| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Food, Preservative Birch bark keeps the food stored in it from spoiling. Smith, Huron H., 1932, Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of Milwaukee 4:327-525, page 416 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Ceremonial Items Bark placed on the coffins when burying the dead. Reagan, Albert B., 1928, Plants Used by the Bois Fort Chippewa (Ojibwa) Indians of Minnesota, Wisconsin Archeologist 7(4):230-248, page 241 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Containers Bark used to make small vessels, pails and trays. Reagan, Albert B., 1928, Plants Used by the Bois Fort Chippewa (Ojibwa) Indians of Minnesota, Wisconsin Archeologist 7(4):230-248, page 241 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Containers Bark used to make storage containers, sap dishes, rice baskets, buckets, trays and winnowing dishes. Reagan, Albert B., 1928, Plants Used by the Bois Fort Chippewa (Ojibwa) Indians of Minnesota, Wisconsin Archeologist 7(4):230-248, page 241 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Cooking Tools Bark used to make all sorts of drying trays. Smith, Huron H., 1932, Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of Milwaukee 4:327-525, page 416 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Cooking Tools Bark used to make dishes. Reagan, Albert B., 1928, Plants Used by the Bois Fort Chippewa (Ojibwa) Indians of Minnesota, Wisconsin Archeologist 7(4):230-248, page 241 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Cooking Tools Bark used to make funnels for pouring hot lard. Smith, Huron H., 1932, Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of Milwaukee 4:327-525, page 416 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Cooking Tools Bark used to make shallow trays for winnowing wild rice. Smith, Huron H., 1932, Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of Milwaukee 4:327-525, page 416 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Cooking Tools Nearly any kitchen utensil common to the white man, could be duplicated in birch bark by the Ojibwe. Smith, Huron H., 1932, Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of Milwaukee 4:327-525, page 416 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Fuel After stripping a felled tree of its bark, it was salvaged for firewood. Smith, Huron H., 1932, Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of Milwaukee 4:327-525, page 416 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Fuel Scraps of bark used by women to kindle or light fires. Smith, Huron H., 1932, Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of Milwaukee 4:327-525, page 416 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Lighting Bark rolled into a handy, burn all night torch. The Ojibwe often used a torch of rolled birch bark in lieu of candles. Smith, Huron H., 1932, Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of Milwaukee 4:327-525, page 416 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Paper Patterns for decorative art made upon the bark. Smith, Huron H., 1932, Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of Milwaukee 4:327-525, page 413 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Paper Records of medicine lodge rituals kept on its virgin surface. Smith, Huron H., 1932, Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of Milwaukee 4:327-525, page 414 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Paper There were many layers of bark ranging from the thinnest paper to quite heavy pieces. Smith, Huron H., 1932, Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of Milwaukee 4:327-525, page 414 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Preservative Wood had the property of protecting articles stored in it from decay. Smith, Huron H., 1932, Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of Milwaukee 4:327-525, page 414 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Protection Ojibwe claim that birch was never struck by lightning, hence offered a safe harbor in thunderstorms. Smith, Huron H., 1932, Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of Milwaukee 4:327-525, page 414 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Sacred Items No birch was gathered by the Ojibwe without due offering of tobacco to Winabojo & Grandmother Earth. Families made a pilgrimage to birch groves during the latter part of June and in July to gather their supply of birch bark, because it peels most easily at that time. Smith, Huron H., 1932, Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of Milwaukee 4:327-525, page 414 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Sacred Items Paper birch and cedar form the two most sacred trees of the Ojibwe, both of which were very useful. Smith, Huron H., 1932, Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of Milwaukee 4:327-525, page 414 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ojibwa Other, Sacred Items The Ojibwe regard the bark as a distinct 'contribution from Winabojo.' Smith, Huron H., 1932, Ethnobotany of the Ojibwe Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of Milwaukee 4:327-525, page 414 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Okanagan-Colville Dye, Brown Inner bark used to make a brown dye. Turner, Nancy J., R. Bouchard and Dorothy I.D. Kennedy, 1980, Ethnobotany of the Okanagan-Colville Indians of British Columbia and Washington, Victoria. British Columbia Provincial Museum, page 89 