The Ozette Prairies of Olympic National Park - Natural Resources ...

long by ½” thick. It was found originally in most prairies of Quileute territory, but most abundant in the
Quillayute and adjacent Little Prairies and Forks Prairie. The bulbs are dug by turning the earth around
the distinctive blue flowers and can be dug at any time of the year. According to Reagan (p.56), “In preparing
this food, a pit is dug in which a fire is built. On the fuel cobbles are piled, which, when heated to
red heat, are covered over with wet leaves, brush, or grass. On this the bulbs are piled and over all wet
leaves are spread to the thickness of, say, seven inches. Then over all, clay, earth or sand is heaped. Just
before completing the covering over with earth, a quantity of water is poured on the cooking product and
then when the covering is completed a small hole is left through the dirt-layer for the escape of steam.
The cooking is then permitted to continue for about twenty-four hours. The product is removed through
a hole dug through the top of the pit. The earth mound is left and the shifting sand fills up the hole from
which the baked articles have been taken. The mound is then complete, a puzzle for future archaeologists
(clams and fruits were also prepared by the oven process). Oven mounds are scattered throughout
the Olympic region and northward to the Fraser River country.” Camas is still found in the prairie along
the highway south of Forks; even using a shovel, it is hard for two people to gather a gallon in an hour. It
was considered a noteworthy cultural occurrence when, in 1989, a tractor was turning the earth in an uncultivated
area of the Quillayute Prairie; and, Terri Tavenner took the QTS students out and they collected
200 lbs. of camas that was used in several tribal hayoqqwa (ceremonial invitation dinners). Camas was
an important trade item with the Makah, who had none. Many Quileute myths include scenes in which
camas plays a part.
Clover (la’it’ay, “gathering hands”)- The whitish roots were an important foodstuff, eaten either raw or
cooked: steamed and eaten with salmon eggs or dipped in whale oil, or ground and made into loaves for
baking. They were often dug and eaten with silverweed roots.
Silverweed (t’lit’lishit)- Grows in similar environments to clover. Considered a staple and a basic foodstuff.
Usually eaten fresh and collected generally in fall and spring. Only the roots were used: dug and
steamed, which was necessary to remove the bitterness, and then eaten with fish eggs or whale oil. There
were both long, straight roots and curly roots. In a meal, the straight roots were given to chiefs and headmen.
Tiger Lily (lilipiwada’yu) and chocolate lily (k’wachawada’yu)- the roots of both were picked and cooked
(usually steamed) and eaten. Because of a strong (peppery) taste, they were often mixed with oil. Occasionally
eaten with salalberries, with which it often grows, and eaten with fish.
Buttercup (kik’iliq’axpat, “elk bone plant”)- the bones were dug between September and February and
cooked on hot rocks, dipped in whale or salmon oil and eaten with dried salmon eggs.
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