BERRIES AND FRUITS EATEN BY CALIFORNIA INDIAN

IN CALIFORNIA THE INDIANS ATE JUNIPERS, GOOSEBERRIES, MANZANITA, BOXTHORN, ELDERBERRIES AND DRIED OR POUNDED THE ROOTS INTO LITTLE CAKES AND ATE THEM RAW.

ELDERBERRIES WERE BOILED IN A POT TO EAT THEM. BOX THORN BERRIES WERE POUNDED IN A MORTAR; THE MEAL WAS MOLDED IN BISCUITS TO DRY IN THE SUN. THE BERRIES PROVIDED HIGH VITAMINS, MINERALS AND SWEETNESS.

MANZANITA BERRIES WERE EATEN BY CHILDREN WHO SUCKED THEM. SOME PEOPLE OVER ATE THESE AND IT CAUSED THEM DEATH AS JOHN HUDSON NOTED! THE WOMEN BEAT THE BERRIES AND COLLECTED THEM IN BURDEN BASKETS. THEY CAME TO CAMP AND ATE THEM RAW OR THEY WERE PUT THEM INTO STEWS. THE KAROK COLLECTED THEM AND DRIED THEM INTO THE SUN. THE HUPA, POMO, AND KAROK POUNDED THE BERRIES INTO A MEAL. LATER IT COULD BE MADE INTO AA CAKE. SOME POMO BOILED THEM INTO A MUSH. THEY MADE A CIDER AND A WINE OUT OF THE BERRIES. THE MIWOK USED THE WHITELEAF MANZANITA FOR A CIDER. THE MAIDU ATE THE RAW BIGBERRY MANZANITA OR POUNDED THEM INTO A FLOUR.

WILD GRAPE WAS EATEN BY THE KAROK AS FRESH FRUIT; POMO ATE SOME AS WELL. THE MIWOK MASHED THE GRAPES BY HAND. THE YOKUTS CRUSHED AND MADE A RED JUICE. CAHUILLA ATE FRESH GRAPES OR MADE A MUSH. THE SERVICE BERRY WAS EATEN RAW BY THE POMO/KAROK. ATSEUGEWI MASHED THE RIPE BERRIES IN A TULE BASKET AND ATE THEM FRESH. CAHUILLA ATE THEM FRESH OR DRIED THEM.

GOOSEBERRIES WERE BEATEN OFF THE BRANCHES BY THE KAROK AND GATHEREDE IN A BASKET. A CUP MADE INTO A BASKET WAS RUBBED OVER THE BERRIES SO AS THE SPINES COULD BE REMOVED. THEY WERE PUT IN A WINNOW BASKET WITH HOT COALS TO PARCH. THE YOKUTS AND ATSUGEWI DID THE SAME. THE MIWOK WINNOWED THEM, THEN PULVERIZED THEM WITH MORTAR.

THE SMOOTH GOOSEBERRY WAS EATEN FRESH BY THE POMO AND MIWOK AS WELL AS HUPA. MOST NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TRIBES ATE THEM FRESH.

THE SALMONBERRY ATE THEM FRESH.

THE POMO AND KAROK ATE SALAL AS A FRESH FRUIT.

MOST TRIBES ATE THE WILD STAWBERRY (FRAGARIA CALIFORNICA).

RASPBERRIES AND THIMBLEBERRIES WERE EATEN FRESH OR DRIED FOR THE WINTER.

RUBUS VITAFOLIUS OR WILD BLACKBERRY WAS EATEN FRESH AND DRIED FOR THE WINTER.

ELDERBERRY WAS EATEN FRESH OR DRIED BY THE POMO AND BEAR RIVER TRIBE. POMO MADE A JUICE OUT OF THEM AS WELL. THEY ALSO USED THE WOOD FOR FLUTES AND USED ELDERBERRY STICKS FOR A TOSS GAME. THE YOKUTS DRIED A LARGE PORTION OF THE BERRIES. THE MIWOKS COOKED THEM BEFORE EATTING. CAHUILLA ATE THEM FRESH OR DRIED THEM IN OLLAS. THE CAHUILLA ATE THEM FRESH OR DRIED THEM IN CLUSTERS OR BOILED THEM IN A SAUCE.

BLACK NIGHTSHADE BERRIES WERE CONSIDERED EXCELLENT BY THE POMO. RED HUCKLEBERRIES WERE EATEN FRESH BY ALL NORTHERN CALIFORNIAN INDIANS.



PAUL CAMPBELL