72 USliS (II- I'lA.NJ.-, BV INDIANS 1kth.a.nn.33 



ImlJAt'KAK 



Ims vF.itsiK.i.uii L. r.lue Fliig. (PI. 0.) 

 MaLw-HLith, ' (Oiiiiiha-Poncii), "sweet medicine" {mnl-a", m<i([\- 

 n\w;d-it/u; sweet), or perhaps in this case meaning not "' sweet " 

 in tlie sense we use the word, l)ut " stimulating," as the plant has 

 11 pungent taste. 

 'I'he rootstock was pulverized and mixed with water, or more often 

 witli saliva, and the infusion dropped into the ear to cure earache; 

 it was used also to medicate eye-water. A paste was made to apply 

 to sores and bruises. 



Salicaceae 



Popn.rs sAnoENTii Dode. Cottonwood. (PI. 5. i.) 

 Wiii/a r/ui" (Dakota) ; rha" means " wood " or " tree." 

 Man z/u>" (Omaha-Ponca), "cotton tree" (.^ho", wood or tree). 

 Xafakanm ( Pawnee ) . 



The Teton Dakota say that formerly the people peeled the young 

 sprouts and ate the inner bark because of its pleasant, sweet taste 

 and nutritive value. Young cottonwood branches and upper branches 

 of older trees were provided as forage for their horses and were 

 said to be as '" good for them as oats." White trappers and travel- 

 ers have recorded their observations as to the value of the cot- 

 tonwood as forage. 



Mystic properties were ascribed to the cottonwood. The Sacred 

 Pole of the Omaha was made from a cottonwood. This was an object 

 which seems to have had anumg that people a function somewhat 

 similar to that of the Ark of the Covenant among the ancient He- 

 brews. Among the list of personal names pertaining to the Ka"za 

 gens of the Omaha tribe is that of Maa-zho'^ Ilocla, Gray Cotton- 

 wood. Cottonwood bark was employed as a fuel for roasting the 

 clays u.sed in making paints for heraldic and symbolic painting of 

 the skin. A yellow dye was made from the leaf buds in early spring. 

 A very pretty and interesting use of cottonwood Icaveswas made by 

 children in play. They split a leaf a short distance down from the 

 tip along the midrib: at equal distances from the tip they tore across 

 from the margin slightly; then, bending biick the margin above the 

 rents for the smoke flaps, and drawing together the leaf-margins 

 below the rents and fastening them with a splinter or a thorn, they 

 had a toy tipi. These they made in numbers and placed them in 

 circles like the camp circle of their tribe. The children of all the 

 Nebraska tribes played thus. It is interesting to note this manifesta- 



■ It shonid be noted that a number of dlircront plants seem to be known by the 

 Omnbii uDd Tonkn as ih(i*o"-«*(»ic. •• sweet medicine." 



