There are traditional foods that we need to eat more of, and then there are "sometimes food."
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Sunday, November 30, 2014
An Important Message by Wes Studi
60 years ago, there was no word for "diabetes" in Native Nations languages. Our lifestyles have changed. We need to exercise more.
There are traditional foods that we need to eat more of, and then there are "sometimes food."
There are traditional foods that we need to eat more of, and then there are "sometimes food."
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Updated Census Information Released in Honor of NA Heritage Month
The first American Indian Day was celebrated in May 1916 in New York.
Red Fox James, a Blackfeet Indian, rode horseback from state to state,
getting endorsements from 24 state governments, to have a day to honor
American Indians.
In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a joint congressional resolution designating November 1990 as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations have been issued every year since 1994. This Facts for Features presents statistics for American Indians and Alaska Natives, as this is one of the six major Office of Management and Budget race categories.
http://nativenewsonline.net/currents/census-bureau-releases-native-facts-native-american-heritage-month/
5.2 Million American Indians and Alaska Natives, including those of more than one race. They made up about 2 percent of the total population in 2013. Of this total, about 49 percent were American Indian and Alaska Native only, and about 51 percent were American Indian and Alaska Native in combination with one or more other races.
11.2 Million American Indians and Alaska Natives, alone or in combination, is projected for July 1, 2060. They would comprise 2.7 percent of the total population
432,343 American Indian and Alaska Native population, alone or in combination, are 65 and over.
14 states with more than 100,000 American Indian and Alaska Native residents, alone or in combination, in 2013. These states were California, Oklahoma, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Washington, New York, North Carolina, Florida, Alaska, Michigan, Oregon, Colorado and Minnesota.
14.3 Percent of Alaska’s population identified as American Indian and Alaska Native, alone or in combination, in 2013, the highest share for this race group of any state. Alaska was followed by Oklahoma (7.5 percent), New Mexico (9.1), South Dakota (8.5 percent) and Montana (6.8 percent).
30.8 is the median age for those who were American Indian and Alaska Native, alone or in combination, in 2013. This compares with a median age of 37.5 for the U.S. population as a whole
325 Reservations of federally recognized American Indian reservations in 2012. All in all, excluding Hawaiian Home Lands, there are 630 American Indian and Alaska Native legal and statistical areas for which the Census Bureau provides statistics.
566 federally recognized Indian tribes.
1,698,815 American Indian and Alaska Native family households in 2013 (households with a householder who was American Indian and Alaska Native alone or in combination with another race). Of these, 38.5 percent were married-couple families, including those with children.
6.1 Percent of American Indian and Alaska Natives, alone or in combination with other races, who were grandparents living with at least one of their grandchildren in 2013.
53.9 Percent of single-race American Indian and Alaska Native householders who owned their own home in 2013. This is compared with 64.0 percent of the overall population.
20.0 Percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives, alone or in combination. age 5 and older who spoke a language other than English at home in 2011-2013, compared with 21 percent for the nation as a whole.
82.2 Percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives 25 and older who had at least a high school diploma, GED certificate or alternative credential. In addition, 17.6 percent obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. In comparison, 86.3 percent of the overall population had a high school diploma or higher and 29.1 percent had a bachelor’s degree or higher.
39.8 Percent of Single-race American Indians and Alaska Natives 25 and older whose bachelor’s degree or higher was in science and engineering, or science and engineering-related fields in 2013. This compares with 43.7 percent for all people 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher.
13.5 Percent of single-race American Indians and Alaska Natives 25 and older who had a bachelor’s degree, graduate or professional degree in 2013.
25.9 Percent of civilian-employed single-race American Indian and Alaska Native people 16 and older who worked in management, business, science and arts occupations in 2013. In addition, 25.2 percent worked in service occupations and 22.7 percent in sales and office occupations.
152,897 single-race American Indian and Alaska Native veterans of the U.S. armed forces in 2011-2013.
$36,252 is the median household income of single-race American Indian and Alaska Native households in 2013. This compares with $52,176 for the nation as a whole.
29.2 Percent of single-race American Indians and Alaska Natives that were in poverty in 2013, the highest rate of any race group.
26.9 Percent of single-race American Indians and Alaska Natives who lacked health insurance coverage in 2013.
In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a joint congressional resolution designating November 1990 as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations have been issued every year since 1994. This Facts for Features presents statistics for American Indians and Alaska Natives, as this is one of the six major Office of Management and Budget race categories.
http://nativenewsonline.net/currents/census-bureau-releases-native-facts-native-american-heritage-month/
5.2 Million American Indians and Alaska Natives, including those of more than one race. They made up about 2 percent of the total population in 2013. Of this total, about 49 percent were American Indian and Alaska Native only, and about 51 percent were American Indian and Alaska Native in combination with one or more other races.
11.2 Million American Indians and Alaska Natives, alone or in combination, is projected for July 1, 2060. They would comprise 2.7 percent of the total population
432,343 American Indian and Alaska Native population, alone or in combination, are 65 and over.
14 states with more than 100,000 American Indian and Alaska Native residents, alone or in combination, in 2013. These states were California, Oklahoma, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Washington, New York, North Carolina, Florida, Alaska, Michigan, Oregon, Colorado and Minnesota.
14.3 Percent of Alaska’s population identified as American Indian and Alaska Native, alone or in combination, in 2013, the highest share for this race group of any state. Alaska was followed by Oklahoma (7.5 percent), New Mexico (9.1), South Dakota (8.5 percent) and Montana (6.8 percent).
30.8 is the median age for those who were American Indian and Alaska Native, alone or in combination, in 2013. This compares with a median age of 37.5 for the U.S. population as a whole
325 Reservations of federally recognized American Indian reservations in 2012. All in all, excluding Hawaiian Home Lands, there are 630 American Indian and Alaska Native legal and statistical areas for which the Census Bureau provides statistics.
566 federally recognized Indian tribes.
1,698,815 American Indian and Alaska Native family households in 2013 (households with a householder who was American Indian and Alaska Native alone or in combination with another race). Of these, 38.5 percent were married-couple families, including those with children.
6.1 Percent of American Indian and Alaska Natives, alone or in combination with other races, who were grandparents living with at least one of their grandchildren in 2013.
53.9 Percent of single-race American Indian and Alaska Native householders who owned their own home in 2013. This is compared with 64.0 percent of the overall population.
20.0 Percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives, alone or in combination. age 5 and older who spoke a language other than English at home in 2011-2013, compared with 21 percent for the nation as a whole.
82.2 Percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives 25 and older who had at least a high school diploma, GED certificate or alternative credential. In addition, 17.6 percent obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. In comparison, 86.3 percent of the overall population had a high school diploma or higher and 29.1 percent had a bachelor’s degree or higher.
39.8 Percent of Single-race American Indians and Alaska Natives 25 and older whose bachelor’s degree or higher was in science and engineering, or science and engineering-related fields in 2013. This compares with 43.7 percent for all people 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher.
13.5 Percent of single-race American Indians and Alaska Natives 25 and older who had a bachelor’s degree, graduate or professional degree in 2013.
25.9 Percent of civilian-employed single-race American Indian and Alaska Native people 16 and older who worked in management, business, science and arts occupations in 2013. In addition, 25.2 percent worked in service occupations and 22.7 percent in sales and office occupations.
152,897 single-race American Indian and Alaska Native veterans of the U.S. armed forces in 2011-2013.
$36,252 is the median household income of single-race American Indian and Alaska Native households in 2013. This compares with $52,176 for the nation as a whole.
29.2 Percent of single-race American Indians and Alaska Natives that were in poverty in 2013, the highest rate of any race group.
26.9 Percent of single-race American Indians and Alaska Natives who lacked health insurance coverage in 2013.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Identity (Article Excerpts and Links)
Contemporary Views of Traditional Identity
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/06/16/term-american-indian-plus-ethnicity-sovereignty-and-identity-155222
I would not say that Native American identity is shaped by ethnicity, rather Native American identity was and continues to be shaped by specific tribal cultures and traditions. American Indians do not form an ethnic group, they are composed of thousands of independent nations, communities, and cultures that have very different and specific identities.
Similarly, I would not say that American Indian identity has been shaped by sovereignty, rather American Indian cultures and identities have informed and supported the use or appropriation of the Western concept of sovereignty. If we mean by sovereignty the right and power to make our own decisions, then sovereignty has been a part of Indian nations from time immemorial.
Tribal citizens have cultural, kinship, often spiritual ties to a tribal nation and to its history, goals and values. Tribal citizens uphold and obey the laws and traditions of an indigenous nation. Tribal citizenship carries a political commitment to take on the responsibilities and benefits of tribal government and tribal nationality. However, tribal citizenship requires cultural understanding of the indigenous nation, and knowledge of the history of self-governance. Indigenous nations are holistic with overlapping cultural, political, kinship, economic, and community relations and identities. Tribal citizens take on time-honored obligations to respect kinship, community, nation, and ceremony, all of which are overlapping and holistic.
