=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 make a smoke or incense when smoked in a pipe, which
attracts the deer near enough to shoot it with a bow and arrow. They
say that the white man drives the deer away when he smokes cigarettes
or cigars, but the Indians bring them closer.
=Large-leaved Aster= (_Aster macrophyllus_ L.), “naskosiˈîcûs”. This is
one of the Flambeau Ojibwe hunting charms. It is smoked to attract deer.
=Horse-weed= (_Erigeron canadensis_ L.), “wabîˈgwûn” [white flower].
This is one of the Flambeau Ojibwe hunting charms. The disk florets are
smoked.
=Philadelphia Fleabane= (_Erigeron philadelphicus_ L.), “mîcaoˈgacan”
[odor of split hoof of female deer]. The Pillager Ojibwe use the disk
florets of this plant to smoke to attract the buck deer. They say that
cows and deer eat the blossoms.
=Canada Hawkweed= (_Hieracium canadense_ Michx.) Under the name
“wabîˈgwûn” [white flower], some of the Flambeau Ojibwe use the flowers
to make a hunting lure, and mix it with their other hunting charms.
Others call it “mêmîskûˈnakûk” and say that they cut off the roots and
nibble at them when hunting. The roots are milky like the stem and the
hunter wanting a doe will pretend he is a fawn trying to suckle and
thus attract a doe close enough to shoot with bow and arrow.
=Tall Blue Lettuce= (_Lactuca spicata_ [Lam.] Hitchc.), “dodocaˈbo”
[milk]. The Flambeau Ojibwe use this plant in the same manner as they
do the Canada Hawkweed to attract a doe to them for a close shot.
=Fragrant Golden-rod= (_Solidago graminifolia_ [L.] Salisb.),
“waˈsawaskwûneˈk” [yellow light]. The Flambeau Ojibwe use the flowers
of this golden-rod to add to their hunting medicine, which is smoked to
simulate the odor of a deer’s hoof.
=Tansy= (_Tanacetum vulgare_ L.), “mûckîkiˈwît” [medicine plant]. The
yellow flowers are used by the Flambeau Ojibwe as an addition to their
odorous hunting mixture which they smoke to attract deer.
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.
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.
IRIDACEAE (IRIS FAMILY)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account