Submitted by Keri Pierce, Director of Ceremonial Culture
Photo above: Vern “Duey” Longboat tapping maple
The Ceremonial Culture Department began tapping tree’s in late February. This process is headed by apprentice’s Vern “Duey” Longboat and Kurtis Dowdy. They look forward to this time of year and enjoy this age old Haudenosaunee tradition.
In our longhouse cycle, we give thanks to the maple also known as “wahda’.” The sap that comes from the tree is Creator’s Medicine to us. We give thanks that we’re able to renew and rejuvenate another year here on Mother Earth. It’s important to always give thanks before tapping and to only tap what you will be using.
Tapping maple trees is one of the first signs of spring in our culture. Our ancestors have been tapping maple trees for centuries. Sap is a natural sweetener and used in white corn mush and traditional teas.
I asked our elder Marcia Abrams if she had any memories of tapping trees prior to the forced Kinzua Dam removal in 1964. She said her dad and Uncle did everything outside from tapping to boiling. There were no sugar shacks back then, she remembered them collecting the buckets using a wagon. Her dad would pour sap over snow and give it to her as a treat. Marcia can recall a lot more maple trees being around Ohi:yo’ when she grew up.
Oral tradition: It is said that long ago maple syrup ran freely from the trees. The people enjoyed the taste so much they would gather under the trees all day and neglect everything else in the village . The creator saw their obsession and made the syrup into sap that had to be boiled. From then on the people had to work and spend time on the process before the syrup could be enjoyed.
