Berries
Puyughohok Iñupiaq Name: Puyughohok phonetic spelling: Boo-you-gho-khok plural: Puyughohot translation /other information none known English Name: Wild rasberry, Nagoonberry Scientific Name Rubus Arcticus Source: L., p.25
This plant is in the same family as the American red raspberry and salmonberry plants. The berries grow the same way with many small fruits aggregated together to make one globular berry. The leaves of this plant are divided into three lobes, similar to a clover. The pretty pink flowers bloom well into the summer and the berries are ripe in the middle of August. The berries are a deep red and have a pleasant taste. Puyughohok does not grow thickly near Golovin, but can be found in places. The only area I found them growing thickly was at Kachavik Creek, 6 miles North of Golovin, where many people from Golovin have fish camps. The berries are not abundant enough to be collected and eaten by themselves; rather, these berries are mixed in with other berries to help ripen them. I imagine they must produce a gas that promotes ripening of other berries. Similarly bananas are used to ripen other fruit, such as peaches, if placed in the same bowl. Maggie Olson mentioned that that berries can cause stomach aches if they are eaten too much. They must be very acidic. She also said that the leaves can be used to make tea.