For anyone interested in creating an earth oven with your friends this blog will tell you what materials you need, how to build one, and hopefully provide you with information on how significant this ancient cooking practice is to the first peoples of British Columbia.
Earth Oven Cooking
Group Leaders:
Megan Dicks
Ashley Fuhr
Kaeli Sort
Assistants: Ashley’s Dad Gary Fuhr
Ashley’s Mom Jane Fuht
Ashley’s little brother Ryan Fuhr
Elise Polkinghorne
Lolitta Sampson
Purpose:
The purpose of this archaeological experiment is to explore the methods of Earth Oven cooking implemented by many prehistoric peoples of the Northwest Coast of British Columbia. Only through the rediscovery and exploration of pre-historical methods of subsistence can one gain a better understanding about the ecosystem and the natural resources the peoples of the Northwest Coast used to sustain their culture for thousands of years. Furthermore, by revisiting these ancient practices “we can achieve a more sustainable relationship with our own environment” (Turner et. Al 2000: 1285).
Earth Oven cooking is an extremely ancient practice, predating the existence of clay and metal pots, and is found in many cultures across the world. This method of cookery can also be carried out in a variety of ways, for this particular experiment the method used was based largely upon the Bella Coola peoples of British Columbia, described by H.V. Kuhnlein, N.J. Turner and P.D. Kluckner in the article “Nutritional Significance of Two Important Root Foods (Springbank clover and Pacific silverweed) used by Native people on the Coast of British Columbia.” It was in this article the voice and memories of first nations elders of the Nitinaht and Nuxalk tribes, also called Bella Coola, was considered and transcribed. The elders of both groups related from their memories and history that cooking of specific root vegetables, in large quantities for feasts or for regular family use, was done so in the ground (Kuhnlein et al. 1982: 89).
The Nitinaht used the “pit technique with hot rocks lining the bottom of a large pit and specific vegetation was placed in layers to separate bundles of roots such as silverweed, clover, and blue camas from the dirt” (Kuhnlein et al. 1982: 90).
The Nuxalk Indians elders voiced that they preferred “clover roots cooked on top of hot rocks either in pits or on top of the ground” (Kuhnlein et al. 1982, 90). These roots were also used to make “stews with salmon eggs, ooligan grease, flour, sugar. Eaten usually with a prepared animal oil” (Kuhnlein et al. 1982: 90).
After reading this article, and through attempting to create an Earth Oven, I began to wonder how Earth Oven cooking was made possible in the wet months, particularly in environments like the glacier-fed Bella Coola, British Columbia? Paralleling Bella Coola to Vancouver island, it would appear the weather forecast is generally the same seasonally. The soils are rich and extremely fertile and rain is prevalent in both environments.
To test this research question two Earth Ovens were created, one trial was to be conducted on a sunny mild wind day and the second trial was to be conducted on a rainy day. Two pits were dug to represent the most common sediments that would have been accessible to the people Bella Coola Valley. Pit A consisted of a gravel sediment, in a well irrigated and elevated area. Pit B was built in a field, close to a garden, so the sediment consisted of a deep brown silt, and was nutrient-rich.
I predicted that success of Earth Oven cooking is dictated by weather conditions, not the soil and sediment environment. Thus, on sunny, dry, and mild wind days food will be cooked thoroughly in a timely manner. Whereas, cooking in the rain, no matter what sediment used, will pose many issues, and may lead to uncooked food. This is because bad weather will cause the hot rocks, once covered over by plant layers and earth, and left to cook, to cool down rapidly. Thus, the food will not be able to cook below the ground surface with this particular oven method. People were most likely cooking on the ground surface in the rain, or using other methods underground that allowed for the continual heating of cooking rocks.
Earth Oven Materials
(In Alphabetical Order)
Axe:
This tool is a very valuable item, used to chop spruce wood into logs and cedar wood into kindling sticks. It can be purchased at any home hardware store. Traditionally the people of the Northwest Coast would most likely have used Celt tools (adzes) for chopping wood made of ground-stone. For extracting larger planks and bark off of trees people would have used wedges, made out of durable antler.
Bamboo Leaves:
These leaves were used to hold and protect the rice from getting dirty. It is important to note that rice would not have been used in an Earth Oven in B.C., it was just a fun addition to the experiment.
Broom Plant:
This plant was used in substitution for the authentically used Salal plant, which we could not access locally. Two layers of broom were used along with sword ferns, for insulation of the Earth Oven, and to protect food from the elements. Safety warning: After this experiment was conducted it was brought to our attention that broom is oily, and highly flammable. This plant is extremely dangerous if it catches on fire and it is recommended this plant not be used in any future Earth Oven experiments.
Bucket (Ice cream pale):
This was used to transport water from a rain basin to the Earth Oven at the stage when the Earth Oven pit was filled with food and faunal layers, and covered over with sediment; the water was poured to create steam. Traditionally, clay pots would have been used to transport water and prior to the clay pot invention animal skin sacks would have been effective.
