It’s estimated that approximately 90% of Indigenous people on this continent died in the century following first contact with Europeans. With overwhelming loss of land and lives, dietary changes may seem like a small thing, but food is an essential part of culture, and many native groups lost their traditional foods along with everything else. There are many Indigenous people in this country working on food sovereignty.
The best known member of this movement is Chef Sean Sherman, founder and CEO of The Sioux Chef, which specializes in pre-colonization cuisine. He is a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, and founder of NATIFS (North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems), a non-profit dedicated to revitalizing Indigenous food systems which runs the Indigenous Food Lab.
Host Charity Nebbe talks with Sherman about his latest co-authored book, Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America, and he will be speaking at the inaugural Iowa Culinary Conference on June 22 in Coralville.
Also, the 50th Loess Hills Prairie Seminar takes place May 29-31, hosted by Monona County Conservation. This free event started in 1977 as a modest, back to nature event for local educators, and has now expanded to include dozens of activities for conservationists, families and beyond. Event coordinator Tyler Ruge and longtime attendee and organizer Dianne Blankenship join the conversation.
Guests:
- Sean Sherman, James Beard Award winning-chef and author
- Tyler Ruge, naturalist, Monona County Conservation
- Dianne Blankenship, planning committee member and former event coordinator, Loess Hills Prairie Seminar
