LeRoy Pennysaver & News

LE ROY PENNYSAVER & NEWS - MAY 5, 2019 by Lynne Belluscio When someone says strawberry basket, most of us think of the processed card- board baskets, plastic baskets or the wood baskets that are used at the store and farm mar- ket. But for the American Indi- ans, a strawberry basket has a much better story. Many tribes have sto- ries about strawberries which are considered a harbinger of spring. Indians associate straw- berries with rebirth because it is the first fruit to ripen in the spring. The Potawatomi call strawberries “demen” which translated means “heart berry” and the strawberry grows in the shape of a heart. They use the strawberry in designs on their clothes and they believe that strawberries are a gift from the Creator. When they step out- side their lodge, and see straw- berries growing, they know that they will be taken care of. The Algonquin word for heart and strawberry are almost al- ways the same and the straw- berry has great significance. They believe that after death, they will go to the Spirit World where their ancestors will greet them with strawberries. The Seneca believe that strawberries grow along the path to the heavens and they bring good health, in partic- ular to the heart. Strawberry festivals are held in the early summer when the small wild strawberries begin to ripen. This is usually during the full moon, known as the “strawber- ry moon.” (This year it will be June 17.) There are two types of wild strawberries. The wood- land strawberry, Fragaria ves- ca L.,is conical in shape, and the seeds project on the sur- face of the berry. The more common Fragaria virginica, is more round and the seeds are imbedded in the berry. The cul- tivated strawberry that we buy at the store is a hybrid that was developed from Fragaria vir- ginica and a species native to Europe. These strawberries all have white blossoms Howev- er, there is a plant that produc- es a red berry that looks like a strawberry, but it has yellow blossoms and has no flavor. Some people call it an indian strawberry (from India). This berry is considered an invasive weed. In early summer, when the wild strawberries begin to rip- en, Indian women and children go into the meadows and fields to collect wild strawberries with small handled baskets. It takes hours to gather enough berries to fill the small baskets, but the flavor of these wild berries is unforgettable. The berries are mixed with water and a little maple sugar for a special drink used in the straw- berry ceremony. The entire vil- lage turns out for the festival and there would be dancing and singing and then the cere- mony would begin. Two chil- dren would be chosen to carry the strawberry drink and they would offer it to each mem- ber of the tribe. Each person gives thanks as they receive the drink. These strawberries were considered medicinal and the juice was a healing tonic – a gift of the season. Feast- ing would follow with more strawberries to be eaten raw or cooked in a variety of recipes. The Seneca also dried straw- berries. They would spread them out in flat baskets and dry them by the fire in the sun. Sometimes they would mash the strawberries and make small cakes. The cakes would be placed on large basswood leaves to dry and stored in cov- ered baskets or boxes made of elm bark. When needed the dried cakes would be reconsti- tuted by soaking in warm wa- ter and used in cooking. They were often added to cornbread. The dried cakes were also used as travel food. In addition to the little handled strawberry collect- ing baskets which the Seneca and others in the Great Lakes region made, there were “fan- cy” strawberry baskets. It was assumed that these baskets were produced for the tourist trade, but according to Nick Clark of the National Center of Great Lakes Native American Culture, the strawberry basket was made and given to new- born babies to be kept through their entire life and taken with them to the Spirit World. Clark mentions that a tiny piece of their umbilical cord was kept in the basket with other things of special meaning so that their ancestors will recognize them when they arrive in the Spirit World. Stories of strawberry bas- kets and many of the other baskets in the new exhibit at LeRoy House will be featured at LeRoy House on Wednes- day May 8 at 7 PM. Hear about Nantucket Lightship baskets, cheese baskets, Indian corn sieves, eel traps, willow baskets and much more. And you can sign up for summer basket classes. There will also be a wonderful refreshment ta- ble, to celebrate the upcoming strawberry season. (Albeit with modern strawberries – not wild or woodland berries.) There will be strawberry poke cake and strawberry pretzel pie and a wonderful light strawberry punch and strawberry tea. This is the annual meeting for the LeRoy Historical Society, so there will be a very, very short meeting to elect new trustees. (Just a note, parking may be at a premium if Little League is playing.) Indian Strawberry Baskets Strawberry Baskets Seneca Strawberry Baskets