General Tree Terms
'Ily
Tree, log, stick, wood (in any form) |
Chewuuw
Noun: Fruit, fruiting tree or plant |
'Iitaay
Forest, brush, thicket |
" 'Iikwich peyaach 'iitaayvi nyewaayp."
This man lived in the timbers. (Ted Couro, referring to Yellow Sky)
"Gayeenvech 'ily pehemach."
The chickens roosted in the trees. (Coyote and Rooster by Ted Couro)
Wetaph
verb: Blooms, flowers noun: Flower |
Chewuuw
verb: Fruits, bears fruit |
"Ma'yum matsay muuniiwch maayp?
Nyachiipamem 'aakuull nyawetaphm."
When do you speak to the desert? In the spring, when the yucca bloom.
("Mountain" by Ted Couro)
"Nyahunnm 'uuchuch nyaamatvech tuulyis."
At night everything begins to set fruit.
("Beneath the Midnight Sky" by Ted Couro)
Three words for "ripe"
Tree Species
Not an exhaustive list! Not guaranteed to be accurate.
Oaks
" 'Enyaach kuspir apesiiw, meyipa? 'Esnyaaw, kuphaall, 'ily 'ichekwii nyeway
mewuuwvu, 'enyaach 'uullup 'echekwaapms, meyipa?"
"I'm a real strong one, ya hear? Live oaks, black oaks, the big trees you see there,
I pull them out and knock them down, ya hear?" (Rranka Piin in Johnny Bear by Ted Couro)
"Heyaay, 'iipall nyanesoom, 'iipayvech matetayem naach kuphaall wemuull."
Long ago, when summer was over, the People would go to the mountains and collect black oak acorns.
(Christina Hutcheson talking about making shawii)
Semtaay
Quercus chrysolepis Canyon oak Live oak with big acorns and flat leaves, growing mostly around mountain streams. |
'Esnyaaw kumyulk
(Lit. Sweet oak) Quercus peninsularis Peninsular oak Rare shrub-like oak growing in Baja California, known locally as Hw'illy. Its small acorns can be eaten raw, straight out of the shell. |
'Ehwap
Quercus berberidifolia Scrub oak Shrub-like oak with small leaves and tiny acorns, not the best for eating. |
" 'Enyaach 'iichaas 'aany kupkwillyvi 'emat saay tewaa; 'aany 'ehmiiym,
'esnyaaw, kuphaall, 'ily pupch saych shaawatt."
I remember in years past the land was dry: For many years,
live oaks, black oaks, those trees dried out and died.
(Praying for Rain by Ted Couro)
"Keyipem pily 'aany kuphaall 'ehmiiym 'emuullh.
Nya'ar kuphaall umaaws; nya'ar kuphaall 'ehmiiy."
Maybe this year we'll collect a lot of black oak acorns. Sometimes there are no acorns,
and sometimes there are a lot. (Gathering Acorns by Ted Couro)
Hemuly or Hamemul
Oak gall or Oak apple Round growth caused by wasps found on scrub oaks, used for medicinal purposes. |
Pines
'Erpuu
Pine tree Possibly refers to any common pine tree, such as the Jeffrey pine or Ponderosa pine, among others. |
Hellykaay
Bull pine Could refer to Pinus sabiniana, also known as Gray pine, Ghost pine, or Digger pine. However, "Bull pine" is the common name for many species, including Jeffrey and Ponderosa. |
Shemnyaay
Pine with long needles Possibly includes the Torrey pine (Pinus torreyana), and any other pine tree with long needles used to make baskets. This word can also refer to hickory trees. |
"Sinyvech hellykaay 'ukuwaay pehkwii tuuyuuws. 'Aawvu kuukap tewam."
The woman was standing under a pine tree. She was circling the fire. (Woman from the Moon by Ted Couro)
'Ehwiiw
Pinus monophylla Pinyon pine tree and nuts A prized commodity and food source among natives across the Southwest, growing in places such as the eastern San Bernardino mountains. |
'Ehwiiw 'ur
Pinyon pine cone Lit. "Pinyon pine's egg", from Tiipay hwiiw ne'urr. Pinyon pine cones are sometimes picked and roasted while still green to get the seeds out. |
Willows
Halesii or Halasii
Salix exigua Sandbar willow (or other willow) A bushy, shrub-like tree with long, gray-green leaves. Willows are used to make shelters, baskets, and medicine, among other uses. |
'Eyaaw or 'Ayaaw
Salix lasiolepis Arroyo willow (or other willow) The most common native willow. Deciduous shrub or tree with narrow leaves, grows near water. Southern speakers use 'Ayaaw as the more generic term for willows. |
Halesii wemii
(Lit. Willow cries) Salix babilonica Weeping willow A popular landscaping tree native to China. |
"Helaasii mewas; wenyuq... 'ekwiis, nyip kenaach ewiiches." (Original, Los Conejos dialect)
"Halasii mewas; telewik... 'ekwiish, puknaach ewiiches." (Mesa Grande dialect)
"Willow is flexible, it bends... It's tough, that's why they used it." (Ed Brown in BITD)
Other Trees
'Ehpuull
Platanus racemosa Western Sycamore A tall deciduous tree with broad leaves and light-colored bark, growing by water. Used in housing and medicine. |
Halampuulaamp
Populus fremontii Western Cottonwood Large deciduous shade tree growing in riparian environments used to make shelter and medicine. |
Shrubby Trees
Kupall
Sambucus nigra Blue elderberry Deciduous shrub or small tree often growing near shade in lower elevations. Berries, flowers, and leaves used for food and medicine. |
Kuuhik
Heteromeles arbutifolia Toyon Large shrub with distinctive red berries, popular in native landscaping. Used for food (when prepared properly) and medicine. |
'Aanall
Prosopis glandulosa Honey mesquite (or other mesquite) Bushy tree that produces yellow flowers and long seed pods. Native to our deserts, it is a noxious invasive plant in other areas. |