IROQUOIS USES OF MAIZE 



89 



Part 2 



NOTES ON CERTAIN FOOD PLANTS USED BY 

 THE IROQUOIS 



XI BEANS AND BEAN FOODS 



Beans next to corn were regarded as a favorite food and quanti- 

 ties are still eaten. The Iroquois have 10 or more varieties of beans 

 which they claim are ancient species which have long been culti- 

 vated. Some are said now to be cultivated only by the Iroquois. 



The cornstalk bean/ oa^geka, is thought by the Seneca to be the 

 most ancient bean and perhaps the species which grew from the 

 Earth-Mother's grave. 



The bean is an indigenous American plant, at least it grew here 

 in Precolumbian times. Explorers and early writers have left us 

 many references to it and most agree that it is an American plant. 



Varieties of Iroquois beans 



Beans, osai"dd' 



dega'gaha' 



o'tgo'a osai"da' 



awe'ondago^ 



o'sai''dagan 



osai"dowanes 

 J otgo'^'wasaga^ofi 

 \ odji'stanokwa 



oa^geka 



hayuk'osai'^dat 



onii'sta' 



djutowendo" 



osai"daga'n 



owendo'ge'a' osai'Ma' 



oo"'sa' 



yoano'da'kwa' 



Bush beans 

 Wampum 

 Purple kidney 

 White kidney 

 Marrowfat 



String 



Cornstalk 

 Cranberry 

 Chestnut lima 

 Hummingbird 

 White (small) 

 Wild peas 

 Bean vines 

 Poles 



Bean foods 



Among the varieties of bean foods may be mentioned : 

 Bean soup, osai"da'gi'. This was made in several ways : from 

 string beans cooked in the pods, from shelled green beans and from 

 dried beans. Often sugar was put in as a seasoning.. 



iC/. N. Y. Hist. Soc. Proc. Ser. 2, 1:189. 



