TAKAPE SOOT ___________ Takape soot is very useful to the Tongva.
To treat sores, they steep the leaves and flowers to obtain a wash.
For the same purpose, they also prepare a juice from crush fruit rinds or
they use a paste made from ground seeds. They roast the seeds and
eat them for kidney problems and for rheumatism or place them in the ear
for earaches. In addition, the Tongva use oil from the seeds to
treat thinning hair and as an anti-inflammatory. Takape soot has also many non-medicinal uses.
The leaves can be eaten raw or boiled. The crushed roots
provide soap lather and are also used to stupefy fish for easy cash.
The oil from the seeds is used as a fixative the bark and rock
paintings. Crushed seeds also produce a black paint that becomes a red paint when mixed with iron oxides. Children play
with the round seeds as if they were marbles. Takape soot vines are wound into garlands to be used as headgear for women. Young girls wear it around their necks during puberty rites. |
WILD CUCUMBER
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