Holiday Feast, Nov. 2007 - Educational Packet
We wish to thank Joe Baca Foundation for the generous donation of the turkeys, Ross Family Daycare (Fontana, Ca.) and the Stinson family (Lytle Creek, Ca.) for donations of supplemental food, the Native American Family Center (San Bernardino, Ca.), Lytle Creek Meals on Wheels, and Clark's Locksmith (Fontana, Ca.) for their assistance in distribution of this food.
In keeping with the educational goals of Sacred Indigenous Youth Education Circle, we are including some instructional information on speaking Lakhota (Sioux), one of the Native Indigenous languages of North America, as well as three recipes (two traditional, one contemporary) and a spiritual quotation in the Lakhota tradition, in hopes of promoting further understanding between people and cultures.
We wish you great blessings and a life of unity with Great Mystery (mistakenly called Great Spriit by many people). Wakan Tanka nin cin un <wah-kah’ tah’-kah nee chee ooh> (Great Mystery go with you).
Love in action,
Terra S. Robertson / Dancingsong, President
Sacred Indigenous Youth Education Circle
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Lakhota Instructions for Living
do the very best you can with both your heart and mind.
And if you do it that way, the Power Of The Universe will come to your assistance,
if your heart and mind are in Unity.
When one sits in the Hoop Of The People, one must be responsible because All of Creation is related.
And the hurt of one is the hurt of all. And the honor of one is the honor of all.
And whatever we do effects everything in the universe.
If you do it that way - that is, if you truly join your heart and mind as One - whatever you ask for, that's the Way It's Going To Be.
passed down from White Buffalo Calf Woman
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Here is a really traditional Lakhota Phapha soup
(commonly pronounced p-hah’<-p-hah)
..... which contains some modern updates.
10 dried tinpsila ( a wild root plant that is harvested once a year, then dried, some people call it a wild turnip, (If you don't have tinpsila, use potatoes and/or turnips cut up) soak the turnips overnight so they will cook faster.
Put a large kettle of water on to boil, then place the tinpsila in there.
Add three handfulls of dried deer meat to the boiling water ... dried deer meat is cut paper thin, then dried for several days over a fan. Then place in a cheesecloth to hang for several weeks. It has to be thoroughly dry. You can dry buffalo meat like this, too ... or antelope. I like deer meat, but I also like buffalo. When you want to use the dried meat, place on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes until you smell a roasted smell ... then the meat is cooked. (If you do not have dried deer meat, you may use any meat you have on hand or wish to use.)
Now add a cup of dried corn. Dried corn is made the same way you dry meat, except you have to parboil the corn and cut off the husk before you dry it. (Dried corn can be found in Mexican markets ... or you may use frozen or canned corn.)
Add onions to taste ... preferrably wild, but any onions will do.
Add a 2 handfuls of dried squash... dried squash is made bt cutting squash then laying flat to dry or you can string pieces together and hang on the wall... remember all your dried goods must be placed in a cheese cloth and hung up high for at least a week longer if the weather has been damp... (if you do not have dried squash, you may use fresh squash) ... boil until everything is soft... ussually takes two to three hours... (when using some dried and some fresh ingredients, cook the dried ingredients until soft, then add fresh ingredients and boil until all is cooked through).
Serve with frybread or kabooboo (pan bread).
This soup with variations is very traditional..when I came back from japan when I was sixteen my grandma asked what I wanted to eat, they thought I was going to say hamburger or steak, I wanted phapha soup and fry bread... my comfort food... You can make all the dried goods way ahead of time and have plenty in storage for many meals. That is what we do....
– the name of this Lakhota recipe contributor is unknown
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Fire Roasted Turkey – Traditional Cooking Method
(and other birds, small & large)
Kill the bird by removing head, then hang it upside down to bleed out.
Clean the bird by removing all innards & feet, then burn off the feathers over the fire.
Leave as whole as possible.
Run a stick through it and roast it over and/or near the fire until well done.
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Roast Turkey – (post-European contact recipe)
(by Dancingsong Woman/ Terra S. Robertson - Nov. 2005, from her cookbook "Indigenous Turtle Island Cookbook)
Ingredients
whole turkey (any size)
oranges
fresh rosemary sprigs
carrots
onions
garlic
potatoes
turnips
Instructions
For wild turkey :
Kill turkey by removing head, then hang to bleed out. Fill wash tub with boiling water and soak turkey for half hour. Pluck all feathers, then dispose of feathers and hot water. Cut opening at tail end of turkey and remove all innards; cut opening in neck end, remove neck and any innards. Wash thoroughly inside and out.
For store-bought turkey :
Thaw turkey, remove paper sack of giblets & neck (you may use these for gravy or stuffing if you wish). Wash turkey thoroughly inside and out.
General preparation:
With fingers, separate skin from flesh at neck and tail end ... enough to slip ½ inch slices of oranges and rosemary sprigs in between to cover as much area as possible, thereby moisturizing and flavoring meat. You may also wish to slit the skin on large part of drumsticks to insert orange slices and rosemary sprigs.
Cut more oranges in half and fill tail & neck cavities with them and more rosemary sprigs ... enough to fill each cavity. Then close openings with flap of skin.
Line bottom of cast iron drip-drop roaster with carrots and onions. Place turkey, breast side up, on to the bed of carrots and onions, then add 1 quart of good chicken or turkey stock.
