VEGETABLES AND GREENS - PART II

THE YUMA ATE RAW BARK OR COOKED THE BARK OF WILLOW IN ASHES. LEAVES AND BARK WERE USED AS TEA. THE MOHAVE MADE TEA FROM YOUNG WILLOW SHOOTS. CURLY DOCK LEAVES WERE BOILED BY THE MOHAVE.

YUCCA BUDS IN THE SPRING WERE KNOCKED OFF WITH A STAVE BY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INDIANS. AND THEY CUT THE TENDER STALKS AND LAID THEM IN OVENS IN EARTH COVERED PITS LINED WITH HOT ROCKS. THEY COOKED OVERNIGHT. tHE BLOSSOMS OF FLOWERS WERE PARBOILED AND DRIED IN THE SUN.

THE LEAVES, STALKS, AND FLOWER BASE OF THE DESERT AGAVE WERE BAKED FOR A DAY OR MORE IN A STONE LINED PIT OVEN. THIS WAS THEN POUNDED INTO CAKES THAT WERE DRIED IN THE SUN. THE BASE OF THE AGAVE HEAD WAS FROM THE LARGER COASTAL AGAVE. IT WAS THROWN ON TOP OF THE HOT STONES IN A PIT. IT WAS BAKED FOR 2 - 3 NIGHTS. FLOWERS OF THE AGAVE PROVIDED THE KILIWEA WITH NECTAR. RED BARREL CACTUS FLOWER BUDS WERE COLLECTED FROM APRIL TO LATE JULY. THEY WERE SOMEWHAT BITTER AND PARBOILED. THE FLOWERS WERE EATEN RAW OR PARBOILED OR DRIED IN THE SUN. THEY COULD BE STEWED WITH MOUNTAIN SHEEP/JACK RABBIT.

JUMPING CHOLLA BUDS WERE GATHERED, PRESERVED, AND PREPARED BY THE CAHUILLA. PLAINS PRICKLY PEAR BUDS WERE COLLECTED IN QUANTITY, DRIED , AND STORED. THEY WERE BOILED TO EAT. THE SEEDS WERE WINNOWED AND STORED FOR THE WINTER. KILIWEA MADE PINOLE FROM THE SEEDS OF CHOLLA CACTUS.

BLUE AND YELLOW PALO VERDE TREE BEAN PODS WERE GATHERED BY THE COCOPAH. THEY WERE POUNDED IN WOODEN MORTARS AND THE PODS WERE DISCARDED. THE SEEDS WERE SAVED. THE SEEDS WERE ROASTED IN COALS AND GROUND INTO A MEAL OR MUSH. THE YUMA'S DRIED THE PODS AND TRAMPLED THEM TO FREE THE SEEDS. THE SEEDS WERE PARCHED AND ROASTED A SECOND TIME.

AMARANTH OR PIGWEED IS AN IMPORTANT FOOD TO MANY NATIVES INCLUDING THE COCOPAH. IT GREW 12 INCHES HIGH AFTER THE FLOODS SUBSIDED. OLDER GIRLS GATHERED IT . IT WAS ONE OF THEIR FEW RESPONSIBILITIES. THEY BOILED THE GREENS AND PRESSED THEM INTO BALLS.

PAUL CAMPBELL