Camera:
A digital camera was used document the entire procedure, the methodology, and data recording processes of this experiment. Visual documentation is highly recommended because this form of cookery is labour intensive, takes all day and memory is fallible.
Clippers:
Used for cutting ferns fronds. Authentic cutting of fern fronds could have been done in a variety of ways: knives and biface points being the most obvious.
Fern Fronds: Sword Ferns were used in the Earth Oven in layers, to separate bundles of food from sediment and also to contain the heat to create a steamy environment. We used approximately three wheelbarrows full.
Nancy Turner, a professor at the university of Victoria, spoke with one Saanich elder who remembers that the Saanich First Nations would not use sword fern for this procedure because it is a sacred plant for them, instead Salal branches would have been used (Nancy Turner, personal communication, 2010). Turner also believes people traditionally would also have used seaweed around the food, especially for seafood being cooked.
All ferns used came from Sooke, B.C., private property.
Food:
Approximately 20 Yukon gold, red, and baker Potatoes, 10 carrots and two cups of jasmine rice were used, including both weekend experiments. All the food was purchased from the local grocery store, products mostly imported from the mainland of British Columbia, rice grown abroad.
The “use of traditional locally available foods by native people in North America has declined dramatically in recent years” (Kuhlein et al. 1982:89). Traditionally, the most important root vegetables that would have been cooked in earth ovens in Coastal B.C. would have been purple camas bulbs, Pacific Silverweed Roots and Springbank Clover Roots (Kuhlein et al. 1982:89). Salmon and seafood would also have been cooked.
Hoe:
Used to push the soil around, to till, and to make digging easier. (Inauthentic, but the tool was helpful; found in the garage).
News Paper:
Newspaper and recycling paper were used to kindle the fire. Traditionally people would have used dry brush and twigs.
Pen & Notebook:
Used to record all data and procedures.
Rain Water:
Used to pour into oven and create steam for cooking.
River Rocks (Fifty: 10-15 cm.):
In Nancy Turner’s Traditional Ditidaht cooking style experiment, “feasting for change,” she suggested 50 rocks approximately 10-15 centimetres in diameter (Nancy Turner, personal communication of a slide show 2010). The rocks are to be placed in the Earth Oven and heated in a fire for a few hours until red hot. For this experiment all of the rocks collected were very close to where the Earth oven was located, Ella Beach, Sooke, B.C..
Shovel:
Used for digging the Earth oven pit and to cover over the faunal layers with dirt to trap the heat. Traditionally digging sticks made of yew wood would have been used.
Soil:
Used for covering the fire heated rock and for capping the Earth oven.
Steam Blocker Rock:
This rock will be used to cover the oven ventilation hole, to keep the steam from escaping.
“Technician Assistants”:
As archaeologist assistants, Jane, Gary, Elise, Lollita, and Ryan assisted with the experiment; each helped gather materials; the assistants made sure that everyone had all of the food and soda pop they needed while conducting the experiment.
Wheelbarrow:
Used to transport collected materials. Traditionally people would not have been so lazy and did it by hand.
Wind Bellow:
Used to feed the fire with oxygen. Traditionally people would have just fanned the fire.
Wood:
We used Cedar and Spruce for kindling to start the fire; logs of Spruce were used to keep the fire going for over two hours, the wood was found on site in Sooke B.C..
Wooden Pole:
A wooden beach pole was used temporarily to create a hole to pour the rainwater into.
Procedures for the Creation of Pit A and Pit B:
Step One (Selecting a Site):
Select two sites for building earth ovens. Pit A will be built in a well irrigated, gravel sediment and Pit B, will be built in a field, that possesses dark brown soil.
I hope to prove with this experiment that certain soils will make it impossible to cook food and other soil environments will produce very successful results.
Note: For both pits it is important for safety reasons that the areas are free of dry brush and other fire hazards.
Step Two (Digging the Hole):
Estimated time to dig a hole can take up to five hours, depending on how many people are digging. Traditionally twenty people or more would be working on this experiment, luckily we were able to invite a bunch of friends and family to help us with this experiment. We had about 12 people assisting these processes.
How to do it: To dig a hole, use a shovel, the hole should be approximately 1m wide and 60 cm deep. Garden hoes and picks are very helpful to till the soil, and pick out large rocks. Some areas in the matrix are easier to dig than others. Keep in mind all the soil will have to be placed over the hole again, so keep the soil close to the ridge of the hole.
Step Three (Collect Rocks Place them in the Pit):
Approximately 50 rocks that are 10-15 cm across are required for cooking. Ashley was able to collect these at Ella Beach close to her house. All of these rocks will be placed inside of the Earth Oven and will be used as cooking fuel once red hot.
Note: When looking for cooking rocks it is advised none of them are cracked because when they are placed into a fire to be heated cracks may cause shooting rock shards.
Step Four (Prepare Fire Wood):
Ashley’s father was very nice and chopped the firewood for us. He used spruce wood to cut into larger fire logs and cedar wood to create kindling sticks. He did this with a metal axe. There was probably about thirty kindling sticks used for Trial 1 and Trial 2 for Pit A.
