IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)
%
/.
/..
o
J/.
f/.
^
1.0
I.I
1.25
us
?.2
liS 1 2.0
lU
1.6
Photographic
Sciences
Corporation
23 WEST MAIN STREET
WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580
(716) 872-4303
n<
A
iV
^9)
V
■%'
^<h
CIHM/ICMH
Microfiche
Series.
CIHM/ICMH
Collection de
microfiches.
Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques
Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques
The Institute has attempted to obtain the best
original copy available for filming. Features of this
copy which may be bibliographically unique,
which may alter any of the images in the
reproduction, or which miy significantly change
the usual method of filming, are checked below.
r~T| Coloured covers/
In/ I Couverture de couleur
rr^l Covers damaged/
Couverture endommag^e
□ Covers restored and/cr laminated/
Couverture restaurde et/ou pelliculie
D
D
D
D
D
a
Cover title missing/
Le titre de couvertrre manque
I I Coloured maps/
Cartes giographiques est couleur
Coloured ink (i.e. other than olue or black)/
Encre da couleur (i.e. autre que bloue ou noire)
Coloured plates and/or illustrations/
Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur
Bound with other material/
ReliA avec d'autres documents
Tight bindir«g mav causa shadows or distortion
along interior margm/
La re liure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou do la
distorsion le long de la marge intdrieure
Blank leaves added during restoration may
appear within the text. Whenever possible, these
have been omitted from filming/
II se peut que oartaines pages blanches ajouties
lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte,
mais, lorsque cela dtait possible, ces pages n'ont
pas M filmies.
The
to th
L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire
qu'il lui a iti possible de se procurer. Les details
de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du
point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier
une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une
modification dans la m^thode normale de filmage
sont ind.qu^s ci-dessous.
□ Coloured pages/
Pages de couleur
□ Pages damaged/
Pages endommagdes
n
n
Pages restored and/or laminated/
Pages restaur^es et/ou pelliculdes
J~y^ Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/
The
poss
of tt
filmi
Orig
begi
the I
sion
othe
first
sion
or il
Pages ddcoloriies, tachet^es ou piquees
Pages detached/
Pages detachees
Showthrough/
Transparence
Quality of prir
Quality inigale de {'impression
Includes supplementary materia
Comprend du materiel supplamentaire
r~n Pages detached/
r~7\ Showthrough/
I I Quality of print varies/
r~n Includes supplementary material/
Only edition available/
Seule Edition disponible
Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata
slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to
ensure the best possible image/
Les pages totalemetit ou partiellement
obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure,
etc., ont iti film^es d nouveau de facon i
obtenir la meilleure image possiblt*.
The
shal
TINI
whii
MaF
diff«
enti
beg
righ
reqt
met
Additional comments:/
Commentaires suppl^mentaires;
Pagination is as follows : [115] 121 p.
This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/
Ce document est filmi au taux de reduction indiqui ci-dessous.
10X
14X
18X
22X
26X
30X
y
12X
16X
20X
24X
28X
32X
tails
du
sdifier
une
-nage
The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks
to the generosity of:
National Library of Canada
The images appearing here are the best quality
possible considering the condition and legibility
of the original copy and in keeping with the
filming contract specifications.
L'exemplaire film6 fut reproduit grflce d ia
g6n6rosit6 de:
Bibiiothdque nationaie du Canada
Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le
plus grand soin. compte tenu de la condition et
de ia nettetd de l'exemplaire film6, et en
conformity avec les conditions du contrat de
filmage.
Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed
beginning with the front cover and ending on
the last page with a printed or Illustrated impres-
sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All
other original copies are filmed beginning on ^he
first page with a printed or illustrated impres-
sion, and ending on the last page with a printed
or illustrated impression.
Les exempiaires originaux dont la couverture en
papier est imprimie sont fiim6s en commenpant
par.le premier plat et en terminant soit par ia
dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte
d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second
plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exempiaires
originaux sont filmds en commengant par la
premidre page qui comporte une empreinte
d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par
la dernidre page qui comporte une telle
emprbinte.