Pseudo Science to Get Rid Of
http://io9.com/10-pseudo-science-theories-wed-like-to-see-retired-fore-1592128908
Some excerpts below
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/06/16/term-american-indian-plus-ethnicity-sovereignty-and-identity-155222
I would not say that Native American identity is shaped by ethnicity, rather Native American identity was and continues to be shaped by specific tribal cultures and traditions. American Indians do not form an ethnic group, they are composed of thousands of independent nations, communities, and cultures that have very different and specific identities.
Similarly, I would not say that American Indian identity has been shaped by sovereignty, rather American Indian cultures and identities have informed and supported the use or appropriation of the Western concept of sovereignty. If we mean by sovereignty the right and power to make our own decisions, then sovereignty has been a part of Indian nations from time immemorial.
Tribal citizens have cultural, kinship, often spiritual ties to a tribal nation and to its history, goals and values. Tribal citizens uphold and obey the laws and traditions of an indigenous nation. Tribal citizenship carries a political commitment to take on the responsibilities and benefits of tribal government and tribal nationality. However, tribal citizenship requires cultural understanding of the indigenous nation, and knowledge of the history of self-governance. Indigenous nations are holistic with overlapping cultural, political, kinship, economic, and community relations and identities. Tribal citizens take on time-honored obligations to respect kinship, community, nation, and ceremony, all of which are overlapping and holistic.
Pseudo Science to Get Rid Of
http://io9.com/10-pseudo-science-theories-wed-like-to-see-retired-fore-1592128908
Some excerpts below
Phrenology
Want to
know what someone's like? Get to know them, or talk to a lot of people
who know them. Handwriting won't tell you anything, unless the letters
are written in blood. If you think someone's posture indicates their
character, I wish you an uncomfortable chair for the rest of your life.
And as for deciding that someone's body shape is an indication of what
they're like inside - we got taught to know better than this in
kindergarten, people. Get it together. I have no doubt that there will
always be new forms of this crap floating around. Some charlatan will
always find a way to claim physical characteristics indicate moral
character. Give it the hydra treatment. Chop off its head and burn its
neck stump.
Aliens Build the Ancient World
Look, I
know it's easier to think that aliens came down to Earth thousands of
years ago than it is to believe that the ancient peoples of Egypt or
South America and Central America had any skill, brains, or artistry.
But you still have to fill in questions like, "Why, of all the things
aliens could do with the world, did they choose to make giant stone
pyramids?" If you went to an alien world, would you want to build giant
stone pyramids, or would you prefer to loot the world of all of its
precious materials? (Or, if you were more benevolent, teach the natives
how to cultivate penicillin?) While we're on the subject, why did
aliens give up their interest in architecture? It's only been a couple
of thousand years, and we could really use some help building vertical
farms or supercities, or, I don't know, space ships. But I get it:
We're smart, ancient people are not. Keep it to yourself from now on.
Genetic Memory
A little
sentimentalism about one's ancestors can be quite pleasant. It's
interesting to look around an old family house, or take a trip to the
"homeland." Things get a little more complicated when people lay claim
to the gifts and talents of their ancestors. What works in novels
doesn't work in real life, and "innate knowledge," leads to all kinds of
pseudo-scientific nonsense. We're not salmon. We don't have a
instinct that leads us back to our origins.
Indians Who Aren't Indians
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/indians-who-arent-indians-256126711.html
The Federal Court of Appeal has upheld an earlier ruling that says the Métis are Indians in constitutional terms, which implies a higher standard of federal responsibility. It rejected, however, the notion non-status Indians are in fact Indians under the Constitution, although it said Parliament could grant such status under some circumstances.
They may look like Indians, identify as Indians, associate with Indians, participate in Indian cultural affairs and pass on their Indian oral histories, they may even speak an aboriginal language, but as far as the federal government is concerned, they aren't Indians.
This paradox and historic injustice traces its roots to the 19th century and the beginning of the treaty system. A status Indian was someone registered under the Indian Act as an Indian, but for a variety of reasons many aboriginals never registered with the authorities.
Some aboriginals avoided the process out of mistrust, while other names were simply not recorded. Aboriginal women who married non-Indians lost their status, although that injustice was eventually reversed by the courts. Other aboriginals lost or gave up their status for a variety of reasons.
The Métis have a process for determining membership in their group, including self-identification, acceptance by the Métis community and records that verify ancestry. A similar method could be used for non-status Indians who want to reclaim their heritage and their rights.
Indians Who Aren't Indians
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/indians-who-arent-indians-256126711.html
The Federal Court of Appeal has upheld an earlier ruling that says the Métis are Indians in constitutional terms, which implies a higher standard of federal responsibility. It rejected, however, the notion non-status Indians are in fact Indians under the Constitution, although it said Parliament could grant such status under some circumstances.
They may look like Indians, identify as Indians, associate with Indians, participate in Indian cultural affairs and pass on their Indian oral histories, they may even speak an aboriginal language, but as far as the federal government is concerned, they aren't Indians.
This paradox and historic injustice traces its roots to the 19th century and the beginning of the treaty system. A status Indian was someone registered under the Indian Act as an Indian, but for a variety of reasons many aboriginals never registered with the authorities.
Some aboriginals avoided the process out of mistrust, while other names were simply not recorded. Aboriginal women who married non-Indians lost their status, although that injustice was eventually reversed by the courts. Other aboriginals lost or gave up their status for a variety of reasons.
The Métis have a process for determining membership in their group, including self-identification, acceptance by the Métis community and records that verify ancestry. A similar method could be used for non-status Indians who want to reclaim their heritage and their rights.
On Card Carrying
Indians and Those Indians Who Don't
Warren Petoskey in Native Condition.
This is the historical trauma no one wants to talk about.
We, as Native people, take it as a badge of honor that we have been issued
cards qualifying us as citizens of our respective tribes. My number is 0322.
That number registers me with my tribe and with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in
Washington DC. Every tribal member in the United States and Canada has an
identification number in addition to our driver's license number and our social
security number among other numbers.
I have often thought of withdrawing my membership in my
tribal club association if it were not for daughters who struggle with diabetes
and need the medical services to control the disease. Neither can afford the
test strips, the medicines, or the continuing need for medical care.
The tribe who so generously allows me to have one of their
cards does little to address the conditions that have developed that are
intended to end our legal existence and the federal government's obligations by
treaty to us. If they are allowed to determine when we will suddenly disappear
because of the lack of their standards for blood quantum than we, as tribal
members, have done little to establish and protect our origin of sovereignty.
Sovereignty was and is not the gift of men, but the gift of the Creator.
Somehow we have allowed me to dictate who we are or who we aren't. This is
prejudice at its highest effort.
I think of the many tribes the federal government
terminated. In essence the federal government was and is saying these tribes no
longer exist or have any legal status in the United States or Canada. That is
like telling the Creator that they are going to take the lead in saying who is
and who isn't! So they have usurped the authority of the Creator and took
matters into their own hands.
After five hundred years of threat to our existence in which
nearly 100 million of our people were exterminated and we were determined to be
less than human, this little crumb from our master's table giving us a card to
carry validating us as citizens of our own tribes is an indication of their
lack of honor and respect. But we, as a people, have bought into it all and
practice that level of oppression on our own people and stick our heads in the
sand when other members of our Red Race is determined not to exist.
9 Things America Needs to Understand About Native Values
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/07/07/9-things-mainstream-america-needs-understand-155670?page=0%2C2
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/01/06/authenticity-ethnic-indians-non-indians-and-reservation-indians-152952
The cultural complexities of contemporary Indian communities tend to confuse non-Indians who are expecting and often demand traditional cultural expression and personas from contemporary Indian people. If a person does not look and act like an Indian—usually a stereotypical image of a Plains Sioux Indian—then many non-Indians doubt the Indian authenticity of tribal member.
Reservation Indians usually have very secure identities, and so when non-Indians or ethnic Indians doubt their authenticity, reservation Indians often find these circumstances amusing. Ethnic Indians can be defined as persons of Indian descent who are not members of a tribal community and often their families have not have had contact with a home community for generations. For reservation Indians, authenticity is confirmed within the local reservation community. While for many ethnic Indians and non-Indians, Indian authenticity is determined by stereotypes and images that are common within American society.
There are more non-Indians in the U.S. than reservation Indians, and generally the views of non-Indians prevail. Non-Indian views of Indian authenticity drowned out reservation understandings of Indian authenticity. Before the 1980s, some times Indians often conformed to U.S. images of authenticity by dressing in Plains Indian clothes and headdresses, partly because otherwise they could not be recognized as Indians. Southern California Indians, for example, do not traditionally have powwow dances, but have dances and songs based on their tribal creation teachings that narrate an epic migration of ancestral birds who end by establishing the homeland of the people. Unfortunately, much contemporary discussion about Indian authenticity focuses more on U.S. definitions of authenticity than tribal understandings, which are less well known and understood by the U.S. public and many ethnic Indians.
