Plants and the Arapaho
Many people think of the Plains tribes such as the Arapaho,
Cheyenne, Lakhota and others as relying primarily on the buffalo for their
sustenance. While this is certainly true in many ways, the Arapaho used a
great variety of plants as well. Their use of plants falls into four
major categories: food plants, medicinal plants, ceremonial plants, and plants
used for tools, implements, dyes, and other uses of this type. Around 100
different plants have been documented as being known and used by the Arapaho,
with many having several different uses. There are also a number of other
Arapaho plant names for which no actual plant can be identified at present,
indicating that a great deal of traditional knowledge has been lost.
Taxonomic Listing of Arapaho Plants
Most Important Plants for Each Type of Use
Alphabetical (English) Listing of Arapaho Plants
Further Information on Sources