Chapter 4.1.1
4.1.1 Bunchberries
Mallory Phillips , University of Guelph, Canada
Suggested citation for this chapter.
Phillips,M. (2022) Fleshy Fruits. In The Student Encyclopedia of Canadian Indigenous Foods. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.firstnationsfoods.org/
Background
Bunchberry dogwood is a perennial herb which is native to the northern parts of the United States, and the majority of Canada (Gracie, 2020). This plant grows in mixed wood swamps, or damp openings. The soil should not only be damp, but also slightly acidic for the plant to thrive. Acidic soil occurs for multiple reasons, but mainly occurs from decaying organic matter because it produces nitric and sulfuric acid. Rainwater will also wash away basic ions, such as magnesium, potassium, sodium and calcium . Bunchberry dogwood is a smaller herb, typically growing from ten centimeters, up to thirty centimeters. The flowers on this plant typically begin to bloom in early May, until late June. The flowers are often white in colour, but can also be found in yellow, green or brown on some plants. In the late months of summer, typically late August to early September, the flowers are replaced with small bunches of berries, which are called Bunchberries (Gracie C., 2020). While bunchberry dogwood isscientifically known as Cornus canadensis Linnaeus, it is also known as, Dwarf Dogwood, Canada Bunchberry, and Kawiscowimin (Weber, 2021). Due to the versatility of this plant many tribes were able to make use of it, though using different names. Mi’kmaq used the leaves of bunchberry dogwood to create a tea to aid in the treatment of kidney problems, as well as using softened leaves to place over wounds. The Algonquin use roots to make a tea to treat colic . The Cree used both of the above methods and also used bunchberry dogwood to aid in treatment for colds and stomach aches (Weber, 2021). While these plants may have aided in these treatments, there is no scientific data to back up if the plant truly did aid in the treatment of these injuries and illnesses.
The Cree, or Nehiyawak are the most populous Indigenous peoples within Canada, their territory align directly with the location of where bunchberry dogwood tends to grow (Preston, 2021).
Because Cree is such a large tribe, there are many different divisions . Such as Eastern Cree, Eeyouch located in Quebec, Swampy Cree, Maskekowiyinnwak, who are located across Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Woods Cree, Sakawuyinwak, located across Mantioba and Saskatchewan and Pine Cree, Nehiyayak or Paskwawiyinwak, who are located in Alberta and Sasktchewan. Furthermore, there are sub-groups within these divisons. Cree peoples are also related to other Indigenous tribes such as the Innu, Atikamekw, Ojibwa, Saulteux, Assinibonie, Denesuline and Metis.
Cree, while a big tribe as a whole, typically lived in smaller sized bands for the majority of the year, gathering in larger groups during the summer months. These gatherings would house exchanges, ceremonies, and social events. Cree typically occupied woodland areas, known as Ndooheenou , or nations of hunters, where they would follow animal migrations in order to have a better opportunity for hunting. because hunting was a large portion of their culture and resultingly their diet, Cree would often find themselves eating bunchberries as they often grew in the same woodlands Cree occupied.
Because Cree travelled with animal migration, they required lots of tools to aid in their long travels. One of these aids were canoes, during the summer months, typically made from the bark of birch trees . Long sheets of steamed paper birch were bent over a wooden frame, holes were glued shut with tree sap.. During the winter months, snowshoes and toboggins were used. Steamed or soaked ash wood were bent and sharpened until the desired outcome was achieved, then the shoes were laced with deer, moose or caribou hide. Sometimes, these shoes were decorated with beads or charms. Different shapes and styles were used for different snow. The swallowtail model was used when the snow was heavy, as the long and tear shaped help to make travel quicker. Other models such as beavertails, and bearpaw were used for more difficult terrain.
During their days of travel, Cree would live in cone-shaped lodges which were covered in animal hides called Wigwams. These structures were handy as they could be relocated and provided warmth, and shelter, which was great for the nomadic style of living the Cree had. Arrival of Europeans changed this way of living, trading their meat and furs for metal tools, twine and other goods, which often were overvalued compared to their offerings. Some even traded canoe for horses, allowing for a faster, more versatile way of travel.
