LCPD's Bailey Dann listens to elder Farrell Wildcat Sr. talk about bitterroot at the Bitterroot & Wild Onion Gathering on April 26.
By OLIVIA YOKOYAMA
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — On April 26 the Language and Cultural Preservation Department hosted a Bitterroot and Wild Onion Gathering for tribal members in Mackay to educate and present what the traditional food (kahna) Shoshone and kangicha (Bannock) are.
“I’m really excited to have this opportunity to gather our kah’na or bitterroot.” Bailey Dann said.
Before the gathering began Tribal Elder Farrel Wildcat prayed for the food that was going to be gathered and Dann offered and shared tobacco and cedar with those that gathered.
The purpose of the gathering is to provide tribal members where to harvest the bitterroot and inform members what they are and how important it is to know how to obtain food that the ancestors have used in the past.
Tribal elder Vivian Wahtomy digs for roots.
The departments goal is to help remind members of all the traditions that are made and keep the traditions alive and going. The department had 29 community members of all ages participate and was a learning experience to help teach the meaning and how the food is important in todays world.
During the gathering, the cultural department provided a sack lunch and drinks to members that attended and showed each step on how to gather the roots and onions.
Charlene Wahtomy presented step by step of how to dig the roots and how to peel the skin of the roots and eat raw or cook.
“It was a learning experience I liked it and was glad the cultural department sponsored it and was good to socialize with other people,” said tribal elder Vivian Wahtomy.
LCPD's Zelphia Towersap peels freshly pickled bitterroot.
Her favorite part about the gathering was finding out and observing what the roots look like and plans on going again next year.
Sonya Wadsworth works with LCPD as videographer encourages tribal members to keep our traditions alive and communicate with elders and learn how to hunt and gather natural foods. The department will be in the process of other gatherings throughout the year. “This is what we do on a yearly basis, and come out with us and learn,” she said.