Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians 10

Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians 10

LICHENS

 

=Reindeer Moss= (_Cladonia rangiferina_ [L.] Hoffm.) “asaˈ gûniñkˈ”

[moss].

 

The Ojibwe boil this moss and use the water to wash a new born baby.

They declare it is the same as if you were putting salt into the water.

So far as is known, it has never been utilized as a medicine by the

white man.

 

 

LILIACEAE (LILY FAMILY)

 

=Northern Clintonia= (_Clintonia borealis_ [Ait.] Raf.), “gînoseˈ

wibûg” [muskellunge leaf].[113] The Flambeau Ojibwe use the root tea

as a remedy to help parturition. John Peper, Pillager Ojibwe called

it “adotaˈgons” [little bell] and said that the dogs use it to poison

their teeth so that they can kill their prey. Should they bite a

person, then it would be necessary to procure the same root and put it

on the bite to draw out the poison. This curious superstition was also

encountered in another tribe,—the Menomini. There is no record of its

medicinal use by white men.

 

=Canada Mayflower= (_Maianthemum canadense_ Desf.), “agoñgosiˈ mînûn”

[chipmunk berries], shown in plate 71, fig. 1. The Flambeau Ojibwe

recognize that this is somewhat different from Spikenard (_Smilacina

racemosa_), but give it the same name and uses, namely to keep the

kidneys open during pregnancy, to cure sore throat and headaches. It is

also used to make smoke for inhaling. The Pillager Ojibwe do not know

or use it.

 

=Small Solomon’s Seal= (_Polygonatum biflorum_ [Walt.] Ell.)

“nanîbîteˈodeˈkîn”, [grows in a row], shown in plate 72, fig. 2. The

Pillager Ojibwe use the root as a physic and it is also cooked to yield

a tea to treat a cough. White men have used it as a substitute for

_Convallaria_ for the same purposes, namely the treatment of dropsy.

 

=False Spikenard= (_Smilacina racemosa_ [L.] Desf.), “agoñgoˈ sîmînûn”

[chipmunk berries], shown in plate 71, fig. 2. The Flambeau Ojibwe

use this root in combination with Spreading Dogbane (_Apocynum

androsaemifolium_) to keep the kidneys open during pregnancy, to cure

sore throat and headache. It is also used as a reviver, “abaˈbûsûn”.

Convallarin is the important constituent of Spikenard and it is classed

the same as Solomon’s Seal and Canada Mayflower.

 

=Star-flowered Solomon’s Seal= (_Smilacina stellata_ [L.] Desf.) The

Pillager Ojibwe have no name nor use for this root.

 

=Carrion-flower= (_Smilax herbacea_ L.), “gîneˈ bîgomînagaˈwûnj” [snake

berry bush], shown in plate 73, fig. 2. The root of this plant was used

in lung troubles according to the Pillager Ojibwe. It has been used by

eclectic practitioners as an alterative.

 

=Twisted Stalk= (_Streptopus roseus_ Michx.), “nanibîteˈ odeˈ kîn”,

[grows in a row], shown in plate 72, fig. 1. This plant is called by

the same name as _Polygonatum biflorum_ among the Pillager Ojibwe,

but this particular one is always referred to as the squaw, while

_Polygonatum_ has always been called the man. It is used for a physic

or to make tea for a cough. There is no record of its medicinal use by

white men.

 

=Large Flowered Bellwort= (_Uvularia grandiflora_ Sm.), “wesawabiˈ

kwonêk” [yellow light][114], the name applied to the plant, but the

root is called “wabûckadjiˈ bîk” [white root]. The Pillager Ojibwe use

the root for stomach trouble. The trouble is described as a pain in the

solar plexus, which may mean pleurisy. It has been used by eclectic

practitioners for erysipelas, ulcerated mouth, etc.

 

 

LYCOPODIACEAE (CLUB MOSS FAMILY)

 

=Ground Pine= (_Lycopodium complanatum_ L.), “gîjiˈk gandoˈ gûng”

[cedar-like]. The dried leaves are used by the Flambeau Ojibwe as a

“nokweˈsîkûn” or reviver. _Lycopodium_ spores are used by the white man

as a surgical dusting powder.

 

=Ground Pine= (_Lycopodium obscurum_ L. var. dendroideum [Michx.] D.

C. Eaton) “cigonaˈ gan” [evergreen], shown in plate 61, fig. 1. The

Flambeau Ojibwe use this plant in combination with Bush Honeysuckle

roots (_Diervilla lonicera_) as a diuretic. The spores are the only

part used by the white man for medicine. They are an antiseptic dusting

powder.

 

 

MENISPERMACEAE (MOONSEED FAMILY)

 

=Canada Moonseed= (_Menispermum canadense_ L.), “bîmaˈ kwît waˈ

bîgons” [twisted pod or stick]. White Cloud, Pillager Ojibwe of Bear

Island, did not know the use of this root, but assured the writer that

other Ojibwe knew it and used it. Moonseed root is used by eclectic

practitioners as a tonic and alterative, and has been employed as a

substitute for Sarsaparilla.

 

 

MYRICACEAE (BAYBERRY FAMILY)

 

=Sweet Fern= (_Myrica asplenifolia_ L.), “gibaimeˈ nûnaˈgwûs”

[coverer]. Sweet fern is called “a coverer,” because it is used to line

the blueberry pails and cover the berries to keep them from spoiling.