Trapped in Our Ancestors Old Ways
http://starcasm.net/archives/277205
From TLC: “The series chronicles the dramatic and emotional journey of Mary, Frank, Tamara, Qituvituag (also known as Q) and Nuala, as they embark on their high-stakes ‘escape’ from Alaska to explore the world outside their villages and small towns. Although they love their families and take pride in their heritage, they are yearning for more fulfilment and different experiences. Escaping Alaska captures their brave journey as they leave their sheltered lives behind.”
Native People, in All Their Glory: 20 Portraits by Ryan Red Corn
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/gallery/photo/native-people-all-their-glory-20-portraits-ryan-red-corn-155641
Working with Buffalo Nickel and on his own, Red Corn has built up a substantial portfolio of portraits of Natives; his subjects include entertainers and athletes, politicians and activists, kids and elders. Basically, everyone -- view gallery for a selection of some of his recent shots.
9 Things America Needs to Understand About Native Values
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/07/07/9-things-mainstream-america-needs-understand-155670?page=0%2C2
- Honesty and Integrity
- Prioritizing Who Is Paid Well For What
- Appreciation for Women
- Natural Law
- Respect
- Kinship and the Relationship Between All Beings
- The Sacredness of Life and Intention
- Generosity
- Mother Earth
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/01/06/authenticity-ethnic-indians-non-indians-and-reservation-indians-152952
The cultural complexities of contemporary Indian communities tend to confuse non-Indians who are expecting and often demand traditional cultural expression and personas from contemporary Indian people. If a person does not look and act like an Indian—usually a stereotypical image of a Plains Sioux Indian—then many non-Indians doubt the Indian authenticity of tribal member.
Reservation Indians usually have very secure identities, and so when non-Indians or ethnic Indians doubt their authenticity, reservation Indians often find these circumstances amusing. Ethnic Indians can be defined as persons of Indian descent who are not members of a tribal community and often their families have not have had contact with a home community for generations. For reservation Indians, authenticity is confirmed within the local reservation community. While for many ethnic Indians and non-Indians, Indian authenticity is determined by stereotypes and images that are common within American society.
There are more non-Indians in the U.S. than reservation Indians, and generally the views of non-Indians prevail. Non-Indian views of Indian authenticity drowned out reservation understandings of Indian authenticity. Before the 1980s, some times Indians often conformed to U.S. images of authenticity by dressing in Plains Indian clothes and headdresses, partly because otherwise they could not be recognized as Indians. Southern California Indians, for example, do not traditionally have powwow dances, but have dances and songs based on their tribal creation teachings that narrate an epic migration of ancestral birds who end by establishing the homeland of the people. Unfortunately, much contemporary discussion about Indian authenticity focuses more on U.S. definitions of authenticity than tribal understandings, which are less well known and understood by the U.S. public and many ethnic Indians.
Trapped in Our Ancestors Old Ways
http://starcasm.net/archives/277205
From TLC: “The series chronicles the dramatic and emotional journey of Mary, Frank, Tamara, Qituvituag (also known as Q) and Nuala, as they embark on their high-stakes ‘escape’ from Alaska to explore the world outside their villages and small towns. Although they love their families and take pride in their heritage, they are yearning for more fulfilment and different experiences. Escaping Alaska captures their brave journey as they leave their sheltered lives behind.”
Native People, in All Their Glory: 20 Portraits by Ryan Red Corn
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/gallery/photo/native-people-all-their-glory-20-portraits-ryan-red-corn-155641
Working with Buffalo Nickel and on his own, Red Corn has built up a substantial portfolio of portraits of Natives; his subjects include entertainers and athletes, politicians and activists, kids and elders. Basically, everyone -- view gallery for a selection of some of his recent shots.
I am Not Pocahontas
http://www.theweeklings.com/ewashuta/2014/09/04/pocahontas/
The word "Pagan" is a problem when applied to Native Americans
http://nativeamericanresources.blogspot.com/2011/10/letters-2011-word-pagan.html
Beyond Assimilation and Nationalism: Walking in Two Worlds Is Necessary
The word "Pagan" is a problem when applied to Native Americans
http://nativeamericanresources.blogspot.com/2011/10/letters-2011-word-pagan.html
Beyond Assimilation and Nationalism: Walking in Two Worlds Is Necessary
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/12/23/beyond-assimilation-and-nationalism-walking-two-worlds-necessary-152788
Indians use a variety of strategies to manage their life prospects and identities. The old stereotypes of opposing traditionalist and progressive strategies do not capture the complexity of contemporary life choices, nor the consequences of tribal identity and commitments to sustaining tribal nations.
Indians use a variety of strategies to manage their life prospects and identities. The old stereotypes of opposing traditionalist and progressive strategies do not capture the complexity of contemporary life choices, nor the consequences of tribal identity and commitments to sustaining tribal nations.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
NAs in the News
Obama Establishes White House Council on Native American Affairs
“This order establishes a national policy to ensure that the Federal Government engages in a true and lasting government-to-government relationship with federally recognized tribes in a more coordinated and effective manner, including by better carrying out its trust responsibilities,” Obama said in the Order.
Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/06/26/obama-establishes-white-house-council-native-american-affairs-150136 White people, here’s your one-time Canada Day special: Native people apologize back!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/white-people-heres-your-one-time-canada-day-special-native-people-apologize-back/article4382016/
So in the spirit of cooperation, I would like to offer up these apologies to the people of Canada on behalf of the NAFNIP (native/aboriginal/first nations/indigenous people):
We hereby apologize for being so inconsiderate as to occupy land that, one day, your people would want. Even though we did not have a postal system or an Internet, this was an inexcusable oversight. We hope you are enjoying it.
We apologize for having so many politically correct and incorrect names for you to call us – everything from native to aboriginal to first nations to wagon burner to status-card number 48759375876-1.
In retrospect, to make things easier for you, we should have stayed in India, where we were originally thought to have come from. Unfortunately today it is really hard to get decent palak paneer on the reserve.
We hereby apologize for not understanding the subtle connections between God, children and sexual abuse. Some are still struggling with appreciating this association.
They are forgetting that, early in the Bible, it says, “Let there be white. And it was good.”
We apologize for wanting rights to minerals and other natural resources that exist beneath our feet. When you negotiated for our land, you meant to the Earth’s core.
We did not fully comprehend that when we were put on reserves where our rights to the land only went two or three feet below the surface.
Anything that falls down a sewer grate basically belongs to the Federal Government.
We apologize for being so concerned about the disappearances of so many native women.
We did not realize that the professional attitude of most law-enforcement agencies towards this issue was basically “out of sight, out of mind.” From now on, we’ll report any native women that go missing as white women with dark tans. That should speed up response time.
No need to thank us.
We hereby apologize for straining the Canadian health system due to our propensity towards diseases like diabetes. I know it has been said we put the word “die” in diabetes, but being introduced to all that Kraft Dinner and potato chips was definitely worth giving up the steady diet of salmon and deer.
I am sure the vegetarians are happy.
We apologize for launching so many land claims against the federal and provincial governments. One of our most ancient teachings tells us it is our sacred responsibility to make sure as many lawyers as possible are fed and looked after.
Where would they be without us?
We hereby apologize for wanting autonomy from the Federal bureaucracy of the DIA (Department of Indian Affairs). … Wait a minute, make that DIAND (Department of Indian and Northern Development). … Sorry, but I think it’s now called INAC (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada). … No, I have just been informed the Ministry’s official name is now AANDC – short for Aboriginal Affairs Northern Development Canada. ... Now I forget what my original point was.
And though it had nothing to do with us, we are sorry for obvious reasons for the unique acronym of a once-testy office known as the Government of Ontario Native Affairs Directorate.
Finally, and perhaps most of all, we apologize for helping Canada/Great Britain win the War of 1812 against the Americans. There are many in the native community who feel Barack Obama would be a far more interesting leader than Mr. Harper.
“This order establishes a national policy to ensure that the Federal Government engages in a true and lasting government-to-government relationship with federally recognized tribes in a more coordinated and effective manner, including by better carrying out its trust responsibilities,” Obama said in the Order.
Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/06/26/obama-establishes-white-house-council-native-american-affairs-150136 White people, here’s your one-time Canada Day special: Native people apologize back!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/white-people-heres-your-one-time-canada-day-special-native-people-apologize-back/article4382016/
So in the spirit of cooperation, I would like to offer up these apologies to the people of Canada on behalf of the NAFNIP (native/aboriginal/first nations/indigenous people):
We hereby apologize for being so inconsiderate as to occupy land that, one day, your people would want. Even though we did not have a postal system or an Internet, this was an inexcusable oversight. We hope you are enjoying it.
We apologize for having so many politically correct and incorrect names for you to call us – everything from native to aboriginal to first nations to wagon burner to status-card number 48759375876-1.
