Camas: Camassia Quamash

Camas: Camassia quamash

The bulbs of this native flower are edible & valuable sweeteners shared or traded as gifts of local Oregon tribes. Tribal families took care to pass down traditional harvesting sites across generations: despite genocide and colonialization the shared traditions are still implemented today. During spring to late summer, the bulbs can be unearthed. Once harvested, the bulbs might be ground and stored in cake form. During gatherings, families bake the bulbs in earthen ovens by layering them over hot stones with branches of native shrubs, herbs, and trees, then cooking the bulbs until tender and sweet. This plant is cared for & valued by many Oregon tribes: The Kalapuyans of the Willamette Valley and the Nez Perce, who in 1805, shared their bulbs with members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, rescued the party from near starvation.

Read that again: “rescued the party from near starvation.” - despite it all, Native people treated colonizers with compassion. #respectnativepeople #unlearnAmericanHistory

-Edited content from oregonencyclopedia.org