The word is almost the same as that used by the Menomini and means the

same. The Flambeau Ojibwe consider the leaves too strong for a beverage

tea, but make a medicinal tea to cure the flux and cramps in the

stomach. The white man uses Sweet Fern as a stimulant and astringent;

sometimes using it to relieve colic and check diarrhea. It has also

been used in a fomentation to relieve rheumatic pains.

 

 

NYCTAGINACEAE (FOUR-O’CLOCK FAMILY)

 

=Heart-leaved Umbrella-wort= (_Oxybaphus nyctagineus_ [Michx.] Sweet)

“gokoˈ coadjiˈ bîk” (pig root). The Pillager Ojibwe say that the pig is

fond of the roots of this plant because they are large and succulent,

hence call it “pig root”. The root is used by them to reduce sprains

and swellings. There is no record of its use among the whites.

 

 

NYMPHAEACEAE (WATER LILY FAMILY)

 

=Sweet White Water Lily= (_Castalia odorata_ [Ait.] Woodville &

Wood.), “odîteˈabûg waˈ bîgwûn” [flat heart leaf, white flower]. The

Flambeau Ojibwe use the root as a cough medicine for those who have

tuberculosis. The roots have been used by white men in the treatment of

diarrhea, dysentery and leucorrhea.

 

=Yellow Water Lily= (_Nymphaea advena_ Ait.), “ogaˈ da mûn” [standing

on legs]. The Flambeau Ojibwe word is a bit different in spelling but

means the same as the Menomini word for this plant. The Ojibwe call the

leaves, “odîteˈabûg” [flat heart leaf]. The root is the only medicinal

part and is grated to make a poultice for sores. Other ingredients such

as Skunk Cabbage root are added to this poultice. The Ojibwe gather

goodly quantities of the large underwater stems; which we are prone to

call roots, dry them and reduce them to powder. The powder alone is

supposed to heal cuts and swellings. The roots have been used by white

men in the treatment of diarrhea, dysentery and leucorrhea.

 

 

OLEACEAE (OLIVE FAMILY)

 

=Red Ash= (_Fraxinus pennsylvanica_ Marsh), “aˈ gîmaˈk” [snow-shoe

wood]. The Pillager Ojibwe use the inner bark in combination with

other things for a tonic. The inner bark is official with white men as

a bitter tonic and astringent. It is also said to be valuable as an

antiperiodic.

 

 

ONAGRACEAE (EVENING PRIMROSE FAMILY)

 

=Great Willow-herb= (_Epilobium angustifolium_ L.), “oˈ ca cadjiˈ

bîkes” [slippery or soap root], shown in plate 69, fig. 2. The Flambeau

Ojibwe say that the outer rind of this root lathers in water and they

pound it to make a poultice. This is used to draw out inflammation from

a boil or a carbuncle. With white men, it is a demulcent, tonic and

astringent. It has been used internally for its tonic effect on mucous

surfaces and its value in intestinal disorders.

 

=Evening Primrose= (_Oenothera biennis_ L.) While the Flambeau Ojibwe

have no Indian name for this, still they use the whole plant soaked

in warm water to make a poultice to heal bruises. Because of its

antispasmodic properties, the white man has used it internally in the

treatment of whooping cough, hiccough and spasmodic asthma.

 

 

OPHIOGLOSSACEAE (ADDER’S TONGUE FAMILY)

 

=Virginia Grape Fern= (_Botrychium virginianum_ [L.] Sw.), “gîckênsîneˈ

namûkûk” [man, squaw and baby], shown in plate 66, fig. 2. John Peper,

Pillager Ojibwe, hunted a long time for this plant around Leech Lake,

Minnesota, because his mother said it was good for lung trouble and

consumption. He called attention to the fact that one always finds two

stems together in the proper plant to use, which he described as the

man and squaw, with the little one or fruiting frond, in the center.

There is no record of its use by white men.

 

 

ORCHIDACEAE (ORCHIS FAMILY)

 

=Yellow Ladies’ Slipper= (_Cypripedium parviflorum_ Salisb. var.

_pubescens_ [Willd.] Knight), “maˈ kasîn” [moccasin].[115] Among the

Pillager Ojibwe, the root of this species is said to be a good remedy

for female troubles of all kinds. The white man has used it as a

gentle tonic for the nerves, a stimulant and antispasmodic, similar to

Valerian, only less powerful.

 

=Rein Orchis= (_Habenaria bracteata_ [Willd.] R. Br.), “gokoˈcgûnda

mînêskweˈ mîn” [pig-woman enticer root]. The Ojibwe Pillager would

smuggle this into food as an aphrodisiac, which they considered a bad

use and not to be talked about or countenanced. There is no record of

its use by the white men.

 

=Adder’s Mouth= (_Microstylis unifolia_ [Michx.] BSP.) “aîaˈ nîkotciˈ

mîn” [twisted berry]. The Flambeau Ojibwe use the tiny root of this

plant to mix with Bush Honeysuckle bark (_Diervilla lonicera_) as a

diuretic. There is no record of its use by white men.

 

 

PAPAVERACEAE (POPPY FAMILY)

 

=Bloodroot= (_Sanguinaria canadensis_ L.)[116] “meskwaˈ djiˈ bîkûk”

[red root]. The Pillager Ojibwe use the orange-red juice of the

Bloodroot to cure sore throat. The juice is squeezed out on a lump of

maple sugar, and this is retained in the mouth until it has melted

away. They also use the juice to paint the face for the medicine lodge

ceremony or when on the warpath.

 

_Sanguinaria_ is official only in the U. S. Pharmacopoeia, and in small

doses it produces a sense of warmth in the stomach and stimulates

gastric secretion. It is given as an expectorant and in larger doses as an emetic.