In retrospect, to make things easier for you, we should have stayed in India, where we were originally thought to have come from. Unfortunately today it is really hard to get decent palak paneer on the reserve.
We hereby apologize for not understanding the subtle connections between God, children and sexual abuse. Some are still struggling with appreciating this association.
They are forgetting that, early in the Bible, it says, “Let there be white. And it was good.”
We apologize for wanting rights to minerals and other natural resources that exist beneath our feet. When you negotiated for our land, you meant to the Earth’s core.
We did not fully comprehend that when we were put on reserves where our rights to the land only went two or three feet below the surface.
Anything that falls down a sewer grate basically belongs to the Federal Government.
We apologize for being so concerned about the disappearances of so many native women.
We did not realize that the professional attitude of most law-enforcement agencies towards this issue was basically “out of sight, out of mind.” From now on, we’ll report any native women that go missing as white women with dark tans. That should speed up response time.
No need to thank us.
We hereby apologize for straining the Canadian health system due to our propensity towards diseases like diabetes. I know it has been said we put the word “die” in diabetes, but being introduced to all that Kraft Dinner and potato chips was definitely worth giving up the steady diet of salmon and deer.
I am sure the vegetarians are happy.
We apologize for launching so many land claims against the federal and provincial governments. One of our most ancient teachings tells us it is our sacred responsibility to make sure as many lawyers as possible are fed and looked after.
Where would they be without us?
We hereby apologize for wanting autonomy from the Federal bureaucracy of the DIA (Department of Indian Affairs). … Wait a minute, make that DIAND (Department of Indian and Northern Development). … Sorry, but I think it’s now called INAC (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada). … No, I have just been informed the Ministry’s official name is now AANDC – short for Aboriginal Affairs Northern Development Canada. ... Now I forget what my original point was.
And though it had nothing to do with us, we are sorry for obvious reasons for the unique acronym of a once-testy office known as the Government of Ontario Native Affairs Directorate.
Finally, and perhaps most of all, we apologize for helping Canada/Great Britain win the War of 1812 against the Americans. There are many in the native community who feel Barack Obama would be a far more interesting leader than Mr. Harper.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Native American Foods - BACKGROUND - listed alphabeticaly
For a more complete list of contributions (not just food), click here and here.
REFERENCE: While I knew the foods, compiled the list, and looked for specific things (Nation, Culture, History, Region) the words are not my own. Several resources helped me with the words, including Wikipedia, tribal links, recipes links, and others. Use "Google" with any selection of words to find the original site.
A very few of these foods existed simultaneously outside on the Americas (in other countries), but they might have been different species (ie: the sweet potato is American and the yam is African) or different varieties (ie: grapes, rice) or migratory with a "home" in the Americas (ie: lobster). I find these phrases help me to remember categories for Native American Foods:
Agave: Native to the southern and western United States and central and tropical South America, plants have a large rosette of thick fleshy leaves, each ending generally in a sharp point and with a spiny margin. Related to Yucca, not a cacti, closely related to Aloe whose leaves are similar in appearance. The name "century plant" refers to the time the plant takes to flower. The juice from many species of agave can cause acute contact dermatitis. Episodes of itching may recur up to a year thereafter, even though there is no longer a visible rash. Dried plants can be handled with bare hands with little or no effect.
Amaranth: The Amaranth plant is native to South and North America. It was once a staple and the preferred grain of the Aztec, Inca and Maya civilizations. Hermando Cortes was disturbed by the association of amaranth with the practice of human sacrifice among the Aztecs. He outlawed the broad-leafed amaranth grain plant and made its use by the native Indians punishable by death. On religious holidays, Aztec women ground the seed, mixed it with honey, and then shaped it into idols that were eaten ceremoniously. To the Spanish catholic fathers this looked like an apostate form of the catholic religion, so they decided the way to get rid of the sacrifices was to get rid of the amaranth. The fact that the Aztec were strong and healthy because they were eating the amaranth plant and amaranth seed was also likely a key factor in their decision to outlaw the use of amaranth.
Arrowroot: Mayan starch obtained from the rhizomes (rootstock) of the Cocoa bean (Nahuatl: cacaua). Archaeological studies show evidence of arrowroot cultivation as early as 7,000 years ago. The name may come from aru-aru (meal of meals) in the language of the Arawak people, for whom the plant is a staple. It has also been suggested that the name comes from arrowroot's use in treating poison arrow wounds, as it draws out the poison when applied to the site of the injury.
Avocado: The avocado is a tree native to Central Mexico and classified in the flowering plant family along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel. The oldest evidence of avocado use was found in a cave located in Coxcatlán, Puebla, Mexico, that dates to around 10,000 BC. The avocado tree also has a long history of cultivation in Central and South America; a water jar shaped like an avocado, dating to AD 900, was discovered in the pre-Incan city of Chan Chan.
Bell Peppers: Cultivated to produce different colors, including red, yellow, orange and green, native to Mexico, Central America and northern South America, Pepper seeds were carried to Spain in 1493 and spread to other European, African and Asian countries. China is the world's largest producer in the world, followed by Mexico.
Black Bean: One of over 500 varieties of kidney beans, black beans are also known as turtle beans, caviar criollo, and frijoles negros. These beans date back at least 7,000 years, when they were a staple food in the diets of Central and South Americans. Popular in Latin American cuisine, though it can also be found in Cajun and Creole cuisines of south Louisiana.
Blueberries: Blueberries are flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium (a genus which also includes cranberries and bilberries). The dark-blue berries are perennial and native to North America. For centuries, blueberries were gathered from the forests and the bogs by Native Americans and consumed fresh and also preserved. The blossom end of each berry, the calyx, forms the shape of a perfect five-pointed star; the elders of the tribe would tell of how the Great Spirit sent "star berries" to relieve the children's hunger during a famine. A tea made from the leaves of the plant was thought to be good for the blood. Blueberry juice was used to treat coughs. The juice also made an excellent dye for baskets and cloth. The dried berries were also crushed into a powder and rubbed into meat for flavor. A beef jerky called Sautauthig (pronounced saw'-taw-teeg), was made with dried blueberries and meat and was consumed year round.
Brandy: Made from corn. See "corn."
Cashew: Derives from the indigenous Tupi name, acajú. While native to Northern South America, the Portuguese took the cashew plant to Goa, India, between the years of 1560 and 1565. From there it spread throughout Southeast Asia and eventually Africa.
Chia:
Cultivated or gathered by the Aztecs, Mayas, Tehuantapecs, and other Native American peoples, Chia seeds were a diet component and a basic survival ration of Aztec warriors. In most of these cultures, chia was a staple food considered to be sacred, and was consumed specifically for greater energy by runners, warriors, and athletes. Supposedly, 1 tablespoon of the seeds could sustain a person for 24 hours. A better source of omega-3 fatty acids than flaxseed (the fats protect against inflammation and heart disease), Chia seeds come from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family that grows in southern Mexico. The Aztecs also used chia medicinally to relieve joint pain and skin conditions. It was a major crop in central and southern Mexico well into the 16th century, but it was banned after the Spanish conquest because of its association with the Aztec "pagan" religion.
Chocolate: The cacao tree may have originated in the foothills of the Andes in the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America, current day Venezuela, where today, examples of wild cacao still can be found. The dried and fully fermented fatty seed is where cocoa solids and cocoa butter are extracted, and are the basis of chocolate. The Olmecs first cultivated it in at least 1500 BC. The cocoa bean was a common currency throughout Mesoamerica before the Spanish conquest. Moctezuma II, emperor of the Aztecs, took no other beverage than chocolate, served in a golden goblet, flavored with vanilla or other spices, and whipped into a froth that dissolved in the mouth.
Corn: From Taíno mahiz, domesticated in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times, it is the most widely grown crop in the Americas with 332 million metric tons grown annually in the U.S.A. Approximately 40% of the crop - 130 million tons - is used for corn ethanol. Outside the Americas, the common term for maize was "corn." This was originally the English term for any cereal crop, so even foods that were not maize were called “corn.” In North America, its meaning has been restricted since the 19th century to maize, as it was shortened from “Indian corn.” The term “Indian corn” now refers specifically to multi-colored “field corn.”
Click here for more on the history of corn: One Cob, Many Flavors http://www.visualnews.com/2014/03/24/one-cob-many-flavors-recipes-will-rethinking-next-bbq/?utm_source=VisualNews&utm_campaign=48b4496e1d-RSS_EMAIL&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1756fd36de-48b4496e1d-281927425
Cranberries: A group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines. Native Americans used cranberries in a variety of foods, especially for pemmican, wound medicine and dye. Calling the red berries Sassamanash, Native Americans may have introduced cranberries to starving English settlers in Massachusetts who incorporated the berries into traditional feasts.
