The American Mosaic: Foodways of the Southwest

There are three distinct native cultures within the Southwest; Ancestral Puebloans, Mogollan, and the Hohokam, who have adapted to the harsh and dry climate but have also found ways to conserve water for farming, ranching, etc. This group created what is now known as the, “three sisters (corn, beans, and squash)”. (Long, p3) These main three foods are important and often very sacred to their culture. They relied on the land to grow many of their crops, but also gathered wild resources such as pinions, wild parsley, rabbits, turkeys, and other small game. As time moved forward, colonization introduced other resources such as sheep and horses. Horses were and still are used for hunting bigger game such as deer. The foodways of the southwest have always been rooted to the land and environment around them.

Giannini, Juliette. “Foodways.” Encyclopedia of Native American History, Volume 1, Facts On File, 2011. American Indian History, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=18626&itemid=WE43&articleId=359441. Accessed 11 Feb. 2021.

American Indian History: Foodways

Many Native Americans adapted their diets to what grew and lived around them. They also changed the environment such as making irrigation canals, burning fields, or creating channels connected to rivers. These modifications helped make the most out of the resources that they had. The Native peoples of the southwest created fields and irrigation canals to grow crops. These techniques are still being used today, in fact, the oldest record of these methods being used date back to 200 B.C.E. Many of the hard labor of farming fell on the men and women created pottery to cook and also store foods. Cuisine can also teach a lot about the roles of women and men in their cultures. Corn is such a huge part of native american culture that it’s used for many things. The kernels can be grinded down by stones to make a soft powder known as cornmeal used for praying or food. The foods that they made were used not only as food but for other things as well.

Long, Lucy. "Foodways of the Southwest." The American Mosaic: The American Indian Experience, ABC-CLIO, 2021, americanindian.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1670661. Accessed 11 Feb. 2021.

American Indians and Nutrition

American Indians had not only found a way to fill their bellies by surviving off the land, but also created many different ways of cooking these foods to ensure they ingested the nutrients they needed while getting rid of toxins. These new developments also aided colonizers who traveled to the Americas. European travelers frequently suffered from health conditions due to the foods they ate and didn’t eat. However, American Indians had a steady diet and suffered from less health issues. This was also due to the social systems in these different communities. Wealthy Europeans were the only ones who had access to quality food whilst peasants suffered from starvation or sicknesses. The American Indians made sure that every man, woman, and child had food to fill their bellies no matter the person.

Keoke, Emory Dean, and Kay Marie Porterfield. “Nutrition, American Indians And.” Encyclopedia of American Indian Contributions to the World, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2019. American Indian History, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=18626&itemid=WE43&articleId=186147. Accessed 22 Apr. 2021.

American Indian development of Agriculture

Indigenous people have been farming since 8000-7000 B.C. “The transition from hunting and gathering food to growing crops was a complex one, taking place over thousands of years.” (Keoke) Different areas of America produce different crops. It made life much easier and also helped aid colonizers who came to, “The New World”. As time moves forward, new crops and skills emerge.

Keoke, Emory Dean, and Kay Marie Porterfield. “Agriculture, American Indian Development Of.” Encyclopedia of American Indian Contributions to the World, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2019. American Indian History, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=18626&itemid=WE43&articleId=185493. Accessed 26 Apr. 2021.

American Indian History

Oden Loretta Barrett has become a pioneer in showcasing native american dishes to the world by opening up a restaurant known as the,”Corn Dance Cafe.” She traveled the country and gathered many diverse indigenous dishes from native american tribes. She explained the creation of these dishes to her customers, hoping to spread the knowledge of native american history. She also hoped that talking about these dishes would bring awareness to creating a more healthier diet amongst indigenous peoples. Currently, she is a part of the Founding Council of the Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance.

Sonneborn, Liz. “Oden, Loretta Barrett.” American Indian Women, Third Edition, 2016. American Indian History, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=18626&itemid=WE43&articleId=191303. Accessed 23 Mar. 2021.

Foodways: Foodways of the Northeast Peoples

The Northeast indigenous peoples have revolved their entire lives around the importance of food. Surviving off of the herbs, crops, and animals that grew on the land, it created purpose. Giannini states, “While women handled most of the tasks relating to producing crops-- something that many European missionaries and other observers condemned as a violation of what they believed was the ‘natural’ gender order…” The importance of food got rid of stereotypical gender roles and provided us the important job as caretakers of the land. Our mother.

Giannini, Juliette. “Foodways.” Encyclopedia of Native American History, Volume 1, Facts On File, 2011. American Indian History, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=18626&itemid=WE43&articleId=359441. Accessed 23 Mar. 2021.