Camas

History of Camas

Camas is a staple food traditionally cultivated by Native American peoples of the Pacific Northwest. The exclusion of the Big Camas Prairie from Shoshone-Bannock treaty lands was a major cause of the Bannock War. The prairie was left out of the treaty ratified by Congress because it was called the “Kansas Prairie” in official U.S. Government documents, instead of “Camas Prairie.”

It seems to be understood that “Kansas” prairie is a misprint, there being no prairie of that name west of the mountains, and that “Camas” Prairie is meant.M. Brayman, Governor of Idaho in EXHIBIT A of the Report of the Governor of Idaho Territory, 1878. H.R. Exec. Doc. No. 1, 45th Cong., 3rd Sess. (1878).

I left this city in the stage, and was once more rolling over splendid grazing ranges; but I saw few horses or cattle. I noted immense droves of hogs in spots called camas prairies, and some of these looked as lean and fierce as wild boars, though the majority seemed sleek and fat. They receive no other food than the roots they dig up in these prairies for three months, yet they return in such excellent condition that they are fit to be sent to market. Their favorite food is the camas (Camassia osculenta), a wild parsnip, and a small white and starchy root called cowse by the Indians; and as these grow in the greatest profusion over an area of several square miles, the animals could thrive upon them the year around, as they retain their nutritive qualities for several months.John Mortimer Murphy. Excerpt from 'Rambles in Northwestern America' (London, 1879), published in the Idaho Sunday Statesman, August 15, 1926, page 2.

Camas

Common Camassia. Idaho Department of Fish and Game. https://idfg.idaho.gov/species/taxa/48886. Accessed November 28, 2018.
Camassia quamash. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=42883#null. Accessed November 28, 2018. – ITIS is a taxonomic system created through a partnership of federal agencies.
Stevens, M., D.C. Darris, and S.M. Lambert. 2000. Plant guide for common camas (Camassia quamash ssp. breviflora) (PDF). USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Plant Data Center, Greensboro, NC, and Corvallis Plant Materials Center, Corvallis, OR. Published 2000. https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_caqub2.pdf. Accessed November 28, 2018. – This guide includes an extensive list of works cited.

Death Camas

Death Camas is a poisonous plant that looks similar to Camas, but has white flowers.

Books

Smith, Harriet L. Camas: the plant that caused wars. (Oregon Vignette). Lake Oswego, Or.: Smith, Smith, and Smith Pub. Co., 1978.
Just, Rick. “Not that Camas Prairie, the other one.” Speaking of Idaho. May 18, 2018. https://www.rickjust.com/blog/not-that-camas-prairie-the-other-one. Accessed November 28, 2018.
West, Elliott. The Last Indian War: the Nez Perce story. Oxford; New York : Oxford University Press, 2009.
Idaho Highway Historical Marker Guide. Marker number 277. https://history.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/Idaho-Highway-Historical-Marker-Guide.pdf. Accessed Septembe 9, 2020.

Newspaper Articles

“The Indian War – Its Causes and Remedies.” Idaho Tri-Weekly Statesman. June 18, 1878. page 2.
“Gen. Crook on the Causes of the Bannock Outbreak.” Idaho Tri-Weekly Statesman. December 3, 1878. page 2.
Camas County. Elmore County Press. http://www.elmorecountypress.com/camascounty.htm. Accessed September 9, 2020.

Government Documents

Report of the Governor of Idaho Territory, 1878. H.R. Exec. Doc. No. 1, 45th Cong., 3rd Sess. (1878). https://digitalcommons.law.ou.edu/indianserialset/5666. Accessed September 9, 2020.
A compilation of all the treaties between the United States and the Indian tribes, now in force as laws. Prepared under the provisions of the act of Congress, approved March 3, 1873…Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1873. page 955. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000560008. Accessed September 9, 2020.
Treaty of Fort Bridger, 1868. Kappler, Charles Joseph. Indian Affairs: Laws and Treaties. New York: AMS Press, 1971, 1972. Volume 2, Treaties. pages 1020-1024.

Treaties

This page updated by rjoiner on January 7, 2021.