Goosefoot (Quinoa): Grown at 10,000 to 20,000 feet above sea level, quinoa, pronounced keen-wah, brought sustenance to the Inca people and allowed them to thrive in the harsh living conditions that prevail at such altitudes where oxygen is considerably reduced. Bolivian athletes combine coca leaves and ash from the quinoa plant to increase the body's oxygen because quinoa ash releases alkaloids in the coca. It is a pseudo-cereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a member of the grass family. As a chenopod, quinoa is closely related to species such as beets, spinach, and tumbleweeds. Originating in the Andean region of Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia and Peru, it was successfully domesticated 3000 to 4000 years ago. The Incas, who held the crop to be sacred, referred to quinoa as chisaya mama or “mother of all grains,” and it was the Inca emperor who would traditionally sow the first seeds of the season using “golden implements.” During the European conquest of South America, the Spanish colonists scorned quinoa as “food for Indians.” Under Pizarro's rule in 1532, the Inca were forbidden to practice their ceremonial rituals that centered on quinoa. Fortunately, it still grew wild in the higher altitudes where it could be hidden from the Spaniards. Small amounts were consumed in secret.
Jalapeño Peppers: Commonly picked and consumed while still green, allowed to fully ripen and turn crimson red, and cultivated from a species Capsicum annuum which originated in Mexico.
Lobster: In North America, the American lobster did not achieve popularity until the mid-19th century, when New Yorkers and Bostonians developed a taste for it. Prior to this time, lobster was considered a mark of poverty or as a food for indentured servants or lower members of society in Maine, Massachusetts and the Canadian Maritimes, and servants specified in employment agreements that they would not eat lobster more than twice per week. American lobster was initially deemed worthy only of being used as fertilizer or fish bait, and it was not until well into the twentieth century that it was viewed as more than a low-priced canned staple food. Their longevity allows them to reach impressive sizes. According to the Guinness World Records, the largest lobster was caught in Nova Scotia, Canada, and weighed 44.4 lb.
Maple Syrup: The Ojibwe first collected the sap called "sweet water" and processed it into syrup or Sinzibuckwud (Algonquin, literally "drawn from trees"). Syrups must be at least 66 percent sugar and be made exclusively from maple sap to qualify as maple syrup in Canada. In the United States, it must be made almost entirely from maple sap. One of the most popular stories involves maple sap being used in place of water to cook the venison served to a chief. Other stories credit the development of maple syrup production to Nanabozho, Glooskap, or the squirrel. Native People celebrate the Sugar Moon (the first full moon of spring) with a Maple Dance.
Oysters: The Wampanoags resided on Narragansett Bay and Wampum was made from shells, usually clam or oyster, middens testify to the prehistoric importance of oysters as food worldwide and in the early 19th century, oysters were cheap and mainly eaten by the working class. Throughout the 19th century, oyster beds in New York harbor became the largest source of oysters worldwide. On any day in the late 19th century, six million oysters could be found on barges tied up along the city’s waterfront.
Papaya: Originally from southern Mexico (particularly Chiapas and Veracruz), Central America, and northern South America, the papaya is now cultivated in most tropical countries. In cultivation, it grows rapidly, fruiting within 3 years. It is, however, highly frost sensitive, limiting papaya production to tropical lands.
Peanut: The peanut, or groundnut, is a species in the legume or "bean" family, so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. Archeologists have dated the oldest specimens to about 7,600 years. Cultivation spread as far as Mesoamerica where the Spanish conquistadors found the tlalcacahuatl (Nahuatl = peanut) being offered for sale in the marketplace of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City).
Pecans
Pecans: From an Algonquian word, meaning a nut requiring a stone to crack. It is a species of hickory native to south-central North America and Mexico. Like fruit of all other members of the hickory genus, it is not a nut, but technically a drupe, a fruit with a single stone or pit surrounded by a husk that can provide 2 to 5 times more calories per unit weight than wild game and require no preparation. The fruit of the previous growing season is still edible when found on the ground.
Pineapple: Named for resemblance to the pine cone, Indigenous People of southern Brazil and Paraguay spread the pineapple throughout South America, it eventually reached the Caribbean where Columbus discovered it in 1493 and brought it back with him to Europe.
Potatoes: From the Andes, belongs to the nightshade family, first introduced outside the Andes region four centuries ago, and has become an integral part of much of the world's cuisine. It is the world's fourth-largest food crop, following rice, wheat, and maize. Following the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, the Spanish introduced the potato to Europe in the second half of the 16th century and there are now over a thousand different types of potatoes. Understanding how the Scotch-Irish re-introduced potatoes to New England/America.
Pumpkin: Native to North America. They typically have a thick, orange or yellow shell, creased from the stem to the bottom, containing the seeds and pulp. The version of Cinderella written by Charles Perrault in 1697 gained popularity with his additions of a pumpkin, fairy-godmother and the introduction of glass slippers.
Quinine: Developed Quechua Indians of Peru and Bolivia, has antipyretic (fever-reducing), antimalarial, analgesic (painkilling), and anti-inflammatory properties.
Raisin (Grapes): There are 15 varieties of wild native American grapes. In the year 1000 AD, Leif Ericsson the Lucky sailed from Norway across the North Atlantic Ocean and returned with stories about a new country he named Vinland because of the abundance of wild grapes found growing there. Historians agree that Vinland was the east coast of North America but they are not sure where he first set foot. Native purple grapes belonging to the Vitis genus proliferated in the wild across North America, and were a part of the diet of many North American Native Americans, but were considered by European colonists to be unsuitable for wine. Native Americans used the leaves to make a tea that treated a variety of illnesses or poultices to treat several painful conditions. Native Americans in Florida made a blue dye from the grapes. For centuries, grapes have been juiced to be drunk fresh or fermented. Raisins are rich in several nutrients including boron. Stuffed grapes leaves is a gourmet dish served in some cultures.
Raspberry: The North American red raspberry was first reported in 1607 by French lawyer Marc Lesarbot, when he and fellow members of his expedition to Canada "amused themselves by gathering raspberries." Edward Winslow of Plymouth Plantation fame in 1621 also listed raspberries among wild Massachusetts’ fruits. The Algonquin used the root for diarrhea while the Cherokee used the root for coughs and toothache. A tea was made for menstrual problems as well as parturition. Both the Chippewa and Pottawatomie used the root bark for the eyes. The Chippewa made a tea of the root bark and washed the eyes three times per day for cataracts. The Chippewa also used red raspberry for dysentery and measles. The Ojibwa used a decoction of the root for bowel complaints in children. The Iroquois had many uses for red raspberry. They made a tea of the young twigs. The leaves were for kidney complaints. Red raspberry was combined with snakeroot for “ladies who are run down because of sickness of period.” The root tips were boiled into a concentrated decoction to be used as a blood purifier and to lower or raise blood pressure.
Squash is loosely grouped into summer squash or winter squash, depending on whether they are harvested as immature squash: zucchini, pattypan and yellow crookneck) or mature fruit (butternut, Hubbard, buttercup, ambercup, acorn, spaghetti squash, pumpkin). Gourds are from the same family as squashes (pumpkin). First cultivated in Mesoamerica some 8,000 to 10,000 years ago, Squash was one of the "Three Sisters" planted by Native Americans. The Three Sisters were the three main native crop plants: maize (corn), beans, and squash. These were usually planted together, with the cornstalk providing support for the climbing beans, and shade for the squash. The squash vines provided ground cover to limit weeds. Weeds can be detrimental to the growing conditions of the squash. The beans provided nitrogen fixing for all three crops. Butternut Squash: The most popular variety, the Waltham Butternut, originated in Waltham, Massachusetts, where it was developed at the Waltham Experiment Station by Robert E. Young.
800 Year Old Squash: http://www.cfweradio.ca/on-air/blogs/dustin-mcgladrey-351668/entry/471/
Sunflower: It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, present day Mexico, by at least 2600 BC. It may have been domesticated a second time in the middle Mississippi Valley, or been introduced there from Mexico at an early date, as maize was. Many indigenous American peoples used the sunflower as the symbol of their solar deity, including the Aztecs and the Otomi of Mexico and the Incas in South America. Some researchers argue that the Spaniards tried to suppress cultivation of the sunflower because of its association with solar religion and warfare. The sunflower seed is the fruit of the sunflower, "seed" is actually a misnomer, when dehulled, the edible remainder is called the sunflower kernel.
Strawberry: The strawberry is a member of the rose family, with the most common varieties being a hybrid of the wild Virginia strawberry (native to North America) and a Chilean variety. Strawberries are social plants, requiring both a male and female to produce fruit. The word strawberry comes from the Old English streawberige, most likely because the plant sends out runners which could be likened to pieces of straw. Central and South American strawberries were called futilla by the conquistadors. Early Americans did not bother cultivating strawberries, because they were abundant in the wild.
Sweet Potato: Domestication of sweet potato is thought to be either in Central or South America at least 5,000 years ago, and brought to central Polynesia around 700 AD, possibly by Polynesians who had traveled to South America and back, and spread across Polynesia to Hawaii and New Zealand from there.
