Cucurbita pepo -L.-
pumpkin, acorn squash, crookneck, summer squash, zucchini


Entry Type: Species

Species Name: Cucurbita pepo -L.-

Common Name: pumpkin, acorn squash, crookneck, summer squash, zucchini

Myaamia Name: eemhkwaani

Description:

Harvest Seasons: Summer

Harvest Comments:

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

Uses: Food

Locations: Undetermined

Sources

Aatotankiki myaamiaki 1998-2006

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Domestic pumpkins are used in a contemporary griddle-cake recipe.

Comments: N/A

Kenton, E. 1925

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Squash and pumpkins were brought to the missionaries for eating.

Comments: N/A

Pease, T. C. and R. C. Werner 1934

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Pumpkins were cultivated, dried, cooked with meat and corn and eaten. "There are abundant and excellent pumpkins. They have a mode of drying them that is not common to all the nations of this region by which they keep from one year to the next. They scrape the rind well, and take out all the inside, and cut them into slices full circle and an inch thick. They let them wither for a day in the air, after which they tie them together, putting as many as five pumpkins together in this way. They expose them to the sun for several days, which dries them out to such a degree that they break like a turnip. They cook this with meat and Indian corn. It is a great treat among them. The French always make a liberal provision of this" ("Des citrouilles en quantite qui sont excelentes elles ont une mainere de les faire secher, ce que n'ont point toutes les autres nations de ces contrees icy leqlles. elles concervent d'une annee a l'autre elles grattent bien la peau et ostent tout le dedans et les coupent par tranches de l'epaisseur d'un poulce de toute leur rondeur Et les laissent fauer un jour a l'air apres quoy elles le Lassent l'une avec l'autre Et mettent d maniere jusqu'a cinq citrouilles Ensemble Et les Exposent au soleil plussieurs jours ou elles sechent d'une maniere quelles se cassent comme un navet, ou en met cuire parmy la Viande et le Bled d'inde mesle c'est un grand regal parmy eux, Les francois en font toujours bonne provision").

Comments: N/A

Toupin, S.J. 1996

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Two types of pumpkins are cultivated and eaten, "common pumpkins and Illinois" (". . . Citrouilles communes et illinoises").

Comments: N/A

Gravier, J. ca. 1700

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

"powdered part/piece of meat, pumpkin, etc."

Comments: N/A

Bush, L. L 1996

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Human-charred cucurbit material was recoverd from an early 19th century Myaamia village site at the forks of the Wabash River (Ft Wayne) 1795-1812 (Ehler Site). Charred materials were flower scars that most closely matched acorn-type squash.

Comments: N/A

Kellogg, L.P. 1923

Reference Type: Horticultural Info

Archival Data:

Gourds [some species are in the genus Cucurbita], watermelons and sunflowers are first sprouted in a hot-bed, then transplanted into a crop field.

Comments: N/A

Kellogg, L.P. 1923

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Gourds or "pompions" grown as a food crop.

Comments: N/A

Aatotankiki myaamiaki 1998-2006

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Barbara Mullin's mother, Julia Lankford, placed pumpkins in a pressure cooker and prepared them for caning. Her grandmother and great grandmother dried pumpkins for storage.

Comments: N/A

Tyner, J.W. 1968 , September 9

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Wild/domesticated pumpkins were grown.

Comments: N/A

Gonella, M.P 2003-2006

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Pumpkins having yellowish skin and orange flesh were cultivated and eaten.

Comments: N/A

Trowbridge, C. 1824-5

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

Miami-Illinois terms for pumpkin also include "Keekēēshondoa hāāmuhkwaunau" meaning 'cut up the pumpkins' in Miami-Illinois.

Comments: N/A

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

Reference Type: Habitat

Archival Data :

A cultivated species in the Americas for thousands of years, of unknown origin, and having numerous modern cultivars and forms. A related wild species in Myaamia lands is Cucurbita foetidissima.

Comments: N/A

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

Reference Type: Habitat

Archival Data :

C. foetidissima wild pumpkin occurs in dry soils in western and potentially in eastern Myaamia.

Comments: N/A

Dunn, J.P. ca. 1900

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

"ämkwanĭ", pumpkin

Comments: N/A

Aatotankiki myaamiaki 1998-2006

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Barbara Mullin's recipe for dried pumpkins: "Cut ripe pumpkin in rings, remove the peeling hang on a stick before the fire near enough to dry slowly. This may be stored until ready for use. To prepare it should be washed and cooked any way you like pumpkin. The Indians often ate it dried".

Comments: N/A

Yarnell, R. 1976

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

A single Curcurbita pepo rind fragment was found at the Riverton archaeological site, on the Wabash River, near present day Vicennes Indiana, dating to approximately 3200 B.P.

Comments: N/A

Gatschet, A.S. ca. 1895

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

"ämxkwani", wild pumpkin

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.