how she always gave thanks to the spirit of the plants she harvested, & they were pleased. They even said that the branches of the trees would bend low to let her pick leaves from them.

One day she was alone in the forest, far from the village, gathering muskrat roots. Gazing among the undergrowth in the forest on the river’s bank, she saw something-- Maguak warriors! She ran toward the village to warn her people that their enemies were coming. The warriors saw her & ran after. As she grew closer to the village, the warriors were starting to gain on her. When they were almost upon her she cried out, "Maguak! Maguak!" so that the people in the village could hear her. The warriors caught her & covered her mouth, but even then they knew the people in the village would be taking up arms. Their surprise attack would be no surprise, & they would be outnumbered.

They took Gatherer back with them as a prisoner, running until nightfall & forcing her to keep up with them. When they camped for the evening & had built a fire, the warriors said, "Let us see how brave Gatherer is now!" & they stuck her hand into the fire. Gatherer did not cry out. She would not show pain or fear to them. She would show them how brave she was. One hand was thrust into the fire, then the other, but she made no sound. Finally they stopped. "She has fingers like arrowheads!" said one of her captors. And that was the name they called her by, "Arrowhead Finger"

After the warriors had fallen asleep, she took a root she had gathered from he dress & rubbed it on her sore, burned fingers. "Help me, little one", she said to the root. Soon the pain ebbed, & by morning her fingers were healed.

The next day, Her captors made her travel hard again all day, over hills & mountains. At the end of the day, they burned her fingers again, to see if she would cry out, but she showed neither fear nor pain. And when they slept, she rubbed the root on her fingers again, & healed.

When the warriors woke, they saw that her fingers were still not blistered from being burned. "Perhaps she is carrying some medicine", their leader said. "Find it & take it from her". But Arrowhead Finger did not want to lose the root that had helped her, so she swallowed it without anyone noticing. That way, her healing remained a mystery to them. Fearing her now, they decided not to burn her fingers anymore.

When they reached the Maguak village at last, all the people of the village came out to meet them & were proud to see that their warriors had taken a prisoner. In those days, it was the custom for people to adopt young prisoners, & an old couple who had lost their daughter recently offered to adopt Arrowhead Finger as their own. "No," said the leader of the war band, "This one spoiled our raid. We will hold a council to decide what will become of her".

When the council met, the warrior told his story, of how Arrowhead Finger had saved her village & refused to cry out when she was burned. Many of the people in the village admired her courage. Others wanted to burn her, fearing she would use her powers against them. They decided that until a decision could be reached, she could stay with the old woman & man.

After many days of keeping council, the tribal leaders agreed that it would be safer to burn her. Not everyone in the village liked this idea, because she was a hard worker & had won the respect & admiration of many people in the village in the short time she had been there. So they decided that they would wait for a few moons before burning her.

As the seasons changed, Arrowhead Finger noticed that her body was changing as well. The root she had swallowed had become a child in her belly. When her foster-parents told the tribe’s leaders this, they decided they would wait even longer to burn her, until after the child was born.

As the moons waxed & waned, the people of the village grew to love Arrowhead Finger. She worked harder than anyone else, gathering food & medicine from the forest for the village. When her baby was born, most of the women of the village came to see her & her new child.

That night, as she slept, she heard a voice beside her. She awoke to find that her newborn son was speaking to her. "I am the root that you gathered in the forest long ago. Because you always respected the plants, I will help you. The day after tomorrow, your enemies plan to put you into the fire. Even now, they are gathering the wood. You must ask my grandmother to help you. She will know what to do. You must leave me here, for I have work to do here. One day, we will be together again, but for now you must leave me." Then the babe closed his eyes & went back to sleep.

Arrowhead Finger got up & went to her foster-mother, asking her what to do. "Daughter," she said, "I have a plan to save you. When the women go to gather wood tomorrow, go with them, & leave your son with me. Take the path to the east, & it will take you home. No one will expect you to leave, because your baby is here".

