SENĆOŦEN name: ṮEṈ¸KIȽĆ
Native to Pacific Northwest of North America, including Victoria.
42 on the map, the #96 most common of 384 species.
Show Pacific yew trees on the map
Used by indigenous peoples for implement handles, digging sticks, clubs, mallets, wedges, bows, snowshoes, gambling disks, blanket pins, pegs, fishhooks (bent) and halibut fishing gear.
Tree would be “talked to” before a piece was cut for bows or other tools (Kwakwaka’wakw); branches used for ritual scrubbing and purification (Ditidaht, Nlaka’pamux, and others) (Turner, Thomas, et al. 1983, 1990).