Tomato: Originates in South America, belongs to the nightshade family, botanically a fruit, and considered a vegetable for culinary purposes (as well as by the United States Supreme Court, see Nix v. Hedden).
Vanilla: The second most expensive spice after saffron because growing the vanilla seed pods is labor-intensive. The Totonac people, who inhabit the Mazatlan Valley on the Gulf Coast of Mexico in the present-day state of Veracruz, were the first to cultivate vanilla. According to Totonac stories, the tropical orchid was born when Princess Xanat, forbidden by her father from marrying a mortal, fled to the forest with her lover. The lovers were captured and beheaded. Where their blood touched the ground, the vine of the tropical orchid grew. In the fifteenth century, Aztecs invading from the central highlands of Mexico conquered the Totonacs and named the bean "tlilxochitl" or "black flower" after the mature bean, which shrivels and turns black shortly after it is picked. Subjugated by the Aztecs, the Totonacs paid tribute by sending vanilla beans to the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan. The flowers can be naturally pollinated only by a specific Melipone bee found in Mexico. This bee provided Mexico with a 300-year-long monopoly on vanilla production. The vines would grow, but would not fruit outside of Mexico. Growers tried to bring this bee into other growing locales, to no avail. The only way to produce fruits without the bees is artificial pollination. And today, even in Mexico, hand-pollination is used extensively.
Walnut (Black Walnut): While its primary native region is the Midwest and east-central United States, the black walnut was introduced into Europe in 1629. Black walnut is more resistant to frost than the English or Persian walnut. Nutritionally, it is similar to the milder-tasting English walnut, but the black walnut kernel is high in unsaturated fat and protein. The tree is prized for its wood, dye, and nut.
Wild Rice: This grain is harvested from a grass historically gathered and eaten in both North America and China. Wild rice is NOT directly related to Asian rice, although they are close cousins. Several Native American cultures, such as the Ojibwa, consider wild rice to be a sacred component in their culture. The rice is harvested with a canoe: one person vans (or "knocks") rice into the canoe with two small poles (called "knockers" or "flails") while the other paddles slowly or uses a push pole. For these groups, this harvest is an important cultural (and often economic) event. The Ojibwe named “manoomin” for the neighboring Omanoominii (Menominee, who refer to themselves Mamaceqtaw). Many places are named after this plant, including Mahnomen, Minnesota, Menomonie. The plants grow in shallow water in small lakes and slow-flowing streams; often, only the flowering head of wild rice rises above the water. Wild rice is high in protein, the amino acid lysine, dietary fiber, and low in fat.
Yucca: Cassava. Background.
Ancient Food Born Again
http://nativeamericanresources.blogspot.com/2014/10/ancient-foods-born-again.html
REFERENCE: While I knew the foods, compiled the list, and looked for specific things (Nation, Culture, History, Region) the words are not my own. Several resources helped me with the words, including Wikipedia, tribal links, recipes links, and others. Use "Google" with any selection of words to find the original site.
A very few of these foods existed simultaneously outside on the Americas (in other countries), but they might have been different species (ie: the sweet potato is American and the yam is African) or different varieties (ie: grapes, rice) or migratory with a "home" in the Americas (ie: lobster). I find these phrases help me to remember categories for Native American Foods:
- Nuts & Berries
- CBS - Corn, Beans & Squash
- Tomatoes, Potatoes, & Peppers
- Fish, Shellfish & Rice
Agave: Native to the southern and western United States and central and tropical South America, plants have a large rosette of thick fleshy leaves, each ending generally in a sharp point and with a spiny margin. Related to Yucca, not a cacti, closely related to Aloe whose leaves are similar in appearance. The name "century plant" refers to the time the plant takes to flower. The juice from many species of agave can cause acute contact dermatitis. Episodes of itching may recur up to a year thereafter, even though there is no longer a visible rash. Dried plants can be handled with bare hands with little or no effect.
Amaranth: The Amaranth plant is native to South and North America. It was once a staple and the preferred grain of the Aztec, Inca and Maya civilizations. Hermando Cortes was disturbed by the association of amaranth with the practice of human sacrifice among the Aztecs. He outlawed the broad-leafed amaranth grain plant and made its use by the native Indians punishable by death. On religious holidays, Aztec women ground the seed, mixed it with honey, and then shaped it into idols that were eaten ceremoniously. To the Spanish catholic fathers this looked like an apostate form of the catholic religion, so they decided the way to get rid of the sacrifices was to get rid of the amaranth. The fact that the Aztec were strong and healthy because they were eating the amaranth plant and amaranth seed was also likely a key factor in their decision to outlaw the use of amaranth.
Arrowroot: Mayan starch obtained from the rhizomes (rootstock) of the Cocoa bean (Nahuatl: cacaua). Archaeological studies show evidence of arrowroot cultivation as early as 7,000 years ago. The name may come from aru-aru (meal of meals) in the language of the Arawak people, for whom the plant is a staple. It has also been suggested that the name comes from arrowroot's use in treating poison arrow wounds, as it draws out the poison when applied to the site of the injury.
Avocado: The avocado is a tree native to Central Mexico and classified in the flowering plant family along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel. The oldest evidence of avocado use was found in a cave located in Coxcatlán, Puebla, Mexico, that dates to around 10,000 BC. The avocado tree also has a long history of cultivation in Central and South America; a water jar shaped like an avocado, dating to AD 900, was discovered in the pre-Incan city of Chan Chan.
Bell Peppers: Cultivated to produce different colors, including red, yellow, orange and green, native to Mexico, Central America and northern South America, Pepper seeds were carried to Spain in 1493 and spread to other European, African and Asian countries. China is the world's largest producer in the world, followed by Mexico.
Black Bean: One of over 500 varieties of kidney beans, black beans are also known as turtle beans, caviar criollo, and frijoles negros. These beans date back at least 7,000 years, when they were a staple food in the diets of Central and South Americans. Popular in Latin American cuisine, though it can also be found in Cajun and Creole cuisines of south Louisiana.
Blueberries: Blueberries are flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium (a genus which also includes cranberries and bilberries). The dark-blue berries are perennial and native to North America. For centuries, blueberries were gathered from the forests and the bogs by Native Americans and consumed fresh and also preserved. The blossom end of each berry, the calyx, forms the shape of a perfect five-pointed star; the elders of the tribe would tell of how the Great Spirit sent "star berries" to relieve the children's hunger during a famine. A tea made from the leaves of the plant was thought to be good for the blood. Blueberry juice was used to treat coughs. The juice also made an excellent dye for baskets and cloth. The dried berries were also crushed into a powder and rubbed into meat for flavor. A beef jerky called Sautauthig (pronounced saw'-taw-teeg), was made with dried blueberries and meat and was consumed year round.
Brandy: Made from corn. See "corn."
Cashew: Derives from the indigenous Tupi name, acajú. While native to Northern South America, the Portuguese took the cashew plant to Goa, India, between the years of 1560 and 1565. From there it spread throughout Southeast Asia and eventually Africa.
Chia:
Cultivated or gathered by the Aztecs, Mayas, Tehuantapecs, and other Native American peoples, Chia seeds were a diet component and a basic survival ration of Aztec warriors. In most of these cultures, chia was a staple food considered to be sacred, and was consumed specifically for greater energy by runners, warriors, and athletes. Supposedly, 1 tablespoon of the seeds could sustain a person for 24 hours. A better source of omega-3 fatty acids than flaxseed (the fats protect against inflammation and heart disease), Chia seeds come from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family that grows in southern Mexico. The Aztecs also used chia medicinally to relieve joint pain and skin conditions. It was a major crop in central and southern Mexico well into the 16th century, but it was banned after the Spanish conquest because of its association with the Aztec "pagan" religion.
Chocolate: The cacao tree may have originated in the foothills of the Andes in the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America, current day Venezuela, where today, examples of wild cacao still can be found. The dried and fully fermented fatty seed is where cocoa solids and cocoa butter are extracted, and are the basis of chocolate. The Olmecs first cultivated it in at least 1500 BC. The cocoa bean was a common currency throughout Mesoamerica before the Spanish conquest. Moctezuma II, emperor of the Aztecs, took no other beverage than chocolate, served in a golden goblet, flavored with vanilla or other spices, and whipped into a froth that dissolved in the mouth.
Corn: From Taíno mahiz, domesticated in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times, it is the most widely grown crop in the Americas with 332 million metric tons grown annually in the U.S.A. Approximately 40% of the crop - 130 million tons - is used for corn ethanol. Outside the Americas, the common term for maize was "corn." This was originally the English term for any cereal crop, so even foods that were not maize were called “corn.” In North America, its meaning has been restricted since the 19th century to maize, as it was shortened from “Indian corn.” The term “Indian corn” now refers specifically to multi-colored “field corn.”
