Buffalo Gourd: The Subterranean Colossus
Smithsonian Institution. Bureau of American Ethnology., Jay I. Kislak Reference Collection (Library of Congress). (1916). Bulletin. Washington: G.P.O..
Out in the near distance there is an unearthly presence. Its sprawling vines present angular sandpapery leaves. They are pointing toward the hot sun as if to indicate its place in the sky. There has been a protracted drought in the semi-desert scrublands for some time, yet, the plant is unaffected. Not even the locusts—which already ate everything else—go near it.
No harmless things are given such a wide berth.
Sure enough, below the surface, an eyeless 6-foot human-shaped tuber lurks. Traditionally, among the Kiowa, only people of particular authority were permitted to disturb this root. Externally, buffalo gourd was utilized as a detergent. Internally, the buffalo gourd acts as a powerful emetic (vomit-inducer) and laxative medicine. There are old stories of people dying using the buffalo gourd in this manner.
I’ll repeat that.
People have reportedly died trying to ingest the root of this plant as a medicine. BUT…
Besides its use as an insecticide, detergent, and advanced medicine, the niashiga maka does have a safe edible use. Food scientists were even considering taking this plant to the next level for a little while, but alas… sometimes the heart and head take divergent roads.
Welcome to the lair of America’s subterranean colossus with squash bejeweled hair. Welcome to the world of…
Cucurbita foetidissima
From: Cyclopedia of American horticulture, comprising suggestions for cultivation of horticultural plants, descriptions of the species of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and ornamental plants sold in the United States and Canada, together with geographical and biographical sketches (1900). Bailey, L. H. (Liberty Hyde), 1858-1954 ed; Miller, Wilhelm, b. 1869, joint author
Synonyms—Cucumis perennis; Cucurbita perennis; Ozodykus perennis; Pepo foetidissima; Pepo foetidissimus
Family — Cucurbitaceae
Family Characteristics — Generally monoecious plants with calcified hairs and a trailing or climbing growth habit [10.
Aliases — buffalo gourd, desert gourd, fetid wild pumpkin, Missouri gourd; wagamu pezhuta {meaning: wagamu = pumpkin; pezhuta = medicine} (DAKOTA); niashiga maka {meaning: niashiga = human being; maka = medicine} (OMAHA-PONCA); calabasilla (SPANISH)
Binomial Etymology — Cucurbita is the Latin word for “gourd.” The species name foetidissima comes from the LATIN foetidissimus, meaning “very bad-smelling” [8]. We can reasonably infer the binomial to mean “foul-smelling gourd.”
Binomial Pronunciation: — Coo-kur-BEET-uh ~ FOE-et-ah-DEE-sim-uh
Symbol — CUFO
Buffalo Gourd Description
Patrick J. Alexander, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
The herbaceous portions of Cucurbita foetidissima are coarsely scabrous (almost sandpaper-like) with large, angular, and triangular-to-ovate leaves that are foul smelling with a grey/greenish tinge (15-30 cm). The leaf margins are weakly lobed or finely toothed. The fruits are spheroid with mottled longitudinal stripes of white and green. The flowers are large, showy, and yellow with corollas of about 9-12 cm [11].
Patrick J. Alexander, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Buffalo Gourd Habitat
Image sourced from https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CUFO
Cucurbita foetidissima resides in arid gravely and/or sandy soils or in disturbed areas. I often see this plants growing under fence lines.
Culinary Uses of the Buffalo Gourd
Steve Hurst, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
The seeds were/have been eaten by the CAHUILLA, ISLETA, LUISEñO, and PIMA people for thousands of years [9].
Modern science has been courting this plant as an arid-land oilseed crop since the 1950’s [12]. Not only that, the root stock was also given a gander as a potential source of starch [13].
In the 1970’s, the Ford foundation funded a study in Tel Amara, Lebanon, to see if the Buffalo gourd could be a potential cash crop viable for the parched and hungry parts of Earth. Grimly, that study was cut short by the Lebanese civil war. Later studies concluded the seeds to be rich in palatable oils, but nutritionally inferior to soy. Similarly, the starch which was chemically extracted from the root proved to be of good constitution, but inferior to tapioca starch [14].
It seems like food chemists “liked” the buffalo gourd, but didn’t “LIKE-like” the buffalo gourd. They just decided it was just better if— maybe— they just started seeing other plants instead.
It was sad, but I hear Cucurbita foetidissima wishes the food scientists well on their journey regardless of what happened in the past.
Buffalo Gourd Ethnobotany
The fruit were used as “darning balls,” and laundry detergent by AMERICANS in the 1920s and prior. Darning balls are spheroid objects that are put into socks—in either the heel or toe area—to retain their shape during mending. For laundry, the vines were crushed, with the gourds and all, and were added to wash water [2]. AMERICANS used the pulp of the green fruits mashed with soap to apply to wounds and ulcers [6].
The LUISENO used the ripe fruit to wash clothes [5].
NATIVE AMERICANS (AMBIGUOUS) roasted the root and subsequently dried it, and boiled a small sliver of it to drink as a treatment for venereal diseases (particularly syphilis and gonorrhea). It was said that this medicine induced vomiting before working as a laxative. People had reportedly died trying this, so, just go to the doctor and have that syphilis looked at, friend [7].
The TEWA ground the roots into a powder mixed with water to serve as a laxative [4].
Buffalo Gourd and Cultural Belief Among the Kiowa
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
It was reported that the KIOWA both revered and feared the buffalo gourd as a medicine. Only an individual with proper authority could handle this plant, and offerings of tobacco were carefully given to appease the plant’s spirit before handling it. The root plunged as much as six feet into the Earth and was considered to be shaped like an amorphous human being. In keeping with the doctrine of signatures, if you had a head trauma, the top of the root was utilized; if it was being used to treat the feet, the bottom of the root was used etc. Great pains were taken to carefully dig up the root without inuring it. If one were to injure the root in the ground, grim consequences could befall the the responsible party or their kin [3].
One particular consequence cited by the KIOWA above happened to a man who accidentally cut into the side of the root while extracting it from the ground. A short time later, his son injured his side and subsequently died.
Traveler, in my professional life, I am a scientist. I also have multiple buffalo gourd growing in my back yard (one has been there for almost ten years). I would love to spend the day unearthing the root. I’d love to take a photograph standing next to this root in a bow tie. I would love to try and use the root for soap, but I fear what subconscious harm the action would take on my psyche. If any harm or injury comes upon a member of my family… would there be a little voice saying:
“Oh no! What have I DONE?!”
It’s 2020; up is down; left is right, and I’m not messing with that root until the Kiowa personally come over my house and tell me it’s cool.
