Exotic drift seeds in Norway: Vernacular names, beliefs, and uses

35 Pages·2003·20 MB·English

by  Torbjorn Alm

: Ethnobiology 227-261
23(2):
EXOTIC DRIFT SEEDS NORWAY: VERNACULAR
IN NAMES,
AND
USES
BELIEFS,
ALM
TORBJ0RN
Department Tromso Museum,
Botany, University Tromso,
of
of
N-9037 Norway
Tromso,
ABSTRACT.—
Seeds of some West Indian plants are sometimes transported across
the Atlantic and deposited along the coast of Norway. The seeds of some Fabaceae
species are sufficiently large and conspicuous to be noticed by the layman,
in-
cluding those of Dioclea m, which are the only
"common"
drift seed species in Norway. Such seeds have found a position in the
among
groups Norway, Norwe-
folklore of the ethnic living in especially the
all
gian and Sami inhabitants, but also among the Finnish and Gypsy (Romany- and
Norwegian names
Rodi-speaking) minority groups. vernacular sup-
reflect their
posed
origin (e.g., sjobenner 'sea beans') or uses (e.g., hsningsstein 'loosening stone'
and bustein 'cattle stone'). In Norwegian folk tradition, the seeds have been used
mainly as an aid during childbirth and to cure various diseases in cattle. In Sami
humans,
tradition the seeds seem to have been used only for both during child-
were
birth and to cure various diseases. In all ethnic groups, the seeds considered
and both by some vernacular names
rare precious objects, as revealed of their
and the traditions related to the way of handling and storage of such seeds.
strict
names,
Key words: Norwegian, Sami, vernacular folk medicine.
drift seeds,
RESUMEN—
En de algunas plantas de Antillas son
ocasiones, semillas las
las
En
transportadas a traves del Atlantico y depositadas en las costas de Noruega.
son
caso de algunas especies de leguminosas (Fabaceae), las semillas suficiente-
el
mente grandes conspicuas para que lugarenos reparen en ellas. Entre ellas,
y los
con
las de Dioclea Erttada gigas y Mucuna sloanei son las tinicas especies
reflcxa,
un
de "comunes" en Noruega. Estas semillas han hallado lugar
semillas deriva
en de todos grupos etnicos que viven en Noruega, especialmente
folklore los
el
grupos minoritarios
noruegos Sami, pero tambien entre los
entre habitantes y
los
Romanf Los nombres vernaculos en
de finlandeses gitanos (de lenguas y Rodi).
y
marinas') o
Noruego su supuesto origen (por ejemplo sjobenmr 'alubias
reflejan
En
ganado').
de o 'piedra del
sus usos (como losningsstein 'piedra aflojar' bustein
como
nte
han
popular noruega, semillas se
tradition las
la
>
En
ganado.
ayuda nacimiento de ninos para curar varias enfermedades del
al y
para hu-
exclusivamente
Sami parecen haberse utilizado
semillas
la tradition las
En todos grupos etnicos las
manos, en parto para curar varias dolencias. los
el y
como algunos de
revelan
consideraban objetos escasos preciosos, lo
semillas se y
manipulacion
en su
sus nombres vernaculos y estrictas tradiciones lo referente a
RESUME— derivent parfois sur lAtl
Des graines de plantes des Antilles
de
Les graines de quelques especes F
de Norvege.
echouent sur cotes
et les
compns
profanes,
y
I
graines "ordi-
de Dioclea I
celles reflexi
du de
graines font partie folklore toutes
«l particulier dans la tradition des Sames,
Roms/Tsiganes de langues romani
et
et
:s
supposee
^ ,^ns refletent leur origine (par ex-
&
x .
emple sj0b0nner 'haricots de mer') ou leur utilisation, (par exemple l0sningsstein
Dans
'pierre a degager' et bustein 'pierre a betail'). la tradition populaire norve-
pour accouchements
gienne, les graines etaient surtout utilisees faciliter les et
maladies du Dans des Sames, semble que
soigner diverses betail. la tradition
il
graines etaient utilisees uniquement pour les etres humains dans les soins lors
les
des accouchements et pour des affections variees. Pour toutes les ethnies ces grai-
noms
que de
nes etaient rares et precieuses ainsi le revelent certains leurs ver-
naculaires et les regies
i
age.