In the morning, she cradled her son in her arms, & kissed him goodbye. She placed him in the arms of his grandmother, turned, & went into the forest with the women. When they were safely away from the village, she took the path to the east. She followed the rising sun for many days until she came to the river.

On the river she saw her father, who was waiting for her in a birch bark canoe. He told her how a child had come to him in his dreams, saying that he must cross the river & bring her home. She told him all that had happened to her, & when they returned to the village she was greeted joyfully.

Angered with her escape, the warriors of the Magauk were making plans to attack the Penobscot village again. As they were making their plans, all of them became sick. They grew so sick that they feared they would die, & no one knew how to cure them. Finally, the old woman who had adopted Arrowhead Finger came to them.

"It is my Grandson who is making such fierce warriors weak", she said. "He is protecting his mother by making her enemies fall ill. He is very powerful, & you could not defeat him, but perhaps if you beg mercy from him, he will take pity on you".

The leaders of the village decided to do as she said. They went to her house & found, to their surprise, that the baby was now a young man. "We have come to tell you that we are sorry for mistreating your mother. Do not kill our warriors, & we will make you the chief of our people".

"I was going to kill them", said the boy, "but now I will let them live. Go to the forest & I will give you the herbs that will make them well again. I am Gwelhb’hot, & when you need medicine you must come to me. I will not be your chief. Instead, I will be a spirit of the forest, & the forest will be my house. You will not see me, but if you have respect for the plants I will lead you to the ones that can heal you".

So it was that Gwelhb’hot taught the people about the medicine of plants. And when Arrowhead Finger went to gather herbs in the forest, she would hear the voice of her son leading her to the plants which would cure her people. That is the voice that the people who seek medicinal plants still hear in the forest when they treat the plants with respect.

Native American Plant Myths - The Grasshopper & Stealing Tobacco

1590 North American Atlantic Coast Natives by John White (c1540 – c1593). The village of Pomeiooc (Pomeiock) was a Native America settlement, designated on de Bry’s map of Virginia, Americae Pars Nunc Virginia Dicta, between today’s Wyesocking Bay & Lake Landing, North Carolina. John White called the settlement Pomeyoo.

For thousands of years, Earth's indigenous people from separate  ethnic groups inhabiting a variety of the planet's climates & terrains have searched for; and created oral myths about plants & animals; & often have used nearby plants as medicine to control ailments afflicting them & their domestic animals. Many of these myths were passed down from generation to generation as oral tales before written language.

Extracted from:  Myths of the Cherokee.  Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau  of American Ethnology. Washington Government Printing Office 1902  Recorded by James Mooney (1861-1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee.

Plant Lore

How Gluskabe Stole Tobacco

"Long ago, Gluskabe & his Grandmother Woodchuck, lived alone in a small lodge near the water. One day his Grandmother said to him, "My Grandchild, it is sad that we have no tobacco." "What is tobacco, Grandmother?" Gluskabe asked.

"Ah, Grandson, tobacco is a great gift from Tabaldak, our Maker. If you are sick, you need only tobacco out in the woods, & you will find the medicine plants. Then, when you place some tobacco on the Earth, you can pluck those plants from the root & use them. Tobacco is a great comfort to the old. They can smoke it in their pipes & see all the happy days of their lives in the smoke as it lifts up. When you pray & burn tobacco, that smoke carries your prayer straight up to our Maker. Tobacco is a very good thing indeed, when it is used as Tabaldak intended."

"Then we should have tobacco," Gluskabe said. "Where can I find it, Grandmother?"

"Ah, Grandson," Grandmother Woodchuck said, "it is not easy to get tobacco. It is on a big island far out in the water. A person with great magic lives there. He raises tobacco & will not share it because of selfishness. He is very dangerous. Those who go to steal tobacco never return."

"Huunh!" Gluskabe said. "I will go & get tobacco, & I will share it with everyone."

Then Gluskabe went to the edge of the water. There was a hollow log there, & Gluskabe shaped it into a canoe. He put it in the water.

"Now," he said, "let me see if this canoe will go."

