March 2013 Volume 47 Issue 3
swədəbš qyuuqs
waQwaQus (WAKWAK-oos) Moon When Frog Talks
“Late February/March is the ‘moon when frog talks,’ signaling the coming of spring. This is the time for harvesting herring and smelt. Herring are prepared in many ways—whole herring are threaded onto green twigs and dried, herring oil is collected and used to season food, and the roe is also eaten. Herring roe in the tidelands attracts flocks of ducks and snow geese. Ducks are valued as a source of grease, which is collected when the duck is cooked over an open-spit fire, the duck oil dripping into and open clamshell. During this moon and through the next two moons halibut fishing starts, but the seas are still rough so activities are more focused on hunting elk and deer. The roots of Sitka Spruce, red-cedar, and Oregon grape are collected for the inner bark, which is split and bundled for later use in making and dyeing baskets. Edible plants are also collected—the bark of serviceberry, giant horsetail shoots, and tiger lily bulbs that are dug up to eat raw or boiled. In freshwater marshlands, the cattail roots are dug and boiled or dried, then pulverized into flour. Stinging nettles are also collected, and the leaves cooked for tea.”—13 Moons: The 13 Lunar Phases, And How They Guide the Swinomish People