Step Five (Start the Fire):
The fire will be created in the Earth Oven on top of the cooking rocks. Cedar kindling sticks, matches and newsprint were used to get the fire going. The fire should be continually fed for up to 2 hours and carefully watched. Fanning the fire is helpful, as is an air bellow. The purpose is to get the rocks extremely hot because the rocks are what is going to cook the food.
Step Six (Collect Fern Fronds):
With three people this procedure will take up to two hours, just the time needed to heat the cooking rocks. Gather and collect as many sword fern fronds as you can using a good pair of cutting sheers. We collected around three wheelbarrows full, the more the merrier.
For Trial 1, Pit A (Cooking on a sunny day), we collected broom flora as well, this is not recommended for future Earth Oven cooking because they are highly flammable and do not smell pleasant. Seaweed or Salal can also be used instead of ferns. These plants, no matter what is used, are critical to successful Earth Oven cooking, they are used to separate bundles of food from the dirty edges of the pit and from the dirt that will be placed over the food. The flora layers also insulate the Earth Oven and trap the steam.
Step Seven (Prepare Food and Layers):
It is very helpful to wrap food in fern bundles, lay out which layers and food are going to be placed where, because after the fire is removed from the pit, the process of filling the hole with food and covering it with dirt must be done very quickly to contain the heat.
Step Eight (Remove Fire From Pit):
Remove the fire and wood from pit by using a shovel, or tongs, place the hot objects on a surface fire pit or in another near by hole. Scatter a bit of dirt on the hot rocks so the embers will not catch the flora layers on fire.
Step Nine (Center Post):
Before placing layers in the pit have an assistant hold a post in the center of the pit.
Step Ten (Flora Layers):
Begin placing the layers of ferns and food in the hole. The top layer should be thick with ferns, some Earth Oven methods require a burlap sack to completely keep the dirt off of or near the food. For this experiment we did not implement the burlap tarp, we just used extra flora
Step Eleven (Fill in the Hole):
Cover the layers and food with the sediments piled up along the ridges of the pit, pat the sediment down to ensure no steam is escaping.
Step Twelve (Remove Post, Water):
Remove the centre post and pour a litre of water down the hole the post created. This process should produce a lot steam. Place a large rock over the hole to block the heat, and if steam is escaping cover over with more sediments.
Step Thirteen (Cooking Time!):
Leave the pit to cook for five to six hours or even overnight.
Step Fourteen:
After the set time has elapsed use a shovel and pick to get the sediments off of the top layer of ferns. Place the sediments, like before, along the ridges for future use of pit.
This is very time consuming and can take up to an hour to ensure the food is not shovelled into, or covered by the dirt.
Step Fifteen:
If the food is cooked eat and enjoy J
Step Sixteen:
Note: If you plan on using the Earth Oven again CLEAN UP! It is important to clean up the pit as soon as possible, because when it rains it causes a big mess and makes it harder for future use. Dig up the old cooking rocks beneath all of the fern layers and dirt, discard the cracked rocks, and replace them with new ones.
Conclusions
The purpose of this experiment was not only to explore the ancient practice of Earth Oven cooking implemented by the prehistoric peoples of the Bella Coola Valley, but also to see whether or not people could successfully cook their meals underground in the wet seasons. In our experiment it proved that cooking in the wet months, in environments like Bella Coola and Sooke, British Columbia is extremely difficult when using the Earth Oven techniques recalled by the Bella Coola Elders. Even when cooking in well irrigated gravel sediments the rain still managed to find its way to cool the cooking rocks. Though this method appeared to be ineffective, and time consuming, many experiments are still needed to be conducted in order to conclude whether or not prehistoric peoples were cooking in the ground during rainy seasons. My hypothesis is they were not or they were using other methods that need to be explored and experimented with further. If the Earth Oven was built is such a way that the cooking rocks were being continually fuelled with heat to keep warm then it would be extremely successful.
I began to research more about Earth Oven methods and techniques used by other prehistoric peoples of North America and came across a practice used by the Dakota people of the Great Plains. This underground cooking method consisted of two earth ovens built side by side, connected by a tunnel (Kidder 1997). The food was placed with hot rocks in one pit, exactly the same as the procedure we experimented with, and the other pit was a fire that continually supplied heat to the food. Perhaps with that method cooking underground in the rain would have been successful.
Overall, by building an Earth Oven, I learned that this ancient cookery method requires a lot of hard work, participation and communication to create a successful meal. Earth Oven cooking is not like cooking on a stove element where just any one can create a successful meal. All in all, the prehistoric peoples of the Northwest Coast were extremely knowledgeable about their environment, the landscape, and were able to hold successful feasts that fed hundreds of people. Many of these cooking techniques, if not lost, are not well known so experimenting with these methods about how people used to subsist daily will help gain a connection with the environment we live in and the people of the past.
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