Gourd Dipper

[Dale Lilly]

I'd bet a month's wages the old timers did this: cut a long stemmed gourd as shown in picture. Dry for a month or so, coat interior of cup with beeswax or ???. Drink heartily. Polecat

 

[FishDFly]

Either that or their hat.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I was taught that a specific variety of gourd was called a "dipper gourd". So I don't think it's a doubted thing.

LD

 

[kansas_volunteer]

They're not authenticate HC/PC unless they are grown from actual pre-1840 seeds. Any rendezvous jury could tell just by sniffing those dippers if they were grown from WalMart garden center seeds or the real deal.

 

[tenngun]

And you have to add cholera gems to the water

 

[appalichian hunter]

When I was a youngster my grandmother keep a gourd dipper hanging on the well pump out side of the summer kitchen when you wanted a drink you used the dipper to catch the water from the pump. She raised all kinds of gourds and used them for various projects dippers, bird houses bowls are a few things I remember so I guess they are historically correct for her she was born 1899 and I would bet her grandmother done the same thing.

 

[Zonie]

Supposedly, the African slaves called the "Big Dipper" constellation, the "drinking gourd".

At least that's the story behind the folk song titled, "Follow the Drinking Gourd" we used to sing back in the '70's.

They say the runaway slaves escaping to the North used the constellation as a guide.

 

[appalichian hunter]

I know for sure the slaves used gourds to make musical instruments, also a lot of African related instruments made from gourds are used today, I researched the grandfather of the banjo as we know it today it has its roots in what was called a banjemer came from Africa with the slaves, it was made from what is now called a banjo gourd, I planted the gourd seeds raised the gourds and re-produced this instrument and it turned out rather nice if I must say so, I am very computer limited or I would post a picture.

 

[BillinOregon]

I missed out by not planting gourds last spring here. Grew some nice ones back in Southern Oregon, both dipper and canteen gourds.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Gourds were the Tupperware of the early days, used for everything.