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Roseroot is a small, fleshy plant that grows to about a foot
high. The thick, light green leaves grow thickly on the
stem. The flowers are small and purple-red colored. I found
this plant growing in a variety of different places; out on
the floodplain bog area of Chinik Creek and on the cliffs
just outside of town.
Iviqluit are eaten as greens and mixed with
other greens. I was fishing with my grandpa, Ralph Willoya,
one day and he picked the plant and started munching.
Usually the plant is eaten before the flower forms or it
gets "bony" and slightly bitter. Grandpa just picked the
flowers off that day and ate it anyway. As I watched him
chew, I decided to try some. They weren't to bad. Then, I
remembered the time I was having coffee with Grandpa. He
started talking about his teeth. He tapped his worn down
teeth and said with a smile, "Yep, I still got my own."
Maybe grazing on the local vegetation has something to do
with him keeping his teeth for all of his 74 years.
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