Why Indian Summer?

Why is autumn with its wonderfully colourful trees called Indian Summer? Here you can find out when the term came up and what could be behind it.

Late summer is known in some countries as «Old Wives' Summer». Autumn, on the other hand, is called Indian Summer. When it arrives, the forests appear enchanted. With golden colour shades that turn to wonderful orange, red and vermilion, to aubergine, copper, ochre and brown and almost resemble Winnetou’s headdress.

Could that be why the season is called «Indian Summer»? No one knows exactly. What we do know for sure is that the term was used for the first time in 1778 by the French-American writer St. John de Crèvecœur, who lived in Orange County (New York). There's a lot of speculation about what he may have had in mind.

Some think he was referring to the mythology of indigenous peoples of the Americas. One of their legends says that the blood of bears that have been slain runs into the soil, is absorbed by the trees and colours the leaves.

Others, on the other hand, believe the term is based on the fact that Indian Summer was the indigenous’ main hunting season and harvest time for maize and pumpkins - it was, so to speak, their summer. Whatever the truth may be, Indian Summer is unrivalled in its beauty. Enjoy it!