Paleo Foraging

Avena fatua L.

= A. byzantina, A. sativa var. fatua

Wild oat, spring wild oat, avena

Gosiute: o‘-a-tûmp (Chamberlin 1911:363), Navajo: łįi’ pitł’oh naatąa’ – “horse, his grass, corn” / łįi’ pitąa’ – “horse, his food” (Elmore 1944:25)

Location in Texas: all TX except far S, far N, & far W; common in Travis Co; introduced.

Form: grass.

Food

Seeds – beaten with a basketry racket into a tightly-woven burden basket by the Kashaya Pomo and other Indians in northern California (Chesnut 1902, Goodrich et al. 1980). Before storage, the grains were winnowed in a tray by rubbing the chaff loose, then tossing them into the air (Goodrich et al. 1980). The hulls of the grains were parched off by shaking them in a shallow basket with live oak coals (Chesnut 1902, Goodrich et al. 1980). Then the seeds were ground to a fine powder in a mortar (Goodrich et al. 1980). Various other seeds made into piñole were stored separately, then mixed for different flavors when ready to eat (Goodrich et al. 1980). Piñole was eaten dry or pressed into cakes, and was sometimes mixed with ground manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.) berries, peppernuts (Umbellularia californica), or pine (Pinus spp.) nuts (Goodrich et al. 1980).

Oat grains were consumed in large quantities by Indians in Mendocino County, California (Chesnut 1902). Bark from fallen oak trees, which burned slowly without flame, were preferred fuel for piñole parching (Chesnut 1902). The parched seeds were then ground with mortar and pestle until as fine as desired (Chesnut 1902). Salt or the ash of certain plants (perhaps cow parsnip, Heracleum maximum) were added and the mixture, called piñole (Spanish) or sī-mē’-yä hō by the Yokia, was generally eaten dry (Chesnut 1902).

Slight variations of this method were used for many different types of seeds, which were often mixed together in measured quantities to produce a variety of aromatic and flavorful pinole flours (Chesnut 1902). Calandrinia elegans, Ranunculus eisenii, Ceanothus integerrimus, Trifolium virescens, Madia dissitiflora, Hemizonia luzulaefolia, Wyethia longicaulis, Boisduvalia densiflora are seed species used for piñole by Indians in Mendocino County (Chesnut 1902).

Wild oat grains were parched, ground into meal, and mixed with other wild seeds to make a mush that was eaten by the Cahuilla (Bean and Saubel 1972:46).

Gathering Season – June or July; the early summer, for the few days after when the first warm inland winds come to dry the grasses, before causing them to throw their seeds (Goodrich et al. 1980). July-September (Bean and Saubel 1972:46).

Notes – Avena fatua is introduced, but resembles the native wild oats, Danthonia californica (Chesnut 1902). This resemblance is perhaps cause of the claims by the Pomo that A. fatua was native, and they had been using it long before settlement (Chesnut 1902). The seeds contain 14.8% protein, 11.5% fats, and 2.8% ash (Bean and Saubel 1972:46).