Entry Detail


northern white cedar


Entry Type:  
Species
Scientific Name:  
Common Name:  
northern white cedar
Myaamia Name:  

Media 
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Myaamia Archival Sources  
Reference Source Reference Type Archival Data Comments
Pease, T. C. and R. C. Werner 1934 Use - Technology 

Wood used as a baseboard when hand-starting fires. "One of the pieces of wood which they use to make a fire is of white cedar; which is the most combustible, a foot long more or less, according as they choose to make it, and as thick as two fingers. On one side, on the very edge, they make little holes, in which they make a notch. They put this bit of wood on some rotten wood or on some grass, dry and very fine, after taking care to crush it thoroughly in their hands. The other piece of wood is as thick as the little finger, it is a bit of a wood that has a black berry, which we call morette. When this wood is green it is very soft, and it is proportionately hard when it is dry. They shape the end to the size of the holes in the other piece of wood, into one of which they insert it, and by turning it in their hands without ceasing, they produce a sort of powder from which, after a very short time, one sees smoke issue, which shortly is converted into flame. This coming through the notch of which I have just spoken, falls on the rotten wood or dry grass, which is ignited".

Botanical Sources  
Reference Source Reference Type Data Comments
Small, J.K. 1903 Description 

Two species were commonly called white cedar, according to SmallĀ  (1903) including Thuja occidentalis, and Chamaecyparis thoides, also known as cypress, but the latter is found predominately on the coastal plain.

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

Occurs in moist soils and swamps in eastern Myaamia lands.

Related Sources  
Reference Source Reference Type Data Comments
Kellogg, L.P. 1923  

Great Lakes tribes, in general, used the sap squeezed from the ends of well-boiled cedar branches for the treatment of blood in the stool.