He pushed it with his foot, & the hollow log canoe shot out across the water. It went one whole look, as far as a person can see.

"This canoe is not fast enough," Gluskabe said.

The Gluskabe took a big white birch tree. He stripped off the bark & fashioned it into a canoe & put it in the water.

"Now," he said, "let me see if this canoe will go."

He pushed it with his foot, & the birch bark canoe went very swiftly over the water. It went two looks, but Gluskabe was not satisfied.

"This canoe is not fast enough," he said.

Then Gluskabe fashioned a boat with ribs of cedar & the skin of a moose. He put it into the water & pushed it out & it went three looks. But Gluskabe was not happy with the moose hide canoe.

"This canoe," he said, " is not fast enough."

Gluskabe looked around. There at the edge of the water was a great white boulder. Gluskabe turned it over, shaped it into a canoe & put it into the water.

"Now," he said, "let me see if this canoe will go."

He pushed it with his foot, & it shot out across the water with Gluskabe inside. It went four looks almost as quickly as one could think, leaving a great white wave behind it. Gluskabe was very pleased.

"Now I can go & get tobacco."

He went back into the lodge. "Grandmother," he said, "I am going now to steal tobacco. But first you must tell me the name of my enemy, the magician who will not share the tobacco."

Grandmother Woodchuck shook her head. "Who will hunt for me & bring me wood for my fire & water for my cooking if Grasshopper kills you? No, Gluskabe, I cannot tell you his name."

Gluskabe laughed. "Oleoneh1, Grandmother," he said. "When I return, you will be the first one to smoke tobacco in your pipe."

Then Gluskabe climbed into his white stone canoe. He pushed off from the shore, & the canoe shot over the waves towards the island of the magician, Grasshopper. As the canoe sped along, Gluskabe sang:

Grasshopper, you are going to travel,

Grasshopper, you are going to travel,

You must leave your home now,

Grasshopper, you are going to travel.

He sang his song four times. By the time he was finished, he had reached the island, and, sure enough, just as he had wished in his song, Grasshopper was not there. The cooking pot was still on the fire, & the beautiful clay pipe decorated with bright stones was beside the fire, with smoke still rising from the bowl, but the magician was nowhere to be seen. Gluskabe picked up the pipe.

"Grasshopper," he said, "you are not going to need this anymore." Then he placed the pipe in his own pouch. Inside the lodge on many racks, tobacco bundles were drying. Gluskabe took them all & placed them in his canoe. He took all of the tobacco & did not leave a single seed. All around the fields were the bones of those who had come to steal tobacco & were killed by Grasshopper. Gluskabe gathered all the bones together & then shouted.

"Get up!" Gluskabe yelled. "Your enemy is coming back." Then all of the bones came back together, & all of the people came back to life. They were very happy, even though some of them had been in such a hurry to return to life that they had gotten the wrong bones. Some of them had legs or arms that were too short or too long. The old people say that is why there are crippled people today. Gluskabe shared the tobacco among them. He mended their boats, which had been broken by Grasshopper, & sent them back to their homes.

"Tobacco is for everyone." he said. "You must always share it & give it freely or it will not do you good."

Then Gluskabe climbed back into his white stone canoe. He pushed it with his foot, & it flew back across the waves to the place where his Grandmother Woodchuck waited.

"Grandmother," he said, "I have brought tobacco. Never again will it be scarce."

Grandmother Woodchuck was very happy. She filled her pipe with the tobacco & smoked it & gave thanks to Tabaldak. She began to sing a song in praise of her Grandson, Gluskabe. But as she sang, the magician, Grasshopper, came. He came across the sky in a magical canoe.

"YOU!" he shouted in a loud & terrible voice. "You have stolen my tobacco!"

"That is not so," Gluskabe said. "It was not right for you to keep it all to yourself. Now my children & my children's children will have tobacco to enjoy." Then he rubbed Grasshopper between his hands, & Grasshopper became very small.

"Please," Grasshopper said in a small voice, "give me seeds so I can grow tobacco for myself."