INTRODUCTION
—
Norway
has one of the longest coastlines of any country in the world 57,258
—
km
extending from 57°58' to 71°11' north latitude (excluding the arctic archi-
pelago of Spitsbergen). also blessed with an unusually mild climate for
It is its
warm
latitude, due to an extensive northwards transport of waters in the Nor-
wegian an which
coastal current, extension of the Atlantic current, crosses
itself
the North Atlantic from the Gulf of Mexico.
warm
In addition to waters, this large-scale transport across the Atlantic
from West and
brings flotsam the Indies adjacent areas. Drift seeds of about a
dozen tropical and subtropical species have been recorded along the coast of
Norway (Aim and Nelson Nelson Of beans
1998, 2003; 1998a, 2000). these, the of
&
Dioclea Hooker Entada gigas Fawc. Rendl. and Mucuna Fawc.
reflexa (L.) sloanei
f.,
&
most
Rendl. (Fabaceae) are the frequent. Their seeds, ranging in size from 3-k
cm
5-7 and
to {Entada) are sufficiently large, attractive, durable to arouse the
interest of any finder. This has secured them a place both in Norwegian folk
and
tradition the scientific literature.
At an early date, drift seeds caught the attention of Norwegian The
scientists.
first mention is in Peder Clausson Friis's topographical description of Norway,
Worm
written in the sixteenth century, but published by Ole 1632
late first in
more
(and readily available in a late nineteenth-century edition by Storm 1881).
who
Drift seeds were also mentioned by Pontoppidan considered but
(1752), re-
jected the possibility that they could derive from the Americas; in his opinion,
were
the stranded seeds simply too well preserved. Strom in his topo-
(1762),
Sunnmore,
graphical description of western Norway, noted and
several species,
was convinced American Only and
of their origin. three years the bishop
later,
scientist Johan Ernst Gunnerus wrote a paper on drift seeds, assembling data on
and uses (Gunnerus Some comments
species, records, 1765). further are found in
A
Strom (1779, 1784). century later, Schiibeler (1873-75) compiled data on drift
He
Norway.
seeds in included a list of specimens then found at the Botanical
Museum
many now
in Oslo (herb. O), of which seem be and added some
to
lost,
More
ethnobotanical data. comprehensive surveys of drift seeds in Norway were
Lindman
given by and Helland
(1883)
(1905).
JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY
Fall/Winter 2003
No
made
Sources.— previous attempt has been assemble body
to the full of evi-
dence, scattered over (and often concealed wide
in) a variety of topographical,
and
folkloristic, botanical, other literature. This paper reviews folk tradition re-
lated to drift seeds in Norway, including both Norwegian and Sami ethnobotany,
and some data on the traditions of the Finnish and Gypsy (Romany- and Rodi-
My
speaking) minority groups. study almost based on
entirely written sources.
is
Although have work
carried out extensive ethnobotanical north Norway,
field in
I
who
have so far failed to find more than a dozen persons had firsthand knowl-
I
edge and
of seeds
drift their traditional uses.
Most Norway
data relevant to are found in Norwegian-language sources,
al-
though number
there are also a of interesting references in Danish, Icelandic,
Swedish, Finnish, German, French, English, and Latin. Unless otherwise noted,
quotations from non-English sources have been translated from Norwegian.
Translations or glosses are given in the bustein
style: 'cattle stone'.
Norway commented many
were on
Ethnobotanical aspects of drift seeds in in
Gunnerus Pontoppidan and
of the early publications, including
(1765), (1752),
Strom (1762, 1779, 1784). Minor compilations are also found in Helland (1905)
and Schiibeler (1873-75), and a few notes on vernacular names in Lindman
(1883).
Some comments some
found Nelson Except
are also in (1983, 1998a, 2000). for
by Norwegian
brief, popular accounts of drift seeds written botanists (Danielsen
1952; Gjaerevoll 1976; Ronning 1955), there are few twentieth-century reports on
Aim made
drift seeds in Norway. and Nelson (1998) a preliminary survey of north
A
Norwegian some maps. Nor-
records of species, including full revision of the
wegian with maps forthcoming (Aim and Nelson
material, for selected species,
is
2003).