The last recorded frame on each microfiche
shall contain the symbol -^(meaning "CON-
TINUED"), or the symbol y (meaning "END"),
whichever at: ilies.
Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at
different reduction ratios. Those too large to be
entirely included in one ex'-osure are filmed
beginning in the upper lei., nand corner, left to
right and top to bottom, as many frames as
required. The following diagrams illustrate the
method:
Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la
dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le
cas: le symbole — ► signifie 'A SUIVRE ", le
symbole V signifie "FIN".
Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre
fiimds d des taux de rdduction diffdrents.
Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre
reproduit en un seul clichd, il est filmd d partir
de I'angle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite,
et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre
d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants
iliustrent ia m6thode.
rrata
;o
selure,
1 i
a
32X
1 2 3
1
2
3
4
5
6
m
INDIAN
USE OF W-ILD RICE ^<:5# '^
in*
-ii
1 -^.^ss— *- ^g|
i
[ Prom Thb AMS»ir Aj{fHBOSK>LOQMiT for Amih,
WASH1N«T<)N, ». C.
1896
i
r
*
•
•
i
•
a
1
•
-*■■*■'
-' ' • ■' ^■
» »
r
r
■ ■'.•■■
- ;
■
■
''^,. \ V
■■J
■T.
X
X
'J
w
o
4.
x
o
/5
BrtTiTIWllWWffrf— |i|< i< iiw^gjg^iMa;
UJ
LPi
INDIAN USB OP WILD RICE
GARDNER P. STICKXEY
i -
" Our sonirs being finished we began our teeth to worke. We
had there a kinde of rice, much like oats. It growes in the watter
in ;] or 4 foote dcepe. There is a God tliat shews hiinselfe in
every eountrey, ahniglity, fuUofgoodnesse and y preservation of
those poore people who knoweth hiui not. They have a particular
way to gather up that graine. Two takes a boat and two sticks,
by w"" they gett y" eare downe and gett the corne out of it. Their
I)oat being full, they ])ring it to a fitt place to dry it; and that
is their food for the most part of the winter, and doe dresse it
thus: ifor each man a handfuU of that they putt in the pott,
that swells so much that it can sullice a man."' Thus wrote
Pierre d'Esprit, Hieur Radisson, in 16G8, for the information of
Charles II, of England.
W'dd rice, Zhniwi aqnatlca, is common throughout eastern
North America, but is most abundant in the shallows of the
(ireat Lakes region. It is also termed Indian, water, and wild
oats and marsh rye. iVlthough known to rinujcus,' it has never
been extensively used, except by some tribes of North American
Indians. It grows best from the rich, muddy, slimy bottoms of
gently llowing streams or their expansions into marshy lakes.
The stagnant water of swamps and the still water of small spring
lakes do not seem to furnish its necessities. In scarcely moving
water the stalks sometimes come up from a depth of ten feet or
more, but this grass is commonly found in water from two to
' Radisson's Fouvth Voi/ai/e, in Wis. Hist. Coll., vol. xr, p. 89.
^ I. A. Lapham. G'ca.w.s of Wlsconmi, in Trans. Wis. Agr. Society, 1853.
JO
(115)
IIC)
THK AMKUICAX ANTJr l{()POI,()(il8T
[Vol. IX
i-->
four fcrt (locp. It oi't.Mi roaches ii lioij,']it of nine or ten feet and
^M-()\vs ill a thick mass; th(! leaves are h»n,ir, ilat. aii<" hiiiceolate ;
tlie paiiich! is |)yraiiii.lal ii< form ; the lower hranches are spread-
iiifj;an(lstamiiuite; the upper hranches erect and pistillate. This
unusual arran<,'emeiit necessitates a reversal of the common
method of fertilization. In wild rice the small grains of pollen
are lighter than the surrounding atmosphere. So, on leaving the
anther, instead of falling, as in most plants, they rise to come in
contact with the stigmas and jjroduce fertilization.'' This va-
riety of grass is exceedingly prolific. While found in many of
the lakes and streams of northern Wisconsin, it does not grow in
all of those which seem fitted for it. [t can he sown in %-oper
j)laces with good results. It is an annual, the plant from the
seed dropped in the fall coming ui) through the water in early
•luneand at once putting forth its llower-stalk. It flowers ni
July and early .\ugust and reaches maturity in Se[)teml)er. The
seed is longer than that of common rice and is of a dark slate
(H)lor. This plant is tlie./oZ/c.v aroincs of the early French writers.
