Ethnobiology Around the World

British Columbia Interior, Canada

*Click on the images to enlarge.

	Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata), a traditional root food of First Nations peoples, in bloom in the southern interior of British Columbia.
	The late Secwepemc elder and educator, Dr. Mary Thomas, holding a “carrot-sized” balsamroot taproot, the size traditionally harvested, processed and stored for winter. Balsamroot contains inulin, a complex carbohydrate that is tasteless and indigestible in its raw form. Plateau peoples cooked balsamroot in earth ovens, a process that converted the inulin into fructose, creating a sweet-tasting, digestible food high in energy value.
	First Nations knowledge keepers and University researchers come together at a pit-cooking workshop hosted by the Xaxl’ip First Nation. Participants followed traditional “recipes” to construct the earth oven and cook a variety of edible root foods. The Xaxl’ip live along the Fraser River in the interior of British Columbia.
	The archaeological remains of an ancient earth oven in Secwepemc traditional territory.  The construction and repeated use of earth ovens created permanent features on the landscape – large rock- and charcoal-filled basins still visible today in traditional root harvesting areas. Current evidence indicates earth oven use began approximately 3300 years ago, was well underway 2500 years ago, and continued until European contact.
	Archaeologist Sandra Peacock excavates an ancient earth oven to recover the charred remains of the root foods and other plant materials used for pit-cooking.

All images copyright © Sandra Peacock 2007.