Entry Detail


white oak


Entry Type:  
Species
Scientific Name:  
Common Name:  
white oak
Myaamia Name:  
waawaapinkwaahkatwi

Media 
Media not available.
Myaamia Archival Sources  
Reference Source Reference Type Archival Data Comments
Lamb, E.W., Shultz, L.W. 1964 Use - Medicinal 

The bark was soaked in water then used on burns.

Lamb, E.W., Shultz, L.W. 1964 Use - Medicinal 

"For burns, the remedy was bark from the white oak (Quercus alba) which had been soaked in water. This would be tannic acid and is actually our accepted remedy for burns. We buy tannic acid in powder form from drug stores or get it directly from doctors".

Bush, L. L 1996 Use - Material 

Human-charred white oak timbers, used in construction, were recovered from an early 19th century Myaamiavillage site at the forks of the Wabash River.

Anonymous 1724 Use - Medicinal 

"The bark or the root of the white oak boiled for wounds. The leaf of the same wood is also perfectly good" ("De l'ecorce ou de la Racine de Chesne blanc bouilly pour les playes ce feuille du meme bois est aussy parfaitement bonne").

The author is describing tribal customs from the upper Midwest, probably including some of the Miami-Illlinois tribal groups. – Michael Gonella
Botanical Sources  
Reference Source Reference Type Data Comments
Gleason, H.A. and Cronquist, A. 1991 Habitat 

Occurs in upland woods in eastern and western Myaamia lands.

Related Sources  
Reference Source Reference Type Data Comments
Costa, D. 2005  

"8a8iping8kat8i", white oak

Dunn, J.P. ca. 1900  

"wawapingakatwi, white oak tree"

Gatschet, A.S. ca. 1895  

"wewipingwakki, white oak", weepinkwaahki

Thwaites, R.G. (ed.) 1903  

"The Oak is so good, that I believe it exceeds ours for building Ships."

This record probably referred to the fact that the oaks encountered by the Europeans in North America in the 1600-1700s were much larger than those of Europe (Gonella field note: personal communication with George Ironstrack, 2006). – Michael Gonella
Trowbridge, C. 1824-5  

"waupingwauhkautaa, white oak"

Trowbridge, C. 1824-5  

"kaaoohkungk nonee weepingwauhkart, it has blown down that white oak"

Gatschet, A.S. ca. 1895  

The Miami-Illinois term for the nut of an acorn, is alakaya.