Some
data from recent interviews are included in relevant sections; these are
+
were during
indicated as "interview year" below. Interviews carried out partly
March some
a course on plant uses given in Finnmark in 2001, as of
traditional
women, recognized seed
the participants in their thirties to sixties) a drift
(all
A
shown on
during newspaper note asking for information drift
the lectures.
and The
seeds (Aim 2003a) yielded some response by mail, e-mail telephone.
people who responded were mostly but ages ranged from about 40 to 95
elderly,
Tromso Museum, Department
years. Transcripts of the interviews are stored at
Botany (TROM).
of
NORWAY
DISTRIBUTION OF DRIFT SEEDS IN
Norway.
have been recorded in
Exotic drift seeds of at least eleven species
most
legumes including the three
Six or seven of these are seeds of (Fabacace s.L),
A
map
Mucuna
and
frequent seashore Dioclea Entada gigas, sloanei.
finds, reflexa,
on herbarium specimens
showing records of these three species (based extant
numerous further records from the scientific
only) included here (Figure
is 1);
Aim
now by and Nelson
and herbarium specimens are discussed
lost
literature
Norway
The Fabaceae species recorded as drift seeds in are all rare
other
(2003).
(three
seashore bonduc Roxb. (four records), Cassia fistula L.
finds: Caesalpinia (L.)
An
DC. old record of Ery-
and Mucuna single record).
records), macroceratides (a
FIGURE 1.—Map
showing
records
of the three
i
baceae) along the coast of Norway, based on
exta
TRH, TROM):
and
Dioclea
reflexa (squares), Entada gigas (dots) and Wucuin; iloana
(trian-
Many
gles). further records are known, partly with
identity confirmed by Gunnerus
(1765),
Strom
Linnaeus
(1762, 1779, 1784), (in his correspondence with Gunnerus and
Strom),
Lindman
Charles Darwin, and
(1883), others, but without surviving herbarium
specimens!
They
have been
left out here, but confirm the
distribution pattern of the present map.
Aim
Compiled from and
Nelson
(2003).
\
:l '
:
thrina sp. (Gunnerus 1765:21, no voucher specimen found) should be regarded as
unverified.
Mucuna
In folk tradition, the large seeds of Dioclea Entada
reflexa, gigas, sloanei
and
other Fabaceae stand out, simply because they are noteworthy and attractive
Almost
objects. all folk tradition extracted here, as far as voucher specimens, pho-
and
tographs other documentation can refer to the seeds of these three species
tell,
(for details, see Table Species with similar seeds, Mucuna macroceratides,
1). e.g.,
would may
obviously not be by layman, and have found
rejected the similar use,
much
were
but
turn
less likely to up.
Other seeds recorded Norway, Anacardium
exotic drift in all rare, are:
officinale
L. (Anacardiaceae), coconuts Cocos (Araceae), calabashes or gourds Cu-
nucifera
and
curbita lagenaria L. (Cucurbitaceae), Garcink mangpstarm (Clusiaceae), Mer-
L.
A
remia discoidesperma D. Sm.) O'Don. (Convolvulaceae). small seed depicted
(J.
may
by Strom belong Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae). The few
(1779:315) to sp. cala-
Norway
bashes recorded in are probably not true drift seeds, but rather discarded
household These no
utensils or decorative objects. latter species are of little or
A
importance few stranded coconuts are mentioned in the
in folk tradition.
lit-
erature, but there are no data to suggest that they played any role in folk tradition.
A
brief note on the ethnobotany of Cocos nucifera is found towards the end of the
paper.
Norway;
Drift seeds are anything but frequent along the coasts of finding
— —
some
one even an Entada gigas seed sheer luck, at least nowadays. To extent,
is
Some
on
high nineteenth-century
their value in folk tradition rests their rarity.
were somewhat more Martins
sources suggest seeds frequent in the past.
that drift
Finnmark
commenting on an Entada seed found by French botanists in
(1848:129),
(see also Martins 1857), noted that the "Norwegian fishermen, like those of the
west coast of Scotland, collect these seeds in fairly large numbers." Habitat de-
may
have reduced seeds
struction in the source areas led to a influx of drift
during
recent years.
NAMES
VERNACULAR
names recorded seeds Norway,
Table 2 vernacular so far for drift in
lists all
based on the primary sources; numerous secondary references have been left out.
most
Names.—The conspicuous beans of Entada gigas are the
Norzoegian Vernacular
Norwegian, they are usually
important drift seeds in terms of folk tradition. In
name
This frequently
referred to as vettenyre (singular) or vettenyrer (plural). is
Norway
see Reichborn-Kjen-
mentioned in the literature on drift seeds in (e.g.,
nerud 1942:276), but does not seem to be much used as a vernacular name. It was
noted as a name used in the Faroes by Peder Clausson Friis in his description
first
Norway Norwegian written in the late sixteenth cen-
of (and the old territories),
and Gunnerus
Strom
tury (see Storm 1881). Most later authors refer to (1762)
them Norwegian sources for vettenyre as
but neither of refer explicitly to
(1765),
name
used
mentioned
as a
a vernacular name. In both these works, vettenyre is
unambiguous
by Debes The only confir-
recorded (1673:169).
