Carya spp. -Nutt.-
hickory tree


Entry Type: Species

Species Name: Carya spp. -Nutt.-

Common Name: hickory tree

Myaamia Name: peešiaanikopa

Description:

Harvest Seasons: Undetermined

Harvest Comments:

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

Uses: Food, Material, Technology

Locations: Undetermined

Sources

Kinietz, V. 1938

Reference Type: Use - Material

Archival Data:

Shingaukekaunekee is a game played on the ice, with a bow, about fifteen feet long, four inches wide and a half an inch thick, made from hickory or another hard wood. "it may be said to resemble a sleigh runner rather than a bow, in shape, and one end is thicker & heavier than the other. Two people play, and each has a boundary, quite far apart, that the other tries to obtain by throwing the bow. The bow is thrown to move towards the far boundary, each person trying to gain their own boundary behind their opponent. The whole village is involved, and there are objects of value staked upon the game, by the villagers. Sometimes the game starts by one village sending a challenge to another village, by way of a miniature bow, decorated with the items to be staked upon the game. Poles are set up during the game, for hanging these items used for betting".

Comments: N/A

Rafert, S. 1989

Reference Type: Use - Technology

Archival Data:

"But they also made it of hickory bark and fastened it in bundles and fired that and made torches with that, to walk by at night and spear fish . . . This getting fish at night when the water's clear was the best way in the world to get them".

Comments: N/A

Gatschet, A.S. ca. 1895

Reference Type: Use - Technology

Archival Data:

Peoria arrows were made of hickory and dogwood.

Comments: N/A

Bush, L. L 1996

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Human-charred hickory shell material recovered from excavations at an early 19th century Myaamia village site (Ehler Site, 1795-1812), Fort Wayne.

Comments: N/A

Gatschet, A.S. ca. 1895

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

 "pakanīzhi", "pakáni tawáni" and "pakanizháxkwi" all mean the "hickory tree in all its species as enumerated under pakani".

Comments: N/A

Dunn, J.P. 1908

Reference Type: Use - Technology

Archival Data:

"The Miamis did not use birch-bark canoes, which the Algonquians usually called tci-maun, but they sometimes made canoes of hickory or elm bark. The name for these is la-kik-kwi-mis-so-li or bark canoe".

Comments: N/A

Tippman, D. 1999

Reference Type: Use - Technology

Archival Data:

Stems hollowed out using a willow branch, then a whittled down hickory stick placed inside along with a paper wad to make a pop-gun.

Comments: N/A

Gonella, M.P 2003-2006

Reference Type: Use - Technology

Archival Data:

Hickory wood is used to make a bow.

Comments: N/A

Burns, N.L. 1938

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

A Peoria observation of Nez Perces when they were held in Miami: "To make their bows they would bury their hickory poles in the coals until the outside of the poles charred and then they would scrape off the charred portion. This was repeated until the pole became the size wanted and in this way the wood was seasoned at the same time."

Comments: N/A

Gonella, M.P 2003-2006

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Hickory nuts are gathered for eating.

Comments: N/A

Gatschet, A.S. ca. 1895

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

In the traditional story Young Thunder William Pekongah describes the crops he had growing on his land 160 acres of reserve in central Indiana. "There I planted corn, wheat, potatoes, peas, tobacco, beans, apple trees, pumpkins, watermelons, cucumbers, onions, hay, straw, gooseberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, turnips, tomatoes, pawpaws, cherries, strawberries, plums, blackhaws, peaches, walnut trees, pecans, hickory nuts, barley and rye."

Comments: N/A

Anonymous 1837

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

 "qefeneqopυ, hickory"

Comments: N/A

Dunn, J.P. ca. 1900

Reference Type: Use - Technology

Archival Data:

Bird arrows with a blunt point made out of dogwood and hickory wood, both which sink in the water.

Comments: N/A

Dunn, J.P. ca. 1900

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

"pä́cĭánĭkópa, hickory"

Comments: N/A

Dunn, J.P. ca. 1900

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

"The Weas use kwä́cĭánĭkópa generically", for all hickories.

Comments: N/A

Gatschet, A.S. ca. 1895

Reference Type: Use - Material

Archival Data:

"nusikáni, sweat-lodge or aboriginal sudatory [sweat lodge]. These temporary structures consisted of bent branches of hickory or other trees, and planted in the ground on both ends. A buffalo or cowhide was thrown over the circular space within, and after excluding the outside air, heated stones were brought inside and steam developed by throwing water".

Comments: N/A

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

Reference Type: Habitat

Archival Data :

Occurs in rich, moist soils.

Comments: N/A

Shea, J.G. 1903

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

Allouez remarked about the Illinois' use of bow and arrow: "They ordinarily carry only the warclub, bow, and a quiver full of arrows, which they discharge so adroitly and quickly, that men armed with guns, have hardly time to raise them to the shoulder. They also carry a large buckler made of skins of wild cattle; which is arrow-proof, and covers the whole body".

Comments: N/A

Kellogg, L.P. 1923

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

Great Lakes tribes in general, use sweats to treat many illnesses. To provoke a sweat, hickory wood and pine branches are boiled in a kettle under the person, causing a profuse sweat

Comments: N/A

Bush L. L. 2003

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

Archaeological studies have demonstrated that nuts preserved as nutshell (walnut, hickory and hazelnut species) were an important wild food resource utilized by Late Woodland indigenous peoples of central and southern Indiana prior to 700 A.D. through approximately 1450 A.D. Results of these studies indicate that nut use declined over the Late Woodland period prior to 700 A.D. to 1450 A.D. probably due to increased cultivation of fall-maturing crops like corn, and conflicts with gathering nuts during this same time period.

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.