Its harvest marked an important time in the Indian's year and
preceded the great annual autumnal hunt. With the ancient
village sites and the hest hunting grounds, the rice fields were
esteemed the most valuahle tribal property and were vigorouslv
defended. '
At the i)resent day wild rice is an important item in the diet
of the Ojibwa Indians of Wisconsin. The fields on Kakagon
river, several miles from their village, are annually visited^for
the harvest. In the Ojihwa. tongue August is .Manomiiiik(>gisiss,
the "rice-making moon." About the first of this month "these
Indians prepare large (juantities of cedar-bark rope or twine,
using the inner bark torn into long, narrow strips, which are
then tied together. This twine is rolled into a large ball for con-
venience in handling. Toward the mid.lle of August, when the
rice is ill the milk, they visit the rice fields in their canoes. Two
women usually work together. One paddles or pushes the canoe ;
the other sits or kneels, with her roll of cedar twine behind her^
the end passing forward through a ring on her shoulder. This
woman gathers as many rice-stalks as she can conveniently
reach and fastens them together in a sheaf by passing her twine
•''C. L. Flint. Gi-ininex niid Fnmt/r PItmtx, p. 80.
* \V. \V. Warren. Ulxtunj nj'lhc Ojihw(n/s, p. 222.
[Vol. IX
I t'ct't and
n('(3ul:itc ;
\'v. sprc'iid-
iitc. 'riii.s
CDlHIllOll
of ])olIcn
living the
) come in
Tlii.s va-
many of
>t grow in
II proper
from tlie
in early
owers in
er. The
ark slate
1 writers,
year and
I ancient
ild.s were
gorously
the diet
Cakagon
■*itc(l for
kegisiss,
th these
r twine,
lich are
for con-
'Iien the
iS. 1 wo
e canoe;
ind her,
I-. This
3niently
if twine
April 18!)(J]
IMil.W IISK OK Wll,l) l{((K
around the stalks just I.elow the heads and tving it. This enahl..s
her later to gather a large harvest with less trouhle, the sheaf
being handled more easily and more seeurelv than the loose
stalks an<l less gran, is kn<.cked into the water in the handlin.^
I he sh,;aves stand in rows just far enough apart to allow a cant^e
t.. pass between the rows.' After allowing them to stand about
two weeks, the grain then being ripe, the women return in their
canoes and harvest the crop. Formerly the heads were some-
times cut oil with a knife and carried to the shore, but this could
not be done to advantage when the seeds were ripe.
Some of tlie Indians, instead of using the twine, would for-
merly gather a handful of stalks and twist them together and
downward, leavmg the grain thus to ripen ; thev proceeded in this
manner over a considerable district.« When thev came later to
gather the seed, each woman knew her own bv some peculiarity
ot the twist, and the rights of this ownership were respected
taryer says that ea.m family ha<l its allotment and was able to
distinguish ,t by the manner in which tlje sheaves were fastened ^
leather Manjuette i)robal)ly referred to this practice when he
wrote: "They divide the ground .vhereon this wild rice -rows
so that each one can reap his own sei)arately without trespassin.^
on his neighbor's patch.'"*
Sometinics the rice is harvested without the preliminary
binding into sheaves. Two women work together sittin- in the
extremes ot a canoe facing each other. The one at the" rear is
equipped with a long, light pole with which to push the canoe
along, this pole being sometimes forked at one end to keep it
from sinking too far in the muddy bottom of the stream The
\yoman at the bow holds two slender .-edar sticks a trifle more
than three tbet in length. These sticks are 1 i inches in diameter
at the butt and tai.er almost to a point. They are specially
prei)ared tor this ])ur|)ose and are used for none other One of
them IS sometimes made with a curve or hook at one end \s
the canoe is slowly pushe.l through the thicklv grown stalks of
nee, tins woman bends the stalks over the canoe from one side
with her curved stick and strikes the heads smartlv with the
^' liev. C. Verwyst, (). S. F., i„ a porsonul \et^.
