Mealberry-not Kinnikinnick-(Arctostaphylos uva ursi)-See Also the Small-Bark-Teepee-Tipi

Many people who are familiar with Alpine Bearberry (Arctostaphylos alpina, Common Bearberry (Arctostaphylos ulva-ursi), Red Bearberry (Arctostaphylos -rubra), bearberry as an ornamental ground cover; believe that they are also familiar with Kinnikinnick. Not so; when the word is used to describe a plant it is but another example of The United States of The Americas attempting to dictate to and/or dominate; in this case what were the ABORIGINAL, INDIGENOUS, or FIRST NATIONS of North America.  

The word kinnikinnick pronounced KINNY-KIN-ick, or Kinn_ICK-innick comes from the aboriginal-most scholars claim Algonquin-meaning "smoking mixture and is not the name of a plant.

Some authorities claim the term "kinnikinnick" derives from Unami Delaware /kələkːəˈnikːan/, "mixture" the Ojibwe giniginige "to mix something animate with something inanimate"),and  from Proto-Algonquian *kereken-"mix (it) with something different by hand". The actual preparation varies by locality and by Native American tribes.

Although whether or not there is any truth at  all is highly debatable; it has been claimed, by some, so called, authorities, that eastern tribes traditionally used Nicotiana rustica in their peace pipe; but, western tribes used kinnikinnick (remember, kinnikinnick,  is not a proper name, and means only, a mixture).

Nicotiana rustica, is known in South America as mapacho and in Vietnam as thuoc lao (thuốc lào), it is a rainforest plant in the Solanaceae family. It is a very potent variety of tobacco with high concentrations of nicotine in its leaves.

 Other ingredients that may have been used by other Native American tribes: leaves or bark of red osier dogwood, arrowroot, red sumac, laurel, ironwood, wahoo, squaw huckleberry, Indian tobacco, Jamestown weed, black birch, cherry bark, corn, mullein; along with muskrat glands or oil, and other animal oil or rendered fat.

Incorrectly, the name kinnikinnick was applied by hunters, traders, settlers and writers of “Western Fiction” in the United States of The Americas to various shrubs in which the bark or leaves are employed in the mixture, most often Bearberry and to lesser degree, Red Osier Dogwood) and Silky Cornel and even to Canadian Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), Evergreen Sumac (Rhus virens) and the Littleleaf Sumac (Rhus microphylla)

Although the plant was native here, it seems to have been been fur trader employees (Métis and métis and others of mixed blood) who brought the name west with them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Red_Osier_Dogwood.jpg

The shrub pictured above;  which around the Edmonton area at least, was most commonly known as " Dog Berry", while it will grow along side of; and even intermingle with; willow, obviously, it is not a willow; and so,can not --NOT POSSIBLE--be RED WILLOW as often claimed.. 

Known as cansasa in Lakota, the inner bark of the red osier dogwood was also used by the Lakota and other Native North Americans as "traditional tobacco", either by itself (Kinnikinnik or in a mixture with other plant materials

Among the Algonquian peoples such as the Ojibwa, the smoking mixtures, blended the inner bark with tobacco while more western tribes added it to the bearberry leaf to improve the taste.

In the wild, it commonly grows in areas of damp soil, such as wetlands. It is a medium to tall deciduous shrub, growing up to about six feet tall and about the same in width, spreading readily by underground stolon (shoots) to form dense thickets. The cultivated branches and twigs are usually dark red, although wild plants may lack this colouration especially in shaded areas or dense thickets.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Arctostaphylos-uva-ursi.JPG
Bear Berry or Mealberry (Arctostaphylos uva ursi)-

Now commonly grown as an ornamental shrub; the wild form grows in open, wooded areas in rocky, sandy ground.The flowers are white or pink tinged,on a low trailing shrub with firm lustrous leaves.The berries (ONLY) are red, with a large stone,consisting of several nutlets inside. The flesh is sparse, dry, and mealy. It can be made into a beverage by steeping the berries in boiling tea.

         

           Kinnikinnick(now the common name but incorrect usage)Tea

1. Pour a little hot tea (any kind) over berries (Bear, Dog,Meal,Red Osier) beat and mush to extract juice.

            2. Strain, and add more tea, or dilute with boiling water.

             Apparently, if the berries are cooked in grease over a slow fire, they will eventually pop,                   rather like wild rice or even popcorn.

Bearberry can be dried for storage.

Dried berries can be ground and cooked into a porridge or cereal

Like wild rice; bearberry can be popped when fried in grease over low flame.

Warning: may cause nausea or constipation if eaten in quantity and prolonged use may cause stomach and liver problems. Should be avoided, if possible by children and pregnant or breast feeding women.

           
SEE ALSO: THE REAL RED WILLOW-http://cookingforsurvival--yourdownbutnotout.blogspot.ca/2010/11/willow.html

©Al (Alex- Alexander) D. Girvan. All Rights reserved.