Acer saccharum -L.-
sugar maple tree


Entry Type: Species

Species Name: Acer saccharum -L.-

Common Name: sugar maple tree

Myaamia Name: ahsenaamiši

Description:

Harvest Seasons: Undetermined

Harvest Comments:

Habitats: Dry Prairie grasslands, Wet Prairie grasslands with flooding, Conifer Shrubland and Forest

Uses: Food, Medicinal

Locations: Geboe Property

Sources

Hockett, C.F. 1985

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Maple tree sap, ahsenaamišipowi, is made into maple syrup.

Comments: N/A

Draper, L.C 1815-1891

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Sugar camps were inhabited in the spring: "In the spring of the year 1790 or 91, a party of Indians crossed the Ohio (it was at the time the people were attending their sugar camps) and the write of this note, on hearing that they had crossed the river raised a party of volunteers for the purpose of interupting them on their reutrn".

Comments: N/A

Olds, J., Olds, D. and D. Tippman 1999

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

". . . my uncle John lived in Huntington [Indiana]. He would tap those trees and so then we had a long sled . . .and we had a big black kettle. They'd cook that down and when it got down so far, why we'd take sticks and we'd put it in there you known and whirl it and keep a little on there. Then we'd take it out when it would get cold or put it in the snow, because sometimes there would be snow [done during the Fall]. And then we'd put it back. Sometimes we'd get a big sucker with that. That was fun. We liked that".

Comments: N/A

Tippman, D. 1999

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Sugar maple trees were tapped for obtaining "sugar water" which was used to make maple syrup.

Comments: N/A

Tippman, D. 1999

Reference Type: Use - Medicinal

Archival Data:

"Uncooked "sugar water" tapped from sugar maples used for cuts, scratches and inflammation. "Sugar water" used in combination with epsom salts and applied as a poultice, which was tied to the area with a bandage and left on overnight, drawing out the 'poison' or slivers. This process was not used on animals".

Comments: N/A

Gatschet, A.S. ca. 1895

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

"These Indians prefer hard maple to soft maple sugar and manufacture it themselves, they also say that box elder makes poor sugar".

"sanamizhi pangosakan [literally "boiled and left to dry"], maple sugar; it is collected in buckets or troughs to solidfy, made of box-elder wood, cicikwa'ksi".

Comments: N/A

Gleason, H.A. and Cronquist, A. 1991

Reference Type: Habitat

Archival Data :

Occurs in rich to dry woods and uplands in eastern and western Myaamia lands.

Comments: N/A

McPherson, A. and S. McPherson. 1977

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

"It was a festive time for the Miami Indians when they returned from their winter hunting grounds with furs and maple syrup and sugar. Not only did they relish this natural sweet but it was also an important item of barter for them. Hoosier pioneers quickly learned from the Indians how to tap the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and make the delicious "tree molasses." In 1900, Indiana ranked third in the nation for production of maple syrup".

Comments: N/A

Hockett, C.F. 1985

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

Another Myaamisaword for the sugar maple is "šεnαmižαhkwα".

Comments: N/A

Rafert, S. 1989

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

"maple tree"

Comments: N/A

Kerr, J. 1835

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

Another representation of a Miami-Illinois terms for the sugar maple tree is "fanυmejυqe".

Comments: N/A

Dunn, J.P. ca. 1900

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

"sugar maple tree, si-no-min-dji"

Comments: N/A

Anonymous 1837

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

"sugar tree"

Comments: N/A

Legends

  • L.: L. stands for Carl Linneaus, a Swedish botanist and zoologist living from 1707 - 1778, who formed the binomial nomenclature system for scientific naming of species (the two part name). His initial after a scientific name indicates he was the authority for that species name.
  • sp.: Indicates the actual species name cannot or need not be specified. Example: Lilium sp. indicates a single species in the genus Lilium that is not known or does not need to be specified.
  • spp.: (plural) indicates "several species", two or more species of the given genus. Example: Lilium spp. indicates 2 or more species in the genus that cannot or do not need to be distinguished.
  • Use - Unknown: A record for this plant exists but does not include explicit information about the plant's cultural use. It is probable the Myaamia used the plant.
  • Botanical Sources: Sources of any botanical data for this plant species that is not related to its cultural use or significance.
  • Related Sources: Data indirectly related to Myaamia ethnobotany, including non-Myaamia uses of the plant in contemporary and historic times.
  • Myaamia Archival Sources: All records of plant use obtained directly from a Myaamia tribal member in an interview, recorded by a second party or by self-recording.
  • Undetermined (Plant Use): There exists use or other information about a certain, unknown plant species, but the specific species has not yet been determined.
  • Medicinal: For the purposes of this database, medicinal uses of plants and medicinal knowledge are defined as: Commonly held communal knowledge regarding the use of plant-based substances that aid in maintaining a healthy mind, body or spirit, including tonics and teas.
  • Technology: For the purposes of this database, technological uses of plants are defined as: Plants used in the making of food processing, canoes, rafts, dyes, tools, utensils, weapons, hunting and fishing gear (i.e. net, weir, etc.), cordage, string, rope, fodder plant species, firewood, any plants used in trade, etc.
  • Material: For the purposes of this database, material uses of plants are defined as: Plants used in construction of dwellings (floor mats, roofing, side walls), furniture, baskets, storage items, musical instruments, games, crafts, jewelry, cordage used in crafts, etc.
  • Food: For the purposes of this database, food uses of plants are defined as: Plants used as consumed food, spices and seasonings, but not teas or tonics.
  • Customs: For the purposes of this database, customary uses of plants are defined as: Plants involved in a customary ceremony, ritual or traditional event, including ritual smoking, chewing tobacco, war rituals, special mats used to sit on during ceremonies. Customary uses of plants, in this database, does not including plants used for recreation (material), structures where ceremonies take place (material) or medicinal smoking (medicinal).
  • Eastern Myaamia Lands: Eastern Myaamia lands (eastern myaamionki) are centered around northern Indiana, and including western Ohio, eastern Illinois, southern Michigan, and the northernmost portions of Kentucky.
  • Western Myaamia Lands: Western Myaamia lands (western myaamionki) include western Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma.