English

birch, mountain

Scientific Name

Betulaceae [Birch Family]

Betula fontinalis

Arapaho

nííyoo’óé, bee’exooti’

Translation of Arapaho

The first name simply means 'birch,' though some speakers say it can be translated as 'good wood'. The final element -oo'oe means 'shrub' or 'willow.' The second name means ‘it has red bark.’

Birch and the Arapaho

Fiber: building material.These shrubs are used at the time of the Sun Dance to construct the “shades” or brush shelters which most families stay in as they camp around the Sun Dance lodge. In a traditional narrative (Dorsey and Kroeber, Traditions of the Arapaho, p. 394, 396) this wood is used for building a sweat lodge which will resist attack by a buffalo. The other three types of wood used are broken by the buffalo, but it is unable to break this “hard and strong” wood (396) and is defeated. Some versions of the story say that the red bark comes from the blood of the buffalo which killed itself trying to break this wood. Elders report today that this is the common wood used in sweat lodges.

Drug: gastrointestinal aid. The bark is reported to be used for a stomach medicine.

Drug: muscular analgesic. The bark was removed and dried, and then used to make a decoction in which sore feet could be soaked.

Drug: general tonic. The bark was used to make a tea for when one was feeling sick or generally in need of a boost.

Drug: pediatric and gynecological aid. The bark was used (exact method unknown) to help increase the flow of women’s breast milk.