in the Faroes, as
-Identity of selected folk tradition Norway, with notes on documentation.*
c in
i
itation Related
tradition
Strom
name
(1762); scientific description Vernacular used medicine
(bustein); in folk
Gunnerus
(1765); scientific description Vernacular names hviiiu^tcin), used
as snuff-
(zvttciii/re,
boxes and medicine
in folk
Saxlund photographs; name
(1918:98, figs. speci- Vernacular used medicine
1, 3); (jcttein/iv), in folk
mens now
Romsdalsmuseet,
at lost
Reichborn-Kjennerud
photographs, Used
(1921:1, medicine
in folk
9);
now
specimens Romsdalsmuseet,
at lost
TROM
Nordland: Vesteralen Photographs of specimens stored in Vernacular name and
(h/kkstein) associated beliefs
TROM
Troms:
Senja Brox (1970:83); specimen in Vernacular name; used medicine
in folk
TROM
Troms: Karlsoy Brooke specimen
(1823:317); in Vernacular
r
Masoy
Finnmark: Kohl photograph
(1926b:958); speci- Vernacular
(fig. 5, left), r
men Museum
Hamburg
Volkerkunde,
at fur
Specimen Norsk Folkemuseum
at
Qvigstad specimen Norsk
(1932:15-16); at folke-
M^soy TRH
Finnmark: Specimen
in (and attached note) Used in Sami folk medicine
Finnmark: Nordkapp
Martins specimen
(1848, 1857); in Paris Collected by fishermen
Finnmark: Nordkapp
Paulaharju (1935); glossary Vernacular name; used Quain mec
in folk
Finnmark
Paus Helland
in (1906:296); brief description Seed interpreted as female
Norway
Gosner photograph
Museum,
(1985:9); Snuffbox Historisk Bergen)
(at
Aucuna
sloanei
Hordaland
Pontoppidan
(1752:254); brief description ur marine
origin
Norway
Gunnerus
(1765:21-22); scientific description Vernacular names, used
I
Sunnm0re
Strom
name
(1765); scientific description Vernacular
(bustein'
Masoy TRH
Finnmark: Specimen
in (and attached note) Used Sami
in folk medici
Masoy
Finnmark:
Kohl photograph
(1926b:958); (fig. 5, right), Vernacular names; used Sami folk medicine
i
Museum
specimen Ham-
at fur Volkerkunde,
1
Souav
documentation
,iik1
Paus Helland
in
(
lund
(1918:98,
Komsd.ilsrnii.sc-et,
.
BG, TRH, TROM,
(in herb. O, and at some other museums), photographs,
detailed descriptk
ndman
Schiibeler and
(1883), (1873-75),
Strati, were doc
originally
all
1
ived. The seeds of Gunnerus and Strom were
partly forwarded
to jmikh-us lor ideniitk
.ition.
I I i
s not been possible to locate. The last two seeds, listed as IMucuna sloanei, could also belong
t
Dioclea
e.g., reflex
seeds of Fabaceae specie:
t
Name
Vernacular English translation Area Source
Names
a) used for Dioclea reflexa, iVhttftfu stoma or specie:s with similar seeds
Norwegian
Norway Gunnerus
bu>h'iu [Busten] cattle stone 1765:21
W
Norway
stone (Sunnmore) Gjerding 1932:87
cattle
W
Norway
stone (Romsdal) Saxlund 1919:98, 2
cattle
fig.
Norway
bustein cattle stone Reichborn-Kjennerud 1921:1, 1942:276
9;
W
onuotcm Norway
[Orme-Sten] (Sunnmore) Strom
1762:139
worm
oniustem [Orme-Sten] stone Norway Gunnerus 1765:21
Names
b) used for Entmia gigas
hutch, Norway Lindman
rbi,estene| stone 1883:75
cattle
W
Norway
stone (Romsdal) Saxlund
cattle 1919:98, 3
figs.
