Tasty Traditions

Native Americans have lived on the land that is now the United States for thousands of years. For much of their history, they have made tasty dishes from plants they found close to home. They also fished and hunted local game, such as deer and bison.

In the 16th century, Europeans began arriving in the Americas. They brought foods that Native Americans had never seen before, such as dairy products and wheat flour. Native Americans introduced Europeans to tomatoes, squash, beans, and many other foods we eat today. 

In the 1800s, the U.S. government began forcing tribal nations to leave their land, where they were experts at growing and preparing food. They were moved onto pieces of land called reservations. 

This removal harmed the health and culture of Native Americans. Many Indigenous peoples could no longer find or grow their traditional foods. The government gave them foods made from European ingredients that were often high in fat, salt, and sugar. 

Today, many Indigenous people from tribal nations all over the country are working to keep their food traditions alive. Read on to meet three chefs who are sharing these foods with a wide audience.

Native Americans have long lived on the land that’s now the United States. They were here for thousands of years. For much of that history, they made tasty dishes from plants they found close to home. They also fished and hunted local animals, such as deer and bison.

People from Europe came to the Americas in the 16th century. They brought new foods, like milk and wheat flour. Native Americans shared foods with Europeans too. Some examples are tomatoes, squash, and beans. We still eat many of these foods today. 

Tribal nations knew how to grow and prepare food on their lands. But the U.S. government began forcing them to relocate in the 1800s. They were moved to pieces of land called reservations. 

This harmed the health and culture of Native Americans. Many Indigenous peoples could no longer find or grow their traditional foods. The government gave them foods made from European ingredients. They were often high in fat, salt, and sugar. 

Today, many Indigenous people are working to keep their food traditions alive. Read on to meet three chefs sharing these foods with others.

Sean Sherman is a chef on a mission. Last summer, his company, The Sioux Chef, opened a training center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The center is called the Indigenous Food Lab. Its aim is to help Native American communities start restaurants and other food businesses.

Sherman is a member of the Oglala Lakota Nation. He grew up on a reservation in South Dakota. His family often ate the foods supplied by the U.S. government. But Sherman loved to forage for food with his relatives, especially sweet berries called chokecherries. They would simmer this fruit to make wojapi (woh-ZJAH-pee), a thick sauce.

Sean Sherman is a chef on a mission. His company, The Sioux Chef, opened a training center last summer. It’s in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The center is called the Indigenous Food Lab. Its aim is to help Native American communities start restaurants and other food businesses. 

Sherman is a member of the Oglala Lakota Nation. He grew up on a reservation in South Dakota. His family often ate the foods provided by the U.S. government. But Sherman loved to forage for food with his relatives. He really liked sweet chokecherries. His family would simmer these berries to make wojapi (woh-ZJAH-pee), a thick sauce.

“The ways Native American communities plant crops and harvest wild foods are very different,” she says. 

Frank went on to write an award-winning cookbook. Its recipes include ingredients such as prickly pear cactus. Today, she owns her own catering company in Santa Fe, New Mexico. “Native peoples do in fact have a cuisine,” she says. “It’s diverse, delicious, and nutritious.”

“The ways Native American communities plant crops and harvest wild foods are very different,” she says. 

Frank went on to write an award-winning cookbook. Its recipes have ingredients like prickly pear cactus. Today, she owns her own catering company. It’s in Santa Fe, New Mexico. “Native peoples do in fact have a cuisine,” she says. “It’s diverse, delicious, and nutritious.”

Barton learned about Cherokee food as an adult by speaking with her grandparents and by foraging for useful plants with her grandfather. “Sometimes, experiencing a journey is as simple as learning about your own family,” says Barton.

Barton learned about Cherokee food as an adult. She spoke about it with her grandparents. She also foraged for useful plants with her grandfather. “Sometimes, experiencing a journey is as simple as learning about your own family,” says Barton.