A. G. Fills. Ji.colMous, in Wi.s. Hist. Coll., vol. vir, n •>(!.',
^ . Carver. Trarrh, Phi la. e.l., 1784, p. I'lO.
118
TIIK AMKRICA;V ANTHUOI'OL.KIIHT
[Vol. IX
Other stick, (li^I.).ltrinjr tj,,. yniin mikI caininfr it to fall into the
oanoe. {{eversi,,- Imiids, she ..pcnites in th.,- s:u.ie wuv on tho
other side „t the .-anoe. Ahout a -ill is detaehe.l at eai'h blow
IhiH operation is continued until the forward oml of the canoe
IS heavdy loaded an<l sinks .leep in the water. Then the women
exchan,t,'e implements and duties, hut k,..p their respective «eats,
and the direction of the canoe's mov.Mnent is reversed Tlie
work is resumed and is carried on until the other en<l of the
canoe is also loade.l, when the women push it to the sjmre an.l
at once he-in their pivparations f„r dryin- and separating the
rice ft 18 covered at this sta'^^e with an unusuallv t.-naciouH
husk, and has a l.eanl ahout two inches 1,,,,-. When hound in
sheaves the rice is j^athered in the sa-ne manner. Usually how-
ever, after the twine is slipped otf the see.l droj.s into the'canoe
on being shaken over it."
The grain is dried in three ways. Some nierelv spread it on
skins or blankets in the sun until it is thoroughlV cured The
quickest process is that of parching a handful at a time in a
kettle over the tire, but this method to some extent destroys the
nutritive qualities of the grain. The common wav is to build a
light scaffold, calle.l abwa.ljigan by the Ojibwas, about three feet
rom the ground. Upon it is placed a mat of basswood or cedar
bark to hold the grain, and und,.rneath a slow fire is built
Sometimes the scaffold is inclosed by a hed-e or fence of .^-een
cedar branches to confine the heat an.l then.bv .|uickeM the .Irv-
ing process. The rice ..n the mat is turned .)r"sl,aken from ti.ne
tfUmie, and it usually takes a .lay t.) dry a, scaflbldful.
«0. T. Mas.»i, Orii^lns of I^nrution, ,,. liH), says: " Wlici-ev^T sava-es
I.avo hoen v.sitcl in tlu-ir native sin.pli.-ity, tlu-y soon, tn iuuo t\nuu\
out just how lo^.irner ti.o ,)n„hi,.ts of ti.o plants in the host niannor-
. . . the Ujihwa uonum i.a.ldios hor .-anoo anmnu' th." wihl ri.v an.l
with a proper wand f^out. tho .seo.ls into a .-oarso .nut sproa.I .,n thj bot-
t<.m. 8ee.l-jrathonnj; seems to have h.-on oon.lncto.l in much tho same
mannm- by many In.lian tribos. Soo V. V. Coviiio, in An,. Antliropolo-
In<ur,^, y, („, on the Man.lan.s, lieeH, an.l Pawnees. In Ou llu' Hnrder
It;/' !■•' ';•;•'' ?^J'\-^- ^^- '^-•■^^' ->- -The Apache women pl^o
then- conical baskets un.lor tho tops of the stalks of soo.l-bearin. -nises
draw hese down u.itil they inolino ovor tho baskets, and thenl,^ tS
S;:;;;;;:;;:-""'^"^' ^^"'^•" ^'^"^^^=^" theseedtonm intothereoep.