During the summer months, when Cree communities would gather in larger sizes many cultural ceremonies ad rituals would take place such as: the Sun Dance, vision quests, sweat lodges, pipe ceremonies, and feasts, as well as the “walking out ceremony”. This ceremony is traditional to the Cree and will take place as soon as a child is able to walk or stand, as the tradition states the children feet shall not touch the ground outside a tent before the ceremony takes place. Elders will arrive to the child’s tent, and the children will walk out, dressed in traditional clothing. The children will then mimic hunting roles of the adults, and return to the tent, bearing gifts to the elders. Typically, a feat will follow the ceremony and the community embraces the child as a new member of society.
Both art and music are important parts of Cree culture, beadwork and clothing items are often highlighted, along with paintings, bags and furniture. Drums are very important part of Cree culture, as they are said to be the heartbeat of the nation. Cree have a vast worldwide view, which places a heavy emphasis on balance with nature. Each person was responsible for their own actions and their consequences. Food was always a priority and always to be shared with one another no matter how scare or plentiful the plate was (Preston, R. 2021).
Benefits
While Cree are very much a hunter-based tribes, they still consumed a lot of vegetation, though this was rather different than other tribes, because of their nomadic lifestyle. Cree were unable to farm crops of any kind as they were almost always on the move, following animal migration periods. They needed to consume what was available to them as they travelled through woodlands and hunted (Preston, 2021). Some plants that were included within their diet were, lichens, mushrooms, nuts and berries as these were all food items that could be found rather than having to be farmed. Berries, in specific provided a lot of nutrients such as Vitamin C, Potassium, Fiber, antioxidants, and polyphenols which are typically lacking in diets with a higher content of meat.
Bunchberries, found within the same woodlands that Cree would typically inhabit . They were an easy, convenient fruit to consume. Though, bunchberries are not particularly tasty, having a plain and rather dry and mealy texture though very slightly sweet. Because of this, they were often not eaten alone, mixed with other wild berries when possible, such as, black currant, gooseberry, fairy bell, red current and many others to help add flavour to the bunchberries.
Bunchberries provide Vitamin C, Potassium, astringent, they are high in pectin, and concentration of flavonoids, as well as being mildly tonic (Prins, 2007) .
The biggest benefit this berry provides is its ability to be preserved. These berries can be saved from the late summer harvest, typically in September, and can last well into the winter. This is due to the high levels of pectin in bunchberries, which acts as a thickening agent Pectin is what helps to hold the plant wall cells together.
Bunchberries were able to be stored for long periods of time, sometimes after being dried out fully in the sun, making a raisin-like snack, but more often than not, just left plain.
During the winter months, the berries would be steamed, allowed to absorb the moisture and become warm. They would be placed above a boiling pot of water, on a wooden rack, this would become a warm snack during colder months, and the steaming would help to provide some moisture to the previously dry, mealy berry, enhancing their flavour (Prins, 2007).
The main use, Cree had for bunchberry dogwood though, is not using the berries. The leaves and the stems of bunchberry dogwood were often steeped into a tea to help with kidney problems, cold symptoms, stomach aches and cramps (Weber, 2021). While these teas have been used for many years, there is very little scientific data stating it will in fact aid in the treatment for those aliments. Another use for the leaves were to cover wounds. They leaves were mashed up, and made into a paste with a small amount of water before being applied to a wound, the paste would then dry and act almost as a scab, protecting the wound from elements it would otherwise be exposed to (Weber, 2021).
Limitations
Bunchberry dogwood, while an amazing plant if you can manage to find it, has some limitations. The main one being that it is a wild berry, and thus it can be rather difficult to find especially since the plant is rather particular on where and how it will grow . Once you can find one plant, there will always be others nearby as they tend grow in groups or colonies. Another limitation is that they are rather low yielding, one plant can only produce 6-10 berries per year. As a whole, bunchberry dogwood, as a whole has always been a very useful plant, providing not only a snack or meal to those that stumble across it, but also providing some medical relief as well.
References
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