Click here for more on the history of corn: One Cob, Many Flavors http://www.visualnews.com/2014/03/24/one-cob-many-flavors-recipes-will-rethinking-next-bbq/?utm_source=VisualNews&utm_campaign=48b4496e1d-RSS_EMAIL&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1756fd36de-48b4496e1d-281927425
Cranberries: A group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines. Native Americans used cranberries in a variety of foods, especially for pemmican, wound medicine and dye. Calling the red berries Sassamanash, Native Americans may have introduced cranberries to starving English settlers in Massachusetts who incorporated the berries into traditional feasts.
Goosefoot (Quinoa): Grown at 10,000 to 20,000 feet above sea level, quinoa, pronounced keen-wah, brought sustenance to the Inca people and allowed them to thrive in the harsh living conditions that prevail at such altitudes where oxygen is considerably reduced. Bolivian athletes combine coca leaves and ash from the quinoa plant to increase the body's oxygen because quinoa ash releases alkaloids in the coca. It is a pseudo-cereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a member of the grass family. As a chenopod, quinoa is closely related to species such as beets, spinach, and tumbleweeds. Originating in the Andean region of Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia and Peru, it was successfully domesticated 3000 to 4000 years ago. The Incas, who held the crop to be sacred, referred to quinoa as chisaya mama or “mother of all grains,” and it was the Inca emperor who would traditionally sow the first seeds of the season using “golden implements.” During the European conquest of South America, the Spanish colonists scorned quinoa as “food for Indians.” Under Pizarro's rule in 1532, the Inca were forbidden to practice their ceremonial rituals that centered on quinoa. Fortunately, it still grew wild in the higher altitudes where it could be hidden from the Spaniards. Small amounts were consumed in secret.
Jalapeño Peppers: Commonly picked and consumed while still green, allowed to fully ripen and turn crimson red, and cultivated from a species Capsicum annuum which originated in Mexico.
Lobster: In North America, the American lobster did not achieve popularity until the mid-19th century, when New Yorkers and Bostonians developed a taste for it. Prior to this time, lobster was considered a mark of poverty or as a food for indentured servants or lower members of society in Maine, Massachusetts and the Canadian Maritimes, and servants specified in employment agreements that they would not eat lobster more than twice per week. American lobster was initially deemed worthy only of being used as fertilizer or fish bait, and it was not until well into the twentieth century that it was viewed as more than a low-priced canned staple food. Their longevity allows them to reach impressive sizes. According to the Guinness World Records, the largest lobster was caught in Nova Scotia, Canada, and weighed 44.4 lb.
Maple Syrup: The Ojibwe first collected the sap called "sweet water" and processed it into syrup or Sinzibuckwud (Algonquin, literally "drawn from trees"). Syrups must be at least 66 percent sugar and be made exclusively from maple sap to qualify as maple syrup in Canada. In the United States, it must be made almost entirely from maple sap. One of the most popular stories involves maple sap being used in place of water to cook the venison served to a chief. Other stories credit the development of maple syrup production to Nanabozho, Glooskap, or the squirrel. Native People celebrate the Sugar Moon (the first full moon of spring) with a Maple Dance.
Oysters: The Wampanoags resided on Narragansett Bay and Wampum was made from shells, usually clam or oyster, middens testify to the prehistoric importance of oysters as food worldwide and in the early 19th century, oysters were cheap and mainly eaten by the working class. Throughout the 19th century, oyster beds in New York harbor became the largest source of oysters worldwide. On any day in the late 19th century, six million oysters could be found on barges tied up along the city’s waterfront.
Papaya: Originally from southern Mexico (particularly Chiapas and Veracruz), Central America, and northern South America, the papaya is now cultivated in most tropical countries. In cultivation, it grows rapidly, fruiting within 3 years. It is, however, highly frost sensitive, limiting papaya production to tropical lands.
Peanut: The peanut, or groundnut, is a species in the legume or "bean" family, so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. Archeologists have dated the oldest specimens to about 7,600 years. Cultivation spread as far as Mesoamerica where the Spanish conquistadors found the tlalcacahuatl (Nahuatl = peanut) being offered for sale in the marketplace of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City).
Pecans
Pecans: From an Algonquian word, meaning a nut requiring a stone to crack. It is a species of hickory native to south-central North America and Mexico. Like fruit of all other members of the hickory genus, it is not a nut, but technically a drupe, a fruit with a single stone or pit surrounded by a husk that can provide 2 to 5 times more calories per unit weight than wild game and require no preparation. The fruit of the previous growing season is still edible when found on the ground.
Pineapple: Named for resemblance to the pine cone, Indigenous People of southern Brazil and Paraguay spread the pineapple throughout South America, it eventually reached the Caribbean where Columbus discovered it in 1493 and brought it back with him to Europe.
Potatoes: From the Andes, belongs to the nightshade family, first introduced outside the Andes region four centuries ago, and has become an integral part of much of the world's cuisine. It is the world's fourth-largest food crop, following rice, wheat, and maize. Following the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, the Spanish introduced the potato to Europe in the second half of the 16th century and there are now over a thousand different types of potatoes. Understanding how the Scotch-Irish re-introduced potatoes to New England/America.
Pumpkin: Native to North America. They typically have a thick, orange or yellow shell, creased from the stem to the bottom, containing the seeds and pulp. The version of Cinderella written by Charles Perrault in 1697 gained popularity with his additions of a pumpkin, fairy-godmother and the introduction of glass slippers.
Quinine: Developed Quechua Indians of Peru and Bolivia, has antipyretic (fever-reducing), antimalarial, analgesic (painkilling), and anti-inflammatory properties.
Raisin (Grapes): There are 15 varieties of wild native American grapes. In the year 1000 AD, Leif Ericsson the Lucky sailed from Norway across the North Atlantic Ocean and returned with stories about a new country he named Vinland because of the abundance of wild grapes found growing there. Historians agree that Vinland was the east coast of North America but they are not sure where he first set foot. Native purple grapes belonging to the Vitis genus proliferated in the wild across North America, and were a part of the diet of many North American Native Americans, but were considered by European colonists to be unsuitable for wine. Native Americans used the leaves to make a tea that treated a variety of illnesses or poultices to treat several painful conditions. Native Americans in Florida made a blue dye from the grapes. For centuries, grapes have been juiced to be drunk fresh or fermented. Raisins are rich in several nutrients including boron. Stuffed grapes leaves is a gourmet dish served in some cultures.
Raspberry: The North American red raspberry was first reported in 1607 by French lawyer Marc Lesarbot, when he and fellow members of his expedition to Canada "amused themselves by gathering raspberries." Edward Winslow of Plymouth Plantation fame in 1621 also listed raspberries among wild Massachusetts’ fruits. The Algonquin used the root for diarrhea while the Cherokee used the root for coughs and toothache. A tea was made for menstrual problems as well as parturition. Both the Chippewa and Pottawatomie used the root bark for the eyes. The Chippewa made a tea of the root bark and washed the eyes three times per day for cataracts. The Chippewa also used red raspberry for dysentery and measles. The Ojibwa used a decoction of the root for bowel complaints in children. The Iroquois had many uses for red raspberry. They made a tea of the young twigs. The leaves were for kidney complaints. Red raspberry was combined with snakeroot for “ladies who are run down because of sickness of period.” The root tips were boiled into a concentrated decoction to be used as a blood purifier and to lower or raise blood pressure.
Squash is loosely grouped into summer squash or winter squash, depending on whether they are harvested as immature squash: zucchini, pattypan and yellow crookneck) or mature fruit (butternut, Hubbard, buttercup, ambercup, acorn, spaghetti squash, pumpkin). Gourds are from the same family as squashes (pumpkin). First cultivated in Mesoamerica some 8,000 to 10,000 years ago, Squash was one of the "Three Sisters" planted by Native Americans. The Three Sisters were the three main native crop plants: maize (corn), beans, and squash. These were usually planted together, with the cornstalk providing support for the climbing beans, and shade for the squash. The squash vines provided ground cover to limit weeds. Weeds can be detrimental to the growing conditions of the squash. The beans provided nitrogen fixing for all three crops. Butternut Squash: The most popular variety, the Waltham Butternut, originated in Waltham, Massachusetts, where it was developed at the Waltham Experiment Station by Robert E. Young.
800 Year Old Squash: http://www.cfweradio.ca/on-air/blogs/dustin-mcgladrey-351668/entry/471/
Sunflower: It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, present day Mexico, by at least 2600 BC. It may have been domesticated a second time in the middle Mississippi Valley, or been introduced there from Mexico at an early date, as maize was. Many indigenous American peoples used the sunflower as the symbol of their solar deity, including the Aztecs and the Otomi of Mexico and the Incas in South America. Some researchers argue that the Spaniards tried to suppress cultivation of the sunflower because of its association with solar religion and warfare. The sunflower seed is the fruit of the sunflower, "seed" is actually a misnomer, when dehulled, the edible remainder is called the sunflower kernel.
