SPRING FESTIVAL May 2020: A Cowlitz Indian Tribe Camas Harvest

In this video, the Cowlitz Indian Tribe’s Cultural Resources staff demonstrate a traditional harvest and preparation of camas.
Camas is a lily-like plant with an edible bulb that thrives in prairie ecosystems and is traditionally harvested by several native American tribes, particularly in southwest Washington, in late spring. When roasted in an earthen oven, camas bulbs develop a mildly sweet flavor and are rich in carbohydrates and protein.
This plant is an important resource, a key first food for the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and other tribes living in the Pacific Northwest.