Bracken Fern Uses

From NarratingLandscapes

The Bracken Fern played an important role in traditional Northwest Coast Technology. The Frond was an especially useful part of the plant. Particularly in the Okanagan, large fronds were used to line steaming pits. They were also convenient to store dried food on, wipe fish with, make bedding with and to use as berry basket covers. The Ktunaxa made sunshades from them and the Nuxalk used dead ones for mulching potato hills. In addition to this, the beautiful bracken fern fronds were the basis of a Haida basketry design pattern.

The Rhizomes of the bracken fern were also useful. The Nuu-chah-nulth, Kwak-waka'wakw and Oweekeno dried and saved the fibrous insides from the rhizomes to use as tinder. They were also put inside tightly bound cedar bark or inside clam sides to create "slow matches" that had the ability to burn for long periods of time. The Straits Salish and Halkomelem used bundles of these rhizome fibres as torches in early spring.

From: Turner, Nancy J. Plant Technology of Peoples in British Columbia. Vancouver: UBC Press p.65.

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