But Gluskabe shook his head. "No longer can you be trusted to grow tobacco. That will be the job of my children & of my children's children. But since you were the first to grow tobacco, I will give you enough to enjoy in your lifetime. Open your mouth."

Grasshopper opened his mouth & Gluskabe filled it with tobacco. Grasshopper was pleased, but he spoke again. "Give me back my canoe so that I can fly across the sky."

But Gluskabe shook his head. "It is not right for you to have such a magical canoe. I will split the back of your coat & give you wings. Now you will be able to fly on your own, but you will no longer be able to frighten the people."

So it is that to this day tobacco is used by the children of Gluskabe & their children's children, & when they use it as Tabaldak intended, always giving it freely to others, it does them no harm. As for Grasshopper, he flies about with the wings Gluskabe gave him & chews his mouthful of tobacco which will last all his life. And he remembers the lesson taught to him by Gluskabe. If you ever pick up any grasshopper it will immediately spit out its tobacco as if to say, "See, I am willing to share."

Notes

1"Oleoneh"= This is the Abenaki word for "thank you," spelled woliwoni in the modern Abenaki spelling system.

Native American Plant Myths - The Strange Origin of Corn

 

1590 North American Atlantic Coast Natives by John White (c1540 – c1593). The village of Pomeiooc (Pomeiock) was a Native America settlement, designated on de Bry’s map of Virginia, Americae Pars Nunc Virginia Dicta, between today’s Wyesocking Bay & Lake Landing, North Carolina. John White designates the settlement as Pomeyoo.

Extracted from:  Myths of the Cherokee.  Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau  of American Ethnology. Washington Government Printing Office 1902  Recorded by James Mooney (1861-1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee.

Plant Lore

The Strange Origin of Corn

A long time ago, when the Indians were first made, one man lived alone, far from any others. He did not know fire, & so he lived on roots, bark, & nuts. This man became very lonely for companionship. He grew tired of digging roots, lost his appetite, & for several days lay dreaming in the sunshine. When he awoke, he saw someone standing near and, at first, was very frightened.

But when he heard the stranger's voice, his heart was glad, & he looked up. He saw a beautiful woman with long light hair! "Come to me," he whispered. But she did not, & when he tried to approach her, she moved farther away. He sang to her about his loneliness, & begged her not to leave him.

At last she replied, "If you will do exactly what I tell you to do, I will also be with you."

He promised that he would try his very best. So she led him to a place where there was some very dry grass. "Now get two dry sticks," she told him, "and rub them together fast while you hold them in the grass."

Soon a spark flew out. The grass caught fire, & as swiftly as an arrow takes flight, the ground was burned over. Then the beautiful woman spoke again: "When the sun sets, take me by the hair & drag me over the burned ground."

"Oh, I don't want to do that!" the man exclaimed.

"You must do what I tell you to do," said she. "Wherever you drag me, something like grass will spring up, & you will see something like hair coming from between the leaves. Soon seeds will be ready for your use."

The man followed the beautiful woman's orders. And when the Indians see silk on the cornstalk, they know that the beautiful woman has not forgotten them.

Native American Plant Myths - The Skunk, Coyote, Fox, & The Corn Farmer

 

1590 North American Atlantic Coast Natives by John White (c1540 – c1593). The village of Pomeiooc (Pomeiock) was a Native America settlement, designated on de Bry’s map of Virginia, Americae Pars Nunc Virginia Dicta, between today’s Wyesocking Bay & Lake Landing, North Carolina. John White designates the settlement as Pomeyoo.

Extracted from:  Myths of the Cherokee.  Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau  of American Ethnology. Washington Government Printing Office 1902  Recorded by James Mooney (1861-1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee.

 Big Long Man's Corn Patch

As soon as Big Long Man got back from the mountains he went to his garden to admire his corn & melons. He had planted a big crop for the coming winter. When he saw that half of the corn stalks had been shucked & the ears stolen, & that the biggest melons were gone off of the melon vines, he was very angry.

"Who stole my corn & melons?" he muttered to himself. "I'll catch the thief, whoever he is."

