The names Camassia, camas, qém’es, quamash, and pa-siko, all
refer to the group of spring herbs whose white to blue-purple
flowers form spectacular displays in wetlands, grasslands, and
oak savannas in the Pacific Northwest. Camas is a North American
plant whose greatest diversity lies in Oregon, which is home to
over 65 percent of the named species. From California to coastal
British Columbia, indigenous peoples used camas bulbs
extensively for food, along with salmon, acorns, and other
foodstuff. The bulbs were valued as sweeteners, and shared or
traded as gifts at weddings and funerals. Tribal families took
care to pass down traditional harvesting sites across
generations. During spring to late summer, women dug the bulbs
with special sticks crafted of wood and animal antlers. Once
harvested, the bulbs might be ground and stored in cake form.
During special gatherings, families baked the bulbs in earthen
"ovens" by layering them over hot stones with branches of native
shrubs, herbs, and trees, then cooking