Karuk Traditional Foods
Before Settler Colonialism, the Karuk were one of the wealthiest Tribes in what is now called California.
This was in part because of the rich foods that they tended through Traditional Ecological Knowledge, fire being a very important tool. To this day the Karuk are known for their textile technologies, shown in their fine baskets. Cultural Burning also aides with these textiles, as well as medicinal plants. Traditional foods include:
tapasxurish
Tan Oak Acorn
Notholithocarpus densiflorus
áama
Salmon
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
puufich
Blacktail Deer
Odocoileus hemionus
púrith
Huckleberry
Vaccinium membranaceum
patúruupveen
Black Cap/Black Raspberry
Rubus occidentalis
yúuxas
Elderberry
Sambucus cerulea
íshyuux
Elk
Cervus canadensis
axraat
Gooseberry
Ribes uva-crispa
sunyíthih
Chinqupin
Castanea pumila
iiush xikih
Sturgeon
Acipenser medirostris
úsip
Sugar Pine
Pinus lambertiana
akraah
Eel
Entosphenus tridentatus
athithxuntápan
Hazelnut Nuts
Corylus cornuta
sáap
Steelhead
Oncorhynchus mykiss
uxnáhich
Strawberry
Fragaria vesca
tayiith
Blue Dick/Indian Potato
Dichelostemma capitatum
axthah
Freshwater Mussel
Margaritifera margaritifera
fáath
Manzanita Berry
Arctostaphylos manzanita
xánthiip
Black Oak Acorn
Quercus kelloggii
thivthaneenxáyviish
Tan Oak Mushroom
Tricholoma matsutake
champínishich
Yerba Buana
Clinopodium douglasii
pahiip
Pepperwood Nuts
Umbellularia californica
mahaxyámsurip
California Rose Hip
Rhododendron californicum
Various Berry's such as salmonberry, Serviceberry, Salal Berry etc.
vírusur
Black Bear
Ursus americanus
takâakaa
Californian Quail
Callipepla californica
Other birds like duck, goose, dove, pigeon, etc.
àxruuh
Grey Squirrel
Sciurus griseus
mîithipar
Red Huckleberry
Vaccinium parvifolium
sahíshyuuxach, Jackrabbit, Lepus californicus
And Other Small Mammals
Many Types of River Trout such as Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, Etc.
ishmúchar
Celery
Angelica californica
katásiip
Fiddlehead Fern
Pteris aquilina
araraprâms
Plum
Prunus americana
Various Greens such as Miners Lettuce, Dandelions, Bitter Cress, Winer Cress, Etc.
Various Seeds Such as:
ikravapuhpírish
Wild Oats
Avena fatua
xáath
Grasshopper
Chorthippus parallelus
amtapanatunvêech
Sunflower
Eriophyllum lanatum
xanáchyuh
Onion
Allium bolanderi
Other Bulbs & Corms:
ixyunihatáyiith, Fire Cracker, Brodiaea ida-mia
imyúha, Soap Root, Chlorogalum pomeridianum
pufichtáyiith, Deer Potato, Brodiaea elegans
xannáchyuh, Garlic, Allium amplectens,
fúuk
Carrot
Daucus pusillus
púrip
Cherry
Prunus virginiana
*Inter-Tribal Trade*
Trade with neighbors, including the Shasta, Konomihu, Yurok and Tolowa and other tribal trade routes were important to ensure a well rounded diet. Coastal trade with the Yurok and Tolawa included:
yúfish
Salt
Seaweed
xanvátkaam
Clam
Tivela stultorum
axthah
Saltwater Mussels
bivalve molluscs
Smelt
Redoluit piscis
The fact that Karuk intensively managed this landscape and did not reduce the productivity but in fact enhanced that productivity of food resources. The abundance that was produced in the fisheries resources that were able to exploit without damaging the sustainability, achieving much higher levels of production than if left to its own devices. All of those things that we think of, the acorns and the salmon and all the different species of fish. As well as the elk and the deer and all of those other species. The people had surplus food, depending on where they were located and with trading was not only inter-tribal, but intra-tribal. . .There was surpluses food being produced throughout our territory. Different products in different kind of specific geographic areas within our territory that were sufficient to support a very active inter-tribal trade and intra-tribal trade and how extensive that network was in moving goods around the country.
--Leaf Hillman, Ceremonial Leader
***Yôotva***
Created by:
Shawn "Shay" Bourque
Environmental Higher Education & Research Coordinator,
Pikyav Field Institute,
Karuk Tribe, Department of Natural Resources
Special Thanks to:
Leaf Hillman, Lisa Hillman, First Nations, the Ancestors
In Loving Memory of Grant Gilkisn