He began to scheme. The next day he built a fence around the garden. But the fence did no good. Each morning Big Long Man found more corn stalks stripped.

At last he thought up a scheme to catch the thief. He gathered a great ball of pine pitch & molded it into the shape of a man. He set the figure up in the corn field & then went to his hogan.

That night Skunk came along to get a bit of corn for his dinner. He had heard from Badger that Big Long Man was away in the mountains. He squeezed his body under the fence & waddled up to a clump of corn. He was just about to shuck a fat ear when he noticed a man standing by the fence. Skunk let go of the ear of corn in fright. He could see in the moonlight that the man was not Big Long Man. He waddled over to the fence & spoke to the figure.

"Who are you, in Big Long Man's corn patch?'' asked Skunk.

The figure did not answer.

"Who are you?" said Skunk again, moving closer.

The figure did not answer.

"Speak!" said Skunk boldly, "or I will punch your face."

The figure did not say a word. It did not move an inch.

"Tell me who you are," said Skunk a fourth time, raising his fist, "or I will punch your face."

The figure said not a word. It was very quiet in the moonlit corn field. Even the wind had gone away.

Plup went Skunk's fist into the pine gum face. It sunk into the soft pitch, which is as sticky as glue, & there it stuck. Skunk pulled & pulled.

"If you don't let go my hand," he shouted, "I will hit you harder with my left hand."

But the pine pitch held tight.

Plup went Skunk's left hand. Now both hands stuck fast.

"Let go my hands, or I will kick you," cried Skunk, who was by this time getting mad.

The pine gum man did not let go.

Plup, the Skunk, gave a mighty kick with his right foot. The foot stuck too, just like the hands.

"I will kick you harder," said Skunk, & Plup he kicked with all of his strength with his left foot. Pine gum man held that foot too. Skunk struggled but he could not get loose. Now he was in a fine plight. Every limb was held tight. He had only one more weapon, his teeth.

"I will bite your throat," he shouted & he dug his teeth into the pine gum throat.

"Ugh!" he gurgled for he could no longer say a word. His tongue & teeth were held fast in the pine pitch.

The next morning Big Long Man came to his corn patch & there was Skunk stuck onto the pine gum man. Only his tail was free, waving behind him.

"Ah!" said Big Long Man. "So it's you, Skunk, who has been stealing my corn."

"Ugh," replied Skunk. His mouth full of pine pitch.

Big Long Man pulled him away from the gum figure, tied a rope around his neck & led him to his hogan. He put a great pot of water on the stove to boil, then he took the rope off of Skunk's neck.

"Now, Skunk," he said, "go fetch wood."

Skunk went out into the back yard. Just then Fox happened to pass by. He was on his way to Big Long Man's corn patch. Skunk began to cry loudly. Fox stopped running, & pricked up his sharp ears.

"Who is crying?" he said.

"I am crying," said Skunk.

"Why?" said Fox.

"Because I have to carry wood for Big Long Man. He gives me all of the corn I want to eat, but I do not want to carry wood."

Fox was hungry. He knew that if he stole corn he was liable to get caught. "What an easy way to get corn," he thought. "I would not mind carrying wood."

Out loud he said, "Cousin, let us change places. You go home & I will carry wood for Big Long Man. I like the job. Besides, I was just on my way to steal an ear of corn down at the field."

"All right," said Skunk. "But don't eat too much corn. I have a stomach ache." He felt his fat stomach & groaned. Then he waddled happily away. Fox gathered up an armful of piñon wood. He hurried into Big Long Man's hogan. Big Long Man looked at him in surprise.

"Well, well, Skunk, you changed into a fox, did you? That's funny."

Fox did not say a word. He was afraid he might say the wrong thing & not get any corn to eat. Big Long Man took the rope which had been around Skunk's neck & tied it around Fox's neck.

Fox sat down & waited patiently. Soon the water in the big pot began to bubble & steam. At last Fox said, "Isn't the corn cooked yet, Big Long Man?"

"Corn?" asked Big Long Man. "What corn?"