Strawberry: The strawberry is a member of the rose family, with the most common varieties being a hybrid of the wild Virginia strawberry (native to North America) and a Chilean variety. Strawberries are social plants, requiring both a male and female to produce fruit. The word strawberry comes from the Old English streawberige, most likely because the plant sends out runners which could be likened to pieces of straw. Central and South American strawberries were called futilla by the conquistadors. Early Americans did not bother cultivating strawberries, because they were abundant in the wild.
Sweet Potato: Domestication of sweet potato is thought to be either in Central or South America at least 5,000 years ago, and brought to central Polynesia around 700 AD, possibly by Polynesians who had traveled to South America and back, and spread across Polynesia to Hawaii and New Zealand from there.
Tomato: Originates in South America, belongs to the nightshade family, botanically a fruit, and considered a vegetable for culinary purposes (as well as by the United States Supreme Court, see Nix v. Hedden).
Vanilla: The second most expensive spice after saffron because growing the vanilla seed pods is labor-intensive. The Totonac people, who inhabit the Mazatlan Valley on the Gulf Coast of Mexico in the present-day state of Veracruz, were the first to cultivate vanilla. According to Totonac stories, the tropical orchid was born when Princess Xanat, forbidden by her father from marrying a mortal, fled to the forest with her lover. The lovers were captured and beheaded. Where their blood touched the ground, the vine of the tropical orchid grew. In the fifteenth century, Aztecs invading from the central highlands of Mexico conquered the Totonacs and named the bean "tlilxochitl" or "black flower" after the mature bean, which shrivels and turns black shortly after it is picked. Subjugated by the Aztecs, the Totonacs paid tribute by sending vanilla beans to the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan. The flowers can be naturally pollinated only by a specific Melipone bee found in Mexico. This bee provided Mexico with a 300-year-long monopoly on vanilla production. The vines would grow, but would not fruit outside of Mexico. Growers tried to bring this bee into other growing locales, to no avail. The only way to produce fruits without the bees is artificial pollination. And today, even in Mexico, hand-pollination is used extensively.
Walnut (Black Walnut): While its primary native region is the Midwest and east-central United States, the black walnut was introduced into Europe in 1629. Black walnut is more resistant to frost than the English or Persian walnut. Nutritionally, it is similar to the milder-tasting English walnut, but the black walnut kernel is high in unsaturated fat and protein. The tree is prized for its wood, dye, and nut.
Wild Rice: This grain is harvested from a grass historically gathered and eaten in both North America and China. Wild rice is NOT directly related to Asian rice, although they are close cousins. Several Native American cultures, such as the Ojibwa, consider wild rice to be a sacred component in their culture. The rice is harvested with a canoe: one person vans (or "knocks") rice into the canoe with two small poles (called "knockers" or "flails") while the other paddles slowly or uses a push pole. For these groups, this harvest is an important cultural (and often economic) event. The Ojibwe named “manoomin” for the neighboring Omanoominii (Menominee, who refer to themselves Mamaceqtaw). Many places are named after this plant, including Mahnomen, Minnesota, Menomonie. The plants grow in shallow water in small lakes and slow-flowing streams; often, only the flowering head of wild rice rises above the water. Wild rice is high in protein, the amino acid lysine, dietary fiber, and low in fat.
Yucca: Cassava. Background.
Ancient Food Born Again
http://nativeamericanresources.blogspot.com/2014/10/ancient-foods-born-again.html
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Contributions - MOST COMPLETE LIST ON THIS SITE
CONTRIBUTION
ACTIVITY FROM COURSE or WORKSHOP
A Sampling (health, sports, inventions,
resources, government, medicine, architecture, business, and food)
Questions/Answer Game (based on "A Sampling" above)
FOODS
(Wikipedia - food originating in the Americas)
Detailed
Food Explanations with Some History and Culture
Background
Agave
Amaranth
Arrowroot
Avocado
Beans
(14 varieties) How to cook
Brandy
(made from corn)
Corn
(How could the Romans have used corn?) Corn tastes better on the honor system
Cotton
Cranberries
Jerky
Maple
Sugar and Syrup
Papaya
Peanuts
Pecans
Pemmican
Pineapples
Popcorn
Potatoes
(all, including white and sweet)
Pumpkins
Quinoa
Quinine
Squash
Strawberries
Tapioca
(Manioc/Cassava) Yucca: Background.
Tomatoes
Turkeys
Vanilla
Walnuts
Watermelon
Wild
Rice
RECIPES
TECHNIQUES (PRACTICES), TECHNOLOGY & INVENTIONS
Posters (technology and food)
Abacus
Barbecue
Baskets
Cataract
surgery
Clam
bakes
Clothing
manufacture
Daily
bathing
Farming
methods (The Amazon is a man-made food forest)
Hammocks
Irrigation
systems
Needle
with “eye”
Vulcanization
10
Inventions That Changed the World
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/06/29/10-native-inventions-and-innovations-changed-world-155541?page=0%2C2
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXCELLED IN THEIR FIELDS
Jim
Thorpe (athlete)
Billy
Mills (athlete)
Johnny
Bench (athlete)
Charles
Curtis (vice president of U.S.)
Maria
Tallchief (ballerina)
Johnny
Cash (entertainer)
Buffy
St. Marie (musician)
Will
Rogers (entertainer)
HISTORICAL HEROES WHO Fought for Native People to retain culture and land
CONTEMPORARY
ROLE MODELS Leaders
Crazy
Horse
Wovoka
Wilma
Mankiller
Sitting
Bull
Geronimo
Lone
Wolf
Matacom
(King Phillip)
Tecumseh
Sequoyah
Seathl
Nancy
Ward
Red
Jacket
PRODUCTS
Canoe
Cat’s
Cradle
Cigars
Coonskin
caps
Cradle
boards (baby carriers)
Fringed
buckskin jacket
Kayak
Moccasins
Pipe
smoking
Rubber
Shelters
Soaps
& shampoos
Snowshoes
Tipi
Tobacco
Toboggan
Tomahawk
SOME NATIVE AMERICAN WORDS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Caribou
Chinook
Chipmunk
Cougar
Flathead
Mahogany
Miami
Milwaukee
Moccasin
Moose
Opossum
Ottawa
Pocatello
Seattle
Skunk
Spokane
Wichita
Woodchuck
Yakima
Some
Words that Went From the Americas to Europe
maize/corn
potatoes
tomatoes
pumpkins
llamas/alpacas
guinea
pigs
turkey
vanilla
avocados
bell
and chili peppers
cocoa
cashews
tobacco
sunflower
strawberry
rubber
pineapple
papaya
passion
fruit
zucchini
cranberries
squash
pecans
sweet
potato
Some
Words that Went From Europe to the Americas (Place names below)
cattle
horses/donkeys
honey
bees
pigs
apples
almonds
basil
cantaloupe
celery
egg
plant
olives
ginger
pistachios
rice
rye
soybeans
spinach
diseases
(small pox, influenza, measles, chicken pox and several others)
Some
Native Words Adopted into English
skunk
(Massachusett/Algonquin)
chipmunk
(Ojibwa)
opossum
(Algonquin)
raccoon,
moose and caribou (Algonquin)
hickory
(Algonquin)
pecan
(Illinois)
squash
(Narragansett)
caucus
(Algonquin)
avocado
(Nahuatl)
chili
(Nahuatl)
shack
(Xahcalli)
barbeque
(Arawak)
canoe
(Taino)
hammock
(Taino)
savanna
(Taino)
condor
(Quechua)
jerky
(Quechua)
hurricane
(Arawak)
jaguar
(Tupinamba)
cougar
(Guarani)
skunk (Wampanoag)
Some
Place Names
Alabama
(Choctaw)
Alaska
(Aleut)
Connecticut
(Algonquin)
Delaware
Illinois
(Algonquin/Miami)
Iowa
(Dakota)
Kansas
Kentucky
(Iroquois/Seneca)
Massachusetts
Mexico
(Nahuatl)
Michigan
(Ottawa)
Minnesota
(Algonquin/Ojibwa)
Mississippi
(Ojibwa)
Missouri
Ohio
(Seneca)
Oklahoma
(Choctaw)
Utah
(Ute)
Wisconsin
(Algonquin)
Wyoming
(Delaware)
There'd Be No U.S.A. Without Native Warriors
For over 200 years Native Americans have had the highest record of service in
the US military per capita when compared to other ethnic groups. This leaves
little doubt regarding the patriotism, love of land, family and warrior spirit
that still remains.
Not only have they served in every war, battle and conflict in support of
America—their fearless resolve was first on display in the countless ‘Indian
wars’ against Europeans in defense of tribal sovereignty and independence.
There's
a massive free catalogue of Indigenous films online — and we have 6 picks to get you started
AND, you might want to do "REVERSE CONTRIBUTIONS" to show what what the Native Americans received from Europeans. Here are some examples:
·
An interesting summary of Columbus's four voyages
with a connection to the 2010 Lunar Eclipse on Solstice, and his contribution
of "ship worms" to Europe.
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