Puccoon

Description

The Algonkian name for dye. The term puccoon has been used for dyes obtained from plant roots by native Americans. Yellow puccoon, or Indian paint, comes from the yellow flowers and red roots of the Lithospermum canescens plant. Red puccoon, or Bloodroot, come from the poppy plant Sanguinaria canadensis. The natural dyes were used for dyeing cloths, as a war paint, and as a colorant for porcupine quills, tomahawks, rattles, and baskets.

Synonyms and Related Terms

yellow puccoon; Indian paint; red puccoon; bloodroot

Resources and Citations

• Palmy Weigle, Ancient Dyes for Modern Weavers, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 1974

• Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "puccoon" [Accessed March 5, 2002].