FREfRE-MruKETO^''™^'] ETHNOBOTANY OF THE TEWA INDIANS 3 



largely as possible masking the questions and in recording the informa- 

 tion. The reasons for this are that the Indian words are largely not 

 susceptible of exact translation, and the use of a foreign language is 

 apt to modify and render un-Indian the conceptions of the informants. 



In the present work the writers took with them into the field three 

 old Indians, one of whom could speak fairly good English. The 

 services of this individual were of considerable value; it is very 

 desu'able that the services of such an informant be enlisted if possible. 

 Although not absolutely essential, it is probably true that the best 

 ethnobotanical work can be done by the close cooperation of a 

 botanist with an etlmologist and linguist experienced in the methods 

 of recording Indian languages, the scientific recording of which is by 

 no means an easy task. With their informants the two should go 

 into the field together. It is essential that investigation be done in 

 the field with growing plant life; showing fragments of plants 

 picked up here and there, or even herbarium specimens, to the 

 informants is far less satisfactor}^. The botanist will relieve his 

 co-worker of collecting and preserving the plant material; the latter 

 can thus better concentrate his efforts on obtaining the etlmologic 

 information. Furthermore, it is natural that questions of botanical 

 interest will occur to tlie botanist that would not occur to the Imguist. 

 Once m the field, the Indians are shown growuig plants and are 

 questioned fully about each, the smaller as well as the lai-ger and 

 more conspicuous forms. The nature of the questions will depend 

 somewhat on the plant. In the present work the questions were 

 framed so as to elicit the following facts about each plant: Indian 

 name; etymology of name; uses of various parts, and methods of 

 preparing them for use; names of the parts of plants, even the most 

 inconspicuous; descriptive terms applied to this or that shape of 

 leaf, kind of bark, stem, etc., and the extension of these terms in 

 describing non-botanical phenomena; native ideas of the relation of 

 the use of the different structures to the plant itseff; and the lore 

 coimected with the plant. 



It is needless to say that field notes should be made complete in 

 the field; it is unsafe to depend on one's memory and attempt to 

 record certain mformation after reaching camp. It is well not to 

 hasten from plant to plant: the mformants should be given abun- 

 dant time to think over and discuss points among themselves. 



It is often of advantage to photograph some of the more striking 

 and important plants, showing their habitat and general appear- 

 ance. Drawings of plants may be used to supplement photographs. 

 In addition, native representations of plants can often be obtained, 

 notably in the form of designs of pottery, basketry, from petro- 

 glyphs, etc. An attempt should be made to identify these, as 

 they are important in indicating the Indian conception of various 

 plants. 



