Celebrating Native American Heritage Month with Chef Lois Ellen Frank
By Michaela Steil
Celebrate Native American Heritage Month at Stony Brook with Chef Lois Ellen Frank and Chef Walter Whitewater. Chef Frank, based out of Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a Long Island native and also an author and historian who has spent over 25 years documenting and studying the ways of life and food of Native American tribes as a Culinary Anthropologist. Chef Whitewater from Pinon, Arizona works with Frank at Red Mesa Cuisine, a Native American Cater and Food Company.
Frank herself is part of the Kiowa tribe who mainly stem from the Great Plains in America. The Kiowa originated out of Montana, but began migrating across America starting in the 17th century before ending up in the Great Plains. In 1867 they were moved to a reservation in Oklahoma by the US government.
Whitewater stems from the Diné (Navajo) Nation. The Navajo People are native to the Four Corners– Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado– and still reside there today. They reservation is mostly in Arizona, but reaches the other three states as well.
Currently there are 566 tribes recognized by the US government, so it may be understandable why defining Native American cuisine is a bit of a struggle. Different tribes cook differently based on their geographical location and limitation.
“If you lived in the Pacific Northwest, you’d know the six types of salmon and how to harvest them, but if you were a Navajo on the Midwestern plains, you never would have seen one,” according to Frank, in an article done by National Geographic.
So, understandably, food varies from tribe to tribe and each have their own tradition and customs. For example, the Kiowa were a hunter- gatherer society; they obtained food from their surroundings much like other plains Indians. Meat wise, they relied heavily on bison and buffalo, but also hunted deer, elk, and wild turkeys when able. Men usually took to hunting while the women would be the gatherers and collect berries, seeds, and nuts. Other produce was traded between tribes, such as squash and pumpkins.
The menu for the dinner at Stony Brook has an emphasis on squash, coriander, and pumpkin, providing for a similar theme common to Native American foods since specific dishes are so diverse and change from tribe to tribe so it is hard to pinpoint a specific general dish.
However, there will be more than just food, Frank is also going to educate on sustainability and how it relates to Native American culture and traditions. Basically, sustainability is a broad term that embodies the idea of continuous use of land that allows viable environmental systems for years to come. Because of Native Americans were constantly forced to move and oppressed, they had to constantly adapt to their new surroundings and in turn ensure they would be able to live off any land for any number of years. This way, Native Americans were some of the first to implement the practice of sustainability in their environments. To learn more, be sure to attend Frank’s lecture!
Celebrating Native American Heritage Month is the opportune time to learn more and garner appreciation for the various tribes and cultures throughout America. This specific program at SBU will promote and educate on healthy living with food and culture and is open to the public, not just students and staff. Chef Frank and Chef Whitewater will be at SBU November 29th, in SAC Ballroom A from 1:00PM to 2:30 PM.