April i.snr.]
iNDIAN USK op VVHJ) lucK
119
Fo, .sopunan,, th. husk In,,., tl.. k.-n.ol u hole i. dn, i., suit-
't'.lo ground, about u loot u,.,l , l.alf.U.p ,,.., ti.,-,,. ,; „
'■mnleronce. Alter tl.. .,,.1,. i.s dry four or five mnrts f '
tnte, ii ha- a.i.l laid m the hole. The '• st-.hv.rf I .... " ..
u™,i. ,.„ i. „„ui ,1. ,,„„,. i„ „„, ;: ,;,;',,;, ;;:;;
".■k UK „S |„.,.|,„MUU„.„ I,,,. „„,,,,, „,„„„ „, ,1,^. „_ "
presen .l.j-atuo i, s„„„„i,„c.s sul.titnlo,! for the I.,;:,, i,.
Rrouml. Alto,- th„ l„,sk is detacho,! th,, .M-ui„ i. ■ '., '
::,::'■ 'i-r;:-;'^ -'■ ■',"■■•'■'->-* '- ■- -.i :.::,;:;;",::
•Jm in., u 111 a kettle. It is always cnuked uu<a-ound ^^n,^ .,«„ ,11
wUhout seaso...... Cooked .ntoa paste it isC;;!n [^^^
toi biead. Ihe h.-oth ol meat and fish is also thiekened with if
1. very nourishing; an aere of wild rice hein, sah o A. h
about asn.uch nutriment as an acre of wheat fjev 'l v
Verwvst, O. S. F of the O.Im.imK t» . ''^ •'^'''.vsost'.m
" W.-ri .• . ''•'''^ ^['"^ Udanah Reservation mission, writes •
\ Id nee IS very palatable, a..d the writer and his , ,' itu i
children p.-efer it to the rice of conu.ierce althoud t
^>ok ,iuite so nice. I am verv Ibnd .^' "- T f \ I "'^ '"'
Indians i)arched rice until it lm...f r AIiNs.ssaoua
lunUers and fisher, n I t nutor/'^'T"^
Ho.. ...yco..m.oniyused^^;;:i!;;::
;i IHM Dablon, in the Relation of l(;71,savs- -'The f-it off.
-'»'^l-",xed with wild oats makes the .uost\le 1 t , ' "■
t us coiiiiti'v " " v.. n • , 'iLiicaie (iish of
«,..:i;i,,,,i;r;:=r;n-"':t;::*;;;:;;::
'■'Op. cit.,p. 210.
;;inWis.Hist. Coll.,vol. .x„r, p.42i)
'* Fa,sre 44.
v^m.'' '"'''- ^''"''"''■" '''' ■''" '" ^<^^-. i" wi. ,ii«t. c,.n., v„i. V..,
120
) '
i'N
TIIK AMKUK'AN- A \Tir l((>I>()M)firST
[Vol. IX
dish was ro,n,H.so.] ol wil.l n<-c, corn, un.l (ish hoilc] t.x^ethor-
U . also senv .ith .napic svn., anW with <..-anI,e.-Hes It
sNNells.irreatlyv.-h.M. ,u.t into tlu- water. A small han.lfnl i!
enough for tin, nioal of a lar^ro fa.nily.'^
Ill ;l(lr 1 if ion f,> !>,>;.,, :. . .
enoujrii for tin; nioal of a lariro fainilv.''
In ad.iition to l.ein.u^ an important article of food for Imnsdf
an. us nuudy wild rice served tluMndian of, orn.er.::
another way. It attracted vast „un.l,ers o." wild fowl of every
ort and thns hron.nt to hi.n another ,reat food-snpply. Z
iondness wluch these birds evin.-o for wild rice is w I \"
- M >, ma,He su,ar. and ruv were the conunodities oin.red
'o. -le hy the (),,lnva of s,.venty years n,o. In 1S2() a Imshel
.^=uk o( nee was value.l at two skins, the price of a In.-e orin.e
'-verpelt.'^ At the present day this ..dn n.av he l^ui'
storc^n sonu" of UHM^-itiesj,f northern Wisconsin.