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Okanagan-Colville Fiber, Basketry Bark used to make baskets. Turner, Nancy J., R. Bouchard and Dorothy I.D. Kennedy, 1980, Ethnobotany of the Okanagan-Colville Indians of British Columbia and Washington, Victoria. British Columbia Provincial Museum, page 89 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Okanagan-Colville Fiber, Canoe Material Bark used to make canoes. Turner, Nancy J., R. Bouchard and Dorothy I.D. Kennedy, 1980, Ethnobotany of the Okanagan-Colville Indians of British Columbia and Washington, Victoria. British Columbia Provincial Museum, page 89 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Okanagan-Colville Fiber, Furniture Bark used to make cradles. Turner, Nancy J., R. Bouchard and Dorothy I.D. Kennedy, 1980, Ethnobotany of the Okanagan-Colville Indians of British Columbia and Washington, Victoria. British Columbia Provincial Museum, page 89 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Omaha Other, Toys & Games Papery bark chewed to a pulp and used for popgun wads. Gilmore, Melvin R., 1919, Uses of Plants by the Indians of the Missouri River Region, SI-BAE Annual Report #33, page 116 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Pawnee Other, Toys & Games Papery bark chewed to a pulp and used for popgun wads. Gilmore, Melvin R., 1919, Uses of Plants by the Indians of the Missouri River Region, SI-BAE Annual Report #33, page 116 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Ponca Other, Toys & Games Papery bark chewed to a pulp and used for popgun wads. Gilmore, Melvin R., 1919, Uses of Plants by the Indians of the Missouri River Region, SI-BAE Annual Report #33, page 116 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Potawatomi Fiber, Building Material Bark furnished a waterproof cover for the top of the wigwam. Smith, Huron H., 1933, Ethnobotany of the Forest Potawatomi Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of the City of Milwaukee 7:1-230, page 112 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Potawatomi Fiber, Canoe Material Bark furnished the outside cover of the birch bark canoe. Smith, Huron H., 1933, Ethnobotany of the Forest Potawatomi Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of the City of Milwaukee 7:1-230, page 112 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Potawatomi Other, Cooking Tools Bark used to make many of the household utensils, storage vessels and containers. Smith, Huron H., 1933, Ethnobotany of the Forest Potawatomi Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of the City of Milwaukee 7:1-230, page 112 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Shuswap Drug, Analgesic Plant used for pain. Palmer, Gary, 1975, Shuswap Indian Ethnobotany, Syesis 8:29-51, page 60 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Shuswap Fiber, Basketry Gray colored bark used to make baskets. Palmer, Gary, 1975, Shuswap Indian Ethnobotany, Syesis 8:29-51, page 60 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Drug, Orthopedic Aid Bark used as casts for broken limbs. A soft material such as a cloth was placed next to the skin on the broken limb over which birchbark was wrapped and tied. The birchbark was then heated until it shrank to fit the limb. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Fiber, Basketry Bark used to make baskets. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Fiber, Basketry Bark used to make containers for cooking. To cook in a birchbark basket, clean rocks were made very hot and then placed in water in the basket. This process was repeated until the cooking was completed. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Fiber, Building Material Bark used as roofing material. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Fiber, Building Material Bark used in the construction of some buildings. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Fiber, Canoe Material Bark used to make canoes. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Fiber, Clothing Bark used to make hats. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Fiber, Furniture Bark used to make baby cradles. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Fiber, Snow Gear Wood used to make bowls, spoons, wedges, tool handles, drums, toboggans and snowshoes. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Fiber, Snow Gear Wood used to make snowshoes, toboggans, drums, bowls, spoons and wedges. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Food, Unspecified Raw sap, sometimes mixed with fish grease, used for food. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Food, Unspecified Sap used for food. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Other, Containers Bark used as lining in food storage pits. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Other, Containers Bark used as lining in storage pits. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Other, Containers Bark used to make containers for storing food and picking berries. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Other, Cooking Tools Bark used to make containers for storing food, picking berries and cooking. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Other, Cooking Tools Wood used to make bowls and spoons. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |
| Betula papyrifera Marsh. Paper Birch USDA BEPAP |
Tanana, Upper Other, Cooking Tools Wood used to make bowls and spoons. Kari, Priscilla Russe, 1985, Upper Tanana Ethnobotany, Anchorage. Alaska Historical Commission, page 5 |