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Odéimini-Giizis
(Time for Picking Strawberry Moon)/ June 1996

Odéimini-Giizis (Time for Picking Strawberry Moon)/ June1996

One of the hundreds of books donated to White Oak's library by Chuck Hamsa of Louisiana is Carolyn Gilman's classic on the fur trade, The Grand Portage Story. This volume is much more than a history of Grand Portage. It is an excellent primer on the fur trade with particular focus on the interplay of the Ojibwe and European cultures.

Gilman paints a vividly detailed picture of daily life at the post. This wealth of nitty-gritty information is useful to the reenactor as is the historical perspective she provides. Most informative is her description of the changing relationships between whites and Indians over the years; she gets past mere description to discuss the whys and wherefores of this difficult, essential and intriguing connection of two cultures.

This book is available in book stores, local libraries, and now (for loan) at White Oak's growing research library.

Strawberry, odémin frasier, – the &quuot;little heart berry." The Ojibwe so delighted in this berry that they named a moon after it and included it in their vision of heaven. Its small size belies its spectacular burst of flavor.

This low pioneer plant covers sandy out-washes and stumps and grows as an under-story in poor meadows. On bare soils it establishes new colonies in a leapfrog fashion by means of runners. Strawberry leaves make an astringent but flavorless tea.

The June berry (gozigwaakominag-aawansh, saskatoon poire) is another favored early summer fruit. A tall bush of forest openings, it is a transient in plant succession. The leaves are light green, soft, and lightly toothed. White flowers with twisted petals appear in June. The purple fruit matures by early July.

Known also as the "sugar plum", the June berry is larger than blueberries and are somewhat sweeter with an almond-like flavor. The dried fruit was a favorite of the Ojibwe.

From Fond du Lac Indian Reservation Elementary Ojibwe Language Unit:

maqua (bear); a mik (beaver); be nashi (bird); wa wa shke shi (deer) shi shib (duck); mi gi zi (eagle); gigo (fish); moose (moose); sa gi meg (mosquitoes) go go go o (owl); gog (porcupine). wa boos (rabbit); asiban (raccoon); ach i ta mo (squirrel); shi gag (skunk); mi ki nak (turtle); a ki (land); nibi (water); gi shig (sky); gi sis (sun); tibigisis (moon, night-time-sun).

"we proceeded...to a great swamp..over which we passed by means of a few sticks laid lengthways, and when we slipped off we sunk to our waists, and with difficulty regained our footing on the sticks....It is a sad piece of work. The person in charge of the brigade crosses it as fast as he can, [and] leaves the men to take their own time, who flounce across with packs of furs or pieces of goods, and 'sacre' as often as they please." David Thompson on the Savanna Portage in 1798.

White Oak Journal

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Iskigamizige-Giizis
(Maple Sugar Time Moon) / April 1996

Historic Resources

Portage into the Past is a book I'm particularly partial to since its author, J. Arnold Bolz, was my family doctor in Grand Rapids. Published by University of Minnesota Press in 1960, the book is out-of-print but can be found in libraries and old book stores.

The book recalls a modern era canoe trip from Grand Portage to Crane Lake, a replicated voyageur trek. The book is filled with quotes and references from old trader journals. As Dr. Bolz, his wife, and guide traveled lakes and portages they would pause to read historic accounts written about the exact places they were at. It is a lovely blending of past and present.

Although the travelers were not doing the trip in "period" gear, their minds clearly were in tune with history. It's a fascinating read and may prompt folks to do it themselves, minds and gear in period.

Thirteen participants faced the cold of Winter '96 at the White Oak Winter Camp Out March 1-3. Deep snow, cold weather and high winds tried but did not overwhelm campers or guests.

Dressed for the elements and with camps set up to allow for the use of stoves, except for one camp in a snow bank, the elements were taken in stride. The stove in Dad's Tavern provided some warmth but the tents were a better bet.

Competitions consisted of a trail walk, trade gun shoot, blanket shoot, and snowshoe shoot. Other competitions had been planned but time became a limiting factor.

Regardless of the snow, wind and cold, a great deal of time was spent outside. The hardy campers forwent bemoaning their existence and took up the challenge of the northern winter. Bearing in mind that the average high was 28 degrees and the low 10 degrees, Saturday's temperature of 28 degrees below was something of a shock. Another log or two on the fire and a game attitude were key to survival.

Ray Nyberg helped fight the chill with a fine kettle of stew employing some goose meat and wild rice.

Participants took their winnings in the form of beads and cured meat most graciously and considered them proper recognition of their achievements.

Another Winter Camp Out is being planned for next year. The new Great Hall will be a fine haven for part of the event. The camp might be moved into or near the woods to cut down on the wind and a warming shack might be set up by the range.

After all, it might be cold.

The northern white cedar (gijikandûg to the Ojibwe) is an important plant for humans and animals alike. An evergreen of moderate height it grows in wet areas often creating cathedral-like settings.

The wood of cedar is white and light. It has little strength but is flexible along the length of its grain. It is easily split and does so with great evenness; thus, a broad ax can lag off quantities of lathes in minutes.

The heartwood is decay-resistant and its odor repels most insects, but not the ant. It has great use where rot-resistance is necessary, such as the lowest tier of logs on a cabin or the vertical poles of a dock.

Cedar, as Louis la' Flash the canoe builder will tell you, is critical for use as canoe ribs and the lining slats along the floor. It is also suitable for shingles, grave markers, and ricing sticks.

Although used by Ojibwe for medicines and dyes, the bark was most often fashioned into floor mats and bags. The leaves, which are a repository for vitamin C, were decocted into a bracing winter drink. Used by the Ojibwe to fight coughs, St. Lawrence River Indians served the tea to Jacques Cartier's exploration party in the 1500s saving it from scurvy. The tree was awarded the name arbor vitae or "tree of life" for this service.

The arrangement of the leaves upon twig and twigs upon limbs give the tree great wind-diverting capabilities, making cedar groves winter sanctuaries for deer. [from Wild Plant Uses by Gil Quaal, 1995; available at White Oak office]

From A Concise Dictionary of Minnesota Ojibwe, by Nichols and Nyholm:

anishinaabemowin (Indian, esp. Ojibwe language); nandagikendan (seek to learn); boozhoo (hello, greetings); aninaatig (maple); wiishkobaaboo (maple sap); naadoobii (gather sap); maajigaa (start to run with sap); akik (kettle); ziinzibaakwad (maple sugar); ishkwaagamizige (finish boiling sap); ishkode (fire); boodawe (build a fire); manise (cut firewood).

"One quart of this [lyed corn] is boiled for two hours, over a moderate fire, in a gallon of water; to which, when it has boiled a small time, are added two ounces of melted suet; this causes the corn to split, and in the time mentioned makes a pretty thick pudding. If to this is added a little salt, it makes an wholesome, palatable food, and easy of digestion. This quantity is fully sufficient for a man's subsistence during twenty-four hours." Sir Alexander Mackenzie.

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