Ho-Chunk Ethnobotany Project

We had the opportunity to work on a Ho-Chunk Ethnobotany project that was based on the work of botanist Huron Smith, who studied and wrote about the tribes of Wisconsin while employed at the Milwaukee Public Museum.  He completed some limited fieldwork with the Ho-Chunk (also known as the Winnebago) in 1928, but he died before he finished the work.  We were able to finish the work in 1998 by studying both his notes and plant specimen that he had collected

Old black and white photo of a person working in an office with plant samples in front of him.
Huron Smith (around 1930), working on a botanical collection of seeds in his office.

In collaboration with the Culture and Language Program of the Ho-Chunk Nation we were able to publish Huron Smith’s work in: Huron Smith’s Ethnobotany of the Ho-Chunk (Winnebago)(.pdf). It documents the use of 153 species, of which 117 were medicinal plants.

Old black and white photo of rhizomes hanging on a fence.
Rhizomes of the medicinal plant Sweetflag (Acorus americanus) hanging to dry. Photo by Huron Smith, 1928, courtesy of the Milwaukee Public Museum.

We are most grateful for our work with the tribe. The powerful Position Statement, below, was written as part of the our publication.

Hocąk Wazijaci: A Statement

Hocąk means "Sacred Language, Parent Tongue, Master Language" 

Wazijaci means "Hocąk who lives in pine forests"

One of the teachings of the Hocąk people is that the Creator of all things has given us a mind. We are told t utilize it to the fullest, as far as we can, using all of our senses. We have to remember and recall everything we have heard and seen. This was a way of life with our people. The mind has capabilities beyond anyone's imagination of what it could and can do. Throughout the many centuries we have gradually lost this trait. This degeneration of the most powerful energy source we have has happened due to unrestrained invasion causing genocide of a race of people that were caretakers of this continent. The Hocąk people knew about the gifts of plants and their uses and have successfully been a part of their existence since the beginning of this creation. Again due to the elimination of cultural values once practiced by our people there are but a handful of our people who still know of these powerful medicines. It is with a heavy heart that I have consented to be part of this project. However, regardless of all tribulations we have experienced, we still to this day maintain all of our ceremonies that we have been blessed with, before the appearance of white people, which is very unique since many tribes have lost their languages and ceremonials. 

I want to express my personal gratitude to my fellow tribes people who had the foresight to agree to become involved with the Huron Smith Project. The staff of the Kansas Biological Survey team from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, is to be commended for furnishing this invaluable piece of work. The Huron Smith Ethnobotany of the Hocąk (Winnebago) will always have an honored place in our tribal library for the benefit of our people now and in the future. (Kenneth Funmaker, Hocąk Wazijaci Language and Culture Program)