316 



USES OP PLANTS BY THE CHIPPEWA INDIANS [eth. ann. 44 



of their own weight. This process was supposed to loosen the husk 

 entirely without breaking the kernel. If the work was done carefully, 

 the rice kernel was entirely freed from the husk. 



The rice was then winnowed, either by tossing it in a tray or by 

 pouring it slowly from a tray to birch bark put on the ground. 

 The place chosen for this work was a place where the breeze would 

 assist the process by blowing away the chaff. (PI. 42, a.) 



The final step in the process was the treading of the rice to dislodge 

 the last fragments of the husk. For this purpose a small wooden 

 receptacle, holding about a bushel, was partially sunk in the ground, 

 and on either side of it was placed a stout pole, one end of which 

 was fastened to a tree about 4 feet above the ground, the other 

 end resting on the ground. The treading was clone by a man wear- 

 ing clean moccasins, and the jDoles were for him to rest his arms 

 upon during the jjrocess. (PL 42, c.) The sole of the foot was 

 peculiarly adapted to this work, as the husks having been removed, 

 the kernels would have been easily broken by wooden instruments. 

 In treading rice the action resembles that of dancing, the entire body 

 being in action, with the weight not heavily placed on the feet. 

 Leaning on the poles, straightening to full height, or moving his 

 body with undulating, sinuous grace, the treader accomplished his 

 part of the task. It is said that in old times a hole was dug in the 

 ground and lined with deerskin, the rice being placed in this instead 

 of a barrel. The chaff from this treading was usually kept and 

 cooked similarly to the rice, having much the flavor of the rice, and 

 being considered somewhat of a delicacy. 



The stored rice was sewn in bags of various sizes, which were some- 

 what similar in use to the makuks in which maple sugar was stored. 

 On top of the rice was laid straw, and the bags, like the makuks, were 

 sewed across the top with basswood twine. 



While rice making was an industry essential to the food supply, 

 it had, like the sugar camp, a pleasant social phase, which was ap- 

 preciated by old and young. Thus the writer in driving through 

 the rice country late one afternoon came upon a camp of three or four 

 tipis. The rice gatherers had returned from the fields, and the men 

 were sitting on rush mats and smoking while the younger women 

 stirred two parching kettles and an older woman tossed a winnowing 

 tray. At a fire one woman was preparing the evening meal and at 

 a distance another was seen chopping wood. Dogs and little chil- 

 dren were running about, and the scene with its background of pines 

 and shining lake was one of pleasure and activity. 



An important part of the camp was its provisioning. Indians did 

 not carry many supplies with them, and it is probable that in the 

 old days many carried no provisions to a rice camp except maple 