'«.r. W. Hi,l<lie, i„ Wis. n^C^]7yo\7Z^\ ~~~
'All iiitdlijr,.nt lmlf-I:l,.o.l of the (Muinli ivJerv-.H ..,
;:::;H:r:"'rr'""r'"7"'- --"n:r::,r;;i;':,;:;
I ! FST
'■•^Ii lioilc-d toiiethor.'"
itli cranhemes. It
\ sinal! handful i.s
of food for liiiijsc'lf
1 of foi-juof days in
wild fowl of every
food-supply, 'riio
■i<'e is well known,
■y can ho found in
' it ai>ounds. 'Hk"
lesfi-iptions of the
ii-oiind the Zl-:<tma
I. The hirds were
i<'e, "irexpressihly
IS a(h co\'. l)ut also
nxelf in its thick
hirds witli a clul).
, wild I'iee is liar-
4s hut a, few days,
10 sliiihtest touch.
netin)es sliake 'I
sheaves ahove de-
^ fi'on.i this cause.
last throu-h the
' lor each lahiily.
•s much aslwenty-
<)jil)was of today
luc i'aniily.
iinoilitics oli(.|-('d
111 hSl'O a hushcl
01 a lar^ic. pi'inie
i-iy he hought at
sin.
itidii writes me in
>iiiach real (hH and
V nutritions, it pro-
April l,S9(i]
INDrAX Vi^K OF WIL,') IlIcE
121
I he value ol wdd rice to the \Visconsin Indians of early davs
<-an s,-arcely he estin.ate.l.'^' They were han-lv heuinninj; to tun',
then- attention to a.uriculture.- The ahun.lance of this crop the
case w,th_ which it was harveste<! and transported to their homcss
and the hicts that it required no lahor in preparing the ground
and no care wlnle coming to n>aturity rendered it easily their
nio.-,t important vegetalde foo.l. It was one of their staples of
suhsistenee, tar more imi)ortant to them than corn.^'
Tl.ere were two centers of Indian population in the .listrict
that IS now \V isconsin-one along the southern sliore of Lake
superior well toward its western end, and the othar in Fox River
valley. I ho hi.^t was composed chielly of Qjibwa, and tlie latter
oKMenoiuim, P(,tawatomi,Sauk and Fox, Ahiscoutin. Miami and
K.kapu, in straggling onh-r. Both regions were very good Ibr
..sh.ng and fair for the hunting of large game, hut undouhtedly
the prune cause of the location of the In.lian villages was tl,;
great crops of wild rice to he obtained in each place with tlie
outlay ot little lahor.'^'^ The immense acreage and the dense
growth insured a bountiful harvest to every one who was willin..
o work. 1 n some parts of Fox river this grain grew so denselC
^ mt passages tor boats had to be cut through it, and in one place
it spread over an area five miles long by two miles wide '^^' When
we read ot one sir.all lake which would furnish a supply for 2,000
I'Hhans, and then realiz,> that this region was full of lakes and
streams ehoke.l with wild ri.e, it comes forciblv uiu.n us that
I'crem truth was an Indian paradise. '
'•'See Wan-on, op. Ht., pp. 4(),^^ ,;;;7^^.,,:^,";;;;;7/^
1'. • -', M(.te; Newberry in I'op. Sei. .Afonthlv. vol. vxx„ p •;,
■ See .Iar,uette, Rrl,„iu„, Uul ; also \Vanvn, op. eit:. p.m For ,.,„.
'- •!. i.iviies llisliirii i,j Aiiirrira, vol. i.
uri'/'''"«V; .^'""^'-''"^ '" '' l"''-'^"""' li'ttcr. .My l,alf-l.!oo.l friend ai.o
n es " , ,s p,.esun.e,l to have been the ...ain sonree of f^.o.l on le i^
n.c.a,n.a,ies„.ar,an.lli«h." See also A;<7,,//..., n;;^s, p ->,
< '. U . I< eutherstonlumgl,. | ',»/„,/, ./> thr Minnay-Sulor, p 1S4
f