"Why the corn you are cooking for me," said Fox. "Skunk said you would feed me all of the corn I could eat if I carried wood for you."

"The rascal," said Big Long Man. "He tricked you & he tricked me. Well, Fox, you will have to pay for this." So saying he picked up Fox by the ears & set him down in the boiling water. It was so hot that it took off every hair on his body. Big Long Man left him in the pot for a minute & then he pulled him out by the ears & set him free out of doors.

"Don't be thinking you will ever get any of my corn by tricks," said Big Long Man.

Fox ran yelping toward his den. He was sore all over. Half way home he passed Red Monument. Red Monument is a tall slab of red sand stone that stands alone in a valley. On top of the rock sat Raven eating corn that he had stolen from the corn patch. At the bottom was Coyote holding on to the rock with his paws. He was watching for Raven to drop a few kernels. He glanced behind him when Fox appeared. He did not let go of the rock, however, because he thought Fox might get his place. He was surprised at Fox's appearance.

"Where is your fur, Fox?" he asked over his shoulder.

"I ate too much corn," said Fox sadly. "Don't ever eat too much corn, Coyote. It is very painful." Fox held his stomach & groaned. "Corn is very bad for one's fur. It ruined mine."

"But where did you get so much corn, cousin?" asked Coyote, still holding on to the rock.

"Didn't you hear?" asked Fox. "Why, Big Long Man is giving corn to all the animals who carry wood for him. He will give you all you can eat & more too. Just gather an armful of piñon sticks & walk right into his hogan."

Coyote thought a moment. He was greedy. He decided to go to Big Long Man's hogan but he did not want Fox to go with him. He wanted everything for himself.

"Cousin," he said, "will you do me a favor? Will you hold this rock while I go & get a bite of corn from Big Long Man? I am very hungry & I do not dare leave this rock. It will fall & kill somebody."

"All right," said Fox, smiling to himself. "I will hold the rock. But do not eat too much." He placed his paws on the back side of the rock & Coyote let go. The next minute Coyote was running away as fast as he could toward Big Long Man's hogan. Fox laughed to himself, but after a bit he became tired of holding the rock. He decided to let it fall.

"Look out, Cousin Raven," he shouted. "The rock is going to fall." Fox let go, & jumped far away. Then he ran & did not look behind. He was afraid the rock would hit his tail. If Fox had looked behind him he would have seen the rock standing as steady as a mountain.

Presently, along came Coyote, back from Big Long Man's hogan. He was running at top speed & yowling fearfully. There was not a hair left on his body. When he came to Red Monument he saw Raven still sitting on his high perch nibbling kernels of corn.

"Where has Fox gone?" howled Coyote who was in a rage.

Raven looked down at Coyote. "Fox?" he said. "Why, Fox went home, I suppose. What did you do with your hair, Coyote?"

Coyote didn't answer. He just sat down by the foot of the rock & with his snout up in the air waited for Raven to drop a few kernels of corn.

"I'll get Fox some other day," he muttered to himself.

Native American Plant Myths - The lady-slipper is the Cherokee's "partridge moccasin"

 

1590 North American Atlantic Coast Natives by John White (c1540 – c1593). The village of Pomeiooc (Pomeiock) was a Native America settlement, designated on de Bry’s map of Virginia, Americae Pars Nunc Virginia Dicta, between today’s Wyesocking Bay & Lake Landing, North Carolina. John White designates the settlement as Pomeyoo.

Extracted from:  Myths of the Cherokee.  Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau  of American Ethnology. Washington Government Printing Office 1902  Recorded by James Mooney (1861-1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee.

Plant Lore

The Indians are close observers, and some of their plant names are peculiarly apt. 

The lady-slipper (Cypripedium) is the Cherokee's "partridge moccasin" (gugwe'-ulasu'la). 

Native American Plant Myths - The May-apple wears a hat

 

1590 North American Atlantic Coast Natives by John White (c1540 – c1593). The village of Pomeiooc (Pomeiock) was a Native America settlement, designated on de Bry’s map of Virginia, Americae Pars Nunc Virginia Dicta, between today’s Wyesocking Bay & Lake Landing, North Carolina. John White designates the settlement as Pomeyoo.

