=Navy Bean= (_Phaseolus vulgaris_ L.), “wabeniˈmînesa” [little white
berry]. The Ojibwe claim to have always had the sort of beans that the
white man uses and while their original Navy Bean is not exactly like
that of the white man, still it is near enough to be confused with it.
=Lima Bean= (_Phaseolus lunatus macrocarpus_),“wabeniˈ mîna” [big white
berry]. The Ojibwe also claim to have originally had the Lima Bean, but
that is doubtful.
=Cranberry Pole Bean= (_Phaseolus vulgaris_ L.), “mêskodiˈ mînûn” [red
heart berry]. The Red Cranberry Pole Bean is the original source of all
our best commercial pole beans. The Indians cultivated it in aboriginal
times. They use it alone or in many peculiar combinations.
LICHENS
Tree Lichen (_Sticta glomulifera_), “jîngwakons wakun” [little white
pine and row of eggs] or “jîngwaˈkwak” [pine egg]. On the bark at the
base of an old White Pine, will be found lichens growing from the
ground to a height of perhaps three feet. The Ojibwe gather these and
boil them until they coagulate or “come together” like scrambled eggs.
They say that they taste like eggs “wawîn”, but they call them “wakûn”,
which is a term applied to the roe or eggs of a fish. It is a favorite
dish and a very ancient one.
LILIACEAE (LILY FAMILY)
=Wild Onion= (_Allium cernuum_ Roth.), “cîgagaˈ wûnj” [skunk plant].
Both Pillager and Flambeau Ojibwe like the Wild Onion and Wild Leek in
the spring as an article of food.
=Wild Leek= (_Allium tricoccum_ Ait.), “bûgwaˈ djijîcaˈ gowûnj”
[unusual onion] “jîcago” really means skunk, and from this word Chicago
was named. This is the larger wild onion and is known as Winabojo’s
onion, or the one he pointed out for food. It is gathered in the
spring when it is round and plumper than in the fall. It is also
gathered and dried for future use. The Wild Leek is somewhat bitter,
while the smaller wild onion is sweet.
=False Spikenard= (_Smilacina racemosa_ [L.] Desf.), “agoñgosiˈ wîdjiˈ
bîk” [chipmunk root]. The Pillager Ojibwe use this root added to oats
to make a pony grow fat. The Flambeau Ojibwe also prepare and eat the
False Spikenard root. It is soaked in lye water and parboiled to get
rid of the lye, then cooked like potatoes.
NYMPHAEACEAE (WATER LILY FAMILY)
=Sweet White Water Lily= (_Castalia odorata_ [Ait.] Woodville & Wood),
“odîteˈabûg wabîˈgwûn” [flat heart-shaped leaf, white flowered]. The
Flambeau Ojibwe eat the buds of this water lily before they open.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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