Wappo Indians of Napa County

Plants used by the Wappos

Click on underlined plant's name to see picture

Plant Name Wappo Name (pronunciation) Use
California Black Oak Khothi so (ka ho'th sho) Nuts were ground to be made into mush, soup, or bread
Hazelnut Miti sohol (me te show'ho) Nuts were eaten, shoots were used in baskets
Madrone Napayoko (na pa yo'ko) Berries were eaten
Sedge Chate (cha'tey) Used for baskets
Pacific Rush unknown Used to string beads in necklaces
Poison Oak Kicu ma (kee'see mah) Leaves were used to dye baskets
Cat Tail unknown Eaten
Sandbar Willow Chupe pote (chew pey po'te) Used to make tea, medicine, and baskets
Toyon Unu ciwa hoe (oo noo tsaw'wa hoe) Eaten
Angelica Flower-Ciwhel (tsee'whel) Root- Kupis (coo'pis) Used as food, medicine, and in ceremonies
California Bay Cuse (chu'shey) Used as medicine and food
Soap Root Eu kali (ew kal'e) Used as soap, to catch fish, and eaten
Manzanita Cano (cha'no) Berries were eaten, used as medicine, wood used to make fishhooks
Yerba Santa unknown Used as medicine
Bulbs Hol a we (hol'ah way) Eaten
Blue Elderberry Kate ( kah'tey) Berries were eaten, wood was used to make rattles
Indian Hemp unknown Used to make string for nets and belts
Buckeye Sumoto (shu mow'tow) Nuts were leached and made into flour
Redbud Phopiel (poe pie'el) Made into baskets
Wild Tobacco Luce ( lew'shay) Smoked in ceremonies
Ghost Pine Nayo (nigh'yo) Nuts were roasted and eaten, roots used in baskets.

Look at baskets made by the Wappos on the Basket Page! Look at a necklace made with beads strung on plant fibers on the Jewelry Page!

Try this: Look for the plants listed above around your neighborhood. Find a tree that might have been here when the Wappos lived in the area. How can you tell the age of a tree?

Internet connection: Find ways that plants are used today in medicine and crafts.

Visit: The Native American Gardens at Boothe-Napa Valley State Park in Calistoga or Donaldson Way School's Wappo Garden in American Canyon.

 

Index -Maps -Jewelry -Baskets- Animals they Hunted

Plants they used -Legend -Houses -Language -Tools -Games