1,
Norway
cattle stone Reichborn-Kjennerud 1921:1,9
N
Iwlciu rbuestene] Norway Svendsen
(Vasroy?) 1916:86
N
h'rlt^imi^tcm Norway
["torlosningsstene loosening stone Helland 1905:224
|
N
Norway museum
hu1o>iiiii^ti'iii [torloysnings-steir loosening stone Brox specimen Tromso
(Senja) 1970:83;
at
i]
Norway Lindman
|*golfsnodder] Gulf nut
£olf>)n>tt 1883:75
?
N
Norway
y>lf>m>tt |*golfsnorter] Gulf nut (Vaeroy?) Svendsen 1916:86
?
W
icllnwr \*\xttenyrer] giant's kidney Norway (Romsdal) Saxlund 1919:98
TROM
Andoya
interviews photographs
2003; in
An// lutein [Losningssten] loosening stone Norway Gunnerus
1765:15-16, 21
// 18,
Norway
/es/////; 's.s/('/// ["Losnings Steene] loosening stone Gunnerus in letter of 6 Feburary 1762
J.E.
s
(Dahl
1896:173)
h^nin^h'iii Norway Lindman
|*losningsstene] loosening stone Svendsen
1883:75; 1916:86
cf.
N
Norway
h>>iiiu^>lciii osningsstene] loosening stone Helland 1905:204
C"l
N
Norway
hwiiiiXXih'in Hosningsstene] loosening stone (Vaeroy?) Svendsen 1916:86
W
[Soe-Bonne] Norway (Sunnmore) Strom
i;/;/(' 1762:138, 387
-/i'/'i
Norway
[*sobonner] Lindman
s/e/'ii////e 1883:75
N
Norway
Helland 1905:204
N
Norway
sjenett sea nut (Troms: Karlsoy) Brooke 1823:317
Name
Vernacular
English Area
translatioi Source
i ^
[*sonodder] Norway
sjenett sea nut Lindman
1883:75
i
sj0iwtt [*sjonotter]
Svendsen
1916:86
sjotremtt [Soetraee-Nodd]
Gunnerus
1765:15
N
i
Norway (W
skate-eggs Finnmark)
interviews 2001
tannine
[*tangbanner] sea-weed bean
Lindman
1883:75
mhwtt
[\alnodder] Norway
Lindman
1883:75
ivltcm/rc [Votte-Nyre] wight's kidney Norway?
EC.
Friis, late 16th century (see Storm 1881)
ivttcmnv rVette-Nyrer] wight's kidney Norway? Gunnerus
1765:15, 18
wight's kidney Norway? Strom
1784:126 o
wight's kidney Norway?
Schiibeler 1873-75:32
g
r
enyn wight's kidney Norway
iette-nyrer] Gunnerus
in letter dated 6 February 1762 z
J.E.
\
>
(Dahl 1896:173-174)
o
N
gollcgajiw [Gollegadno] gold can Norway
Schiibeler 1873-75:31
N
Norway H
sea serpent stone (Finnmark) Kohl
1926a:133; see Qvigstad 1932:15
Finnish (Quain)
o
N
stone Norway
of the sea (Finnmark)
Paulaharju 1934, 1935
Names
used
c) in a collective sen se for Fabaceae seeds, including Dioclcn Mucima and Entada
ivflcxa, s lomiei gigas, or other species with
i
more
or similar seeds
less
§
W
bustein [»Bue-Stene] Norway
cattle stone (Sunnmore) Strom
1756:fol. 56a, 79a; see Standal
et
al.
1997:125, 169
Strom
1762:138-139, 1779:315-316
388;
buJh"n
IBust-ne-n]
Sundt
1852:152
W
Norway
(Sunnmore)
Gjerding
1932:87
loosening stone
Pontoppidan
1752:287
h^ning^tdn
[Losningsstenen]
loosening stone
Nicolaissen 1889:17
W
Li<nc>tdn |Laasne-Steen| loosening stone Norway
Pontoppidan
1752:287
[dignasga'
t1iki)ti^i'tiiSoi
accompanying TRH
herbarium
specimen,
i
[gaggagaadge]
!
[ganogaedga]
r
Names
used
Fabaceae
for seeds,
insufficient to allow further identification
)
i
N
Nodder]
sjenett [*Soe nut Norway
>ea (Nordland: Bo) Bruun
Gunnerus
4. in a letter to 16 August
1759 (Dahl
1897:21)
N
tn/llesfchi (tryllesten] nagic stone Norway
(Finnmark)
:ohl 1926a:133; 1926b:959
from
celling, different present-day Norwegian
if
.Hid
f