Extracted from:  Myths of the Cherokee.  Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau  of American Ethnology. Washington Government Printing Office 1902  Recorded by James Mooney (1861-1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee.

Plant Lore

The Indians are close observers, and some of their plant names are peculiarly apt. 

The May-apple (Podophyllum), with its umbrella-shaped top, is called u'niskwetu'`gi, meaning "it wears a hat." 

Native American Plant Myths - The white puffball fungus is the little star.

 

1590 North American Atlantic Coast Natives by John White (c1540 – c1593). The village of Pomeiooc (Pomeiock) was a Native America settlement, designated on de Bry’s map of Virginia, Americae Pars Nunc Virginia Dicta, between today’s Wyesocking Bay & Lake Landing, North Carolina. John White designates the settlement as Pomeyoo.

Extracted from:  Myths of the Cherokee.  Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau  of American Ethnology. Washington Government Printing Office 1902  Recorded by James Mooney (1861-1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee.

Plant Lore

The Indians are close observers, and some of their plant names are peculiarly apt. 

The white puffball fungus is nakwisi'-usdi', "the little star."

Native American Plant Myths - Rabbits eat seeds from wild rose

 

1590 North American Atlantic Coast Natives by John White (c1540 – c1593). The village of Pomeiooc (Pomeiock) was a Native America settlement, designated on de Bry’s map of Virginia, Americae Pars Nunc Virginia Dicta, between today’s Wyesocking Bay & Lake Landing, North Carolina. John White designates the settlement as Pomeyoo.

Extracted from:  Myths of the Cherokee.  Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau  of American Ethnology. Washington Government Printing Office 1902  Recorded by James Mooney (1861-1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee.

Plant Lore

The Indians are close observers, and some of their plant names are peculiarly apt. 

Some plants are named from their real or supposed place in the animal economy, as the wild rose, tsist-uni'gisti, "the rabbits eat it"--referring to the seed berries. 

Native American Plant Myths - Babies given the putty-root to fatten them

 

1590 North American Atlantic Coast Natives by John White (c1540 – c1593). The village of Pomeiooc (Pomeiock) was a Native America settlement, designated on de Bry’s map of Virginia, Americae Pars Nunc Virginia Dicta, between today’s Wyesocking Bay & Lake Landing, North Carolina. John White designates the settlement as Pomeyoo.

Extracted from:  Myths of the Cherokee.  Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau  of American Ethnology. Washington Government Printing Office 1902  Recorded by James Mooney (1861-1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee.

Plant Lore

The putty-root (Adam-and-Eve, Aplectrum hiemale), which is of an oily, mucilaginous nature, is carried by the deer hunter, who, on shooting a deer, puts a small piece of the chewed root into the wound, expecting as a necessary result to find the animal unusually fat when skinned. 

Infants which seem to pine and grow thin are bathed with a decoction of the same root in order to fatten them.

Native American Plant Myths - Snakes flee from those eating campion

 

1590 North American Atlantic Coast Natives by John White (c1540 – c1593). The village of Pomeiooc (Pomeiock) was a Native America settlement, designated on de Bry’s map of Virginia, Americae Pars Nunc Virginia Dicta, between today’s Wyesocking Bay & Lake Landing, North Carolina. John White designates the settlement as Pomeyoo.

Extracted from:  Myths of the Cherokee.  Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau  of American Ethnology. Washington Government Printing Office 1902  Recorded by James Mooney (1861-1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee.

Plant Lore

The Indians are close observers, and some of their plant names are peculiarly apt. 

The campion (Silene stellata), locally known as "rattlesnake's master," is called ganidawâ'ski, "it disjoints itself," because the dried stalk is said to break off by joints, beginning at the top. The juice is held to be a sovereign remedy for snake bites, and it is even believed that the deadliest snake will flee from one who carries a small portion of the root in his mouth.