Charlene Wahtomy pours tea for participants at the National Nutrition workshop on March 23.
By LORI ANN EDMO
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — Traditional food knowledge was shared and the importance of protecting gathering rights was emphasized at a National Nutrition workshop March 23 at the Sho-Ban High cafeteria.
Shoshone-Bannock Culture and Language Preservation Department, along with the Diabetes Program hosted the workshop so participants could learn about nutrition.
“Damme Tsande Dekape,” “Tammi Pishayu Tekkape,” translates “our good food” in Shoshone and Bannock languages and that was the message that was shared.
Louise E. Dixey, LCPD director, talked about Gathering Rights and Resources in a PowerPoint presentation. She said “mai moa” in Bannock and “degi” in Shoshone means to hunt, fish and gather. There are two types of gathering rights — inherent rights that is a right of an individual from birth and Treaty rights under Article 4 of the Fort Bridger Treaty the Indians herein named agree when the agency house and other buildings shall be constructed on their reservations named, they will make said reservations their permanent home and will make no permanent home settlement elsewhere, but they have the right to hunt on the unoccupied land of the United States so long as game may be found thereon, an so long as peace may be found thereon and so long as peace subsists among the whites and Indians on the borders of the hunting districts.
Newenee (all Indian people) traveled with seasons knowing where to go for various resources and what time of year to go. Dixey explained newenee utilized natural resources and features that provide subsistence. Gathering is part of cultural subsistence and required for spiritual enrichment. Songs and stories were related while gathering.
Prepared chokecherry pudding and camas bulbs.
The Fort Bridger Treaty, Article 4, the 1978 American Indian Religious Freedom Act and the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act protects Indian rights, subsistence and spirtuality. She said today there is limited knowledge of all the plants ancestors used. Seeds were gathered and cleaned, plants were dried/saved for later consumption. Today, gathering and consumption of traditional foods would help a person be healthy. Plants are used for medicinal and ceremonial use purposes too.
Resource uses include medicinal, food, shelter, clothing, baskets, cradleboards, sleeping mat, fire. Plants that are gathered include pine nuts, chokecherries, bitterroot, thimbleberries, wild onions, huckleberries, and camas,
Dixey said minerals were used for paint and spiritual purposes. Hot springs were used to cook food and for healing waters, some were vision quest sites or spiritual areas such as high mountain peaks, geysers, hot springs, etc. Obsidian and other types of rocks were used for construction of weaponry and tools.
She noted impacts on gathering includes campgrounds and grazing.
Charlene Wahtomy followed with a traditional foods presentation. She was asked to show how her family eats – she had a feast table set up with chokecherry pudding, roots such as dosa, bitterroot and camas; dry meat; Indian tea; chokecherry patties; peppermint, and wild onions. She also showed a deer hide she’s been working on and explained how she skins a deer.
She dries much of their food. Regarding the feast table, one always starts with water. Drink water to feel good in the morning and pray, be thankful, face the sun. Even in ceremonies, people bless themselves with water – put it on top of his or her head to have a clear mind. When a person drinks water, it cleanses. “Water is real important, if we didn’t have water, we wouldn’t even be here,” Wahtomy continued. “Everything needs water, everything that’s born of water because we came from our mothers – we bear water for our families, our future,” she continued.
She encouraged people to learn all the plant areas because if they’re not harvested, they’ll dry up or go away.
She displayed her digging stick and scraper she uses for hide tanning. Charlene explained how she learned from her father.
Wahtomy said they use what they gather, it will replenish and grow back strong. She hoped the participants learned something. She had samples of Indian tea, tao (dried meat) chokecherry paddies, peppermint and chokecherry pudding to hand out.
Traditional food set out for participants.
Erin Brownley, Diabetes Program nutritionist, talked about her family history and said learning about traditional foods, keeping them in diets keeps us tied to who we are. It’s what kept our ancestors healthy and the foods can be added to diets to keep the community healthy.
Water is important to flush bacteria from bladder, aids digestion, prevents constipation, normalizes blood pressure, stabilizes the heartbeat, cushions joints, protects organs and tissues, regulates body temperature and maintain electrolyte (sodium) balance.
She explained water is the perfect medium for extracting nutrients, medicinal properties and flavors from plants. Healthy examples include flavored waters, tea, and broths.
Brownley said macronutrients – carbohydrates, proteins and fats function to provide important nutrients to your body in larger amounts. They help maintain body function to keep you healthy. They provide your body with calories (energy).
Protein provides energy for fullness; growth, development and repair of muscles, structure to muscles and bones, tissue repair, helps with immune cell function; food sources include beef, pork, game and wild meats, fish and seafood, eggs, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds; cheese and cottage cheese. Fats provide structure to your cells, serve as a protective layer around organs, important for absorption of fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E, K); food sources include oils, coconut, nuts, milk, cheese, meat, poultry and fish. She showed a slide of cholesterol comparing HDL (good) and LDL (bad).
Health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids – promote normal functions of the brain and nervous system, lower cholesterol levels and support heart health, protect against dry eye disease and reduce inflammation in the body. Phytochemicals – compounds in plants that protect the body against Type 2 diabetes, cancers and heat disease such as whole grains, legumes, nuts/seeds, fruits/veggies, herbs and spices. Eating a rainbow of colors ensures vitamins, minerals and phytochemical that serve as “helpers and protectors.”
The Diabetes program provided plastic bowls and plates to participants that measured food sizes. They also provided door prizes such as cutting boards, salad spinners and individual blenders.
Nolan Brown, Original Territories and Historic Researcher, gave a PowerPoint presentation regarding the Tribes Treaty Rights and the Camas Prairie. He explained about the discrepancy in spelling of Camas Prairie in the Fort Bridger Treaty and also about the proceedings of the Great Indian Peace Commission where commissioners signed the Treaty on October 10, 1868.
The Diabetes Program provided a Del Monte catered of barbecued pork sandwiches, potato salad and fruit.