Cover with lid and cook until done (I like to cook it until the legs are falling away from the body.) You may wish to baste occasionally with drippings and broth, which should be collecting at bottom of roaster, but with a good drip-drop roaster this is not necessary. (Cooking methods and time are listed below.)
1 ½ hours before turkey is done, add potatoes, turnips, carrots, onions, garlic and more rosemary sprigs to fill remaining space in roaster ... you may wish to add another quart of broth if necessary.
Remove roaster from fire or oven, let it rest for 30 minutes. Remove lid, carefully transfer vegetables to a platter or large bowl and cover to keep war. Then transfer turkey to a separate platter and allow to rest another 10 - 15 minutes, while you make your gravy.
Remove base vegetables from bottom of roaster and disgard. Gently scrape bottom of roaster to loosen flavorful bits. In small bowl or measuring cup, mix flour with water to make a runny paste (proportions adjusted to amount of gravy desired). Stir paste into drippings in roaster over medium heat; continue stirring until gravy is ready, in order to prevent scorching. Add more chicken stock if necessary to increase volume. When gravy reaches desired consistency transfer to a smaller pan, bowl, or gravy boat.
Remove oranges and rosemary from turkey and disgard; carve turkey and arrange on platter to serve.
Cooking over open fire or top of wood stove :
Keep roaster high enough above flames to prevent burning and cook slowly ... if on the top of a wood stove, keep fire low to medium.
Cooking in a modern oven :
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Before putting roaster in to oven, lower oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Roasting time guide line :
10 - 18 lbs ... 3 - 3 ½ hrs.
15 - 22 lbs ... 3 ½ - 4 hrs.
22 - 24 lbs ... 4 - 4 ½ hrs.
24 - 29 lbs ... 4 ½ - 5 hrs.
The turkey is done when the thigh meat reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees F, and when the breast meat reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees F.
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In the Lakhota language it is essential to understand pronunciation in order to fully express emotions and to make a statement with feeling. Feelings are important in language.We can say a thousand words and not mean a single one,
if our feelings are not in it they mean nothing
Whether listening to English or Lakhota speakers,
you can tell when they effectively use their language because you can feel their feelings.
In addition to emotions and feelings, language reflects environment.
It expresses philosophy.
It affirms spirituality.
It supports music, dances, good times, sad times.
All those feelings are held within it. It is the life-force of the culture.
Here you find some names about common things
in the beautiful Lakhota Language.
(From : http://members.chello.nl/~f.vandenhurk/language.htm )
Names of Months
January "Moon of Hard Winter" – wi ote< ‘hi ka wi (wee oh-tay < hee kah wee)
February "Moon of Popping Trees" – ‘can na < popa wi (chah nah < poe-pah wee)
March "Moon of Snow Blindness" – ‘i sta< wi ca niya wi (ee stah < wee chah nee-yah wee)
April "Moon of Tender Grass" – peji< to wi (peh-jhee too wee)
May "Moon of Green Leaves" – ‘can wapi to wi (chah wah-pee too wee)
June "Moon of June Berries" – wipa< zunka wa ‘ste wi (wee-pah zuh-kah wah sh-teh wee)
July "Moon of Red Cherries" – ‘canpa< ‘sa wi (chah-pah< sha wee)
August "Moon of Ripening" – wa suto< wi (wah soo-toe< wee)
September "Moon of Colored Leaves – ‘can wape< ‘gi wi (chan wah-peh< g-ee wee)
October "Moon of Falling Leaves – ‘can wape< ka ‘sna wi (chah wah-peh< kah shnah wee)
November "Moon of Starting Winter" – wani< yetu wi (wah-nee yeh-too wee)
December "Moon of Middle Winter – wani< ‘cokan wi (wah-nee choe-kah wee)
Directions
North – wazi yata (wah-zee yah-tah)
West – wi yo< ‘hpe yata (wee yoe< h-pay yah-tah)
South – ito ka ‘ga< ta (ee-toe kah gah< tah)
East – wi yo< ‘hi yan pata (wee yoe< hee yah pah-tah
Numbers
one – wa< ji (wah< jhee)
two – nu< pa (nuh< pah)
three – ya< mni (yah m-nee)
four – to< pa (toe< pah)
five – zap< tan (zahp< tah)
six – ‘sa< kpe (sha< k-peh)
seven – ‘sa ko< win (sha koe< wih)
eight – ‘sa glo< ‘han (sha glow< hah)
nine - ne p ‘cun< ka (neh p chun< kah)
ten – wi k ‘ce< mna (wee k cheh<m-nah)
Colors
blue – to (toe)
green – zi to (zee toe)
white – ska (skah)
pink – ‘sa<mna (shah m-nah)
red – ‘sa (sha)
brown – ‘gi (g-ee)
black – sapa (sah-pah)
yellow – zi (zee)
Human Body
hair – pe< hin (peh< heeh)
eyes – i ‘sta< (ee stah<)
mouth – i (ee)
shoulder – a blo< (ah blow<)
back – ‘cu< wi (choo< wee)
arm – is to< (ee-s toe<)
stomach – te< zi (teh< zee)
feet – si (see)
head – na ta< (nah tah<)
face – i< te (ee< teh)
nose – pa< su (pah< soo)
ears – nu< ‘ge (noo< g-heh)
hand – na pe< (nah peh<)
legs – hu< ki (hoo< kee)
Money
money – maza< ska (mah-zah< skah)
penny – maza ‘sa la (mah-zah shah lah)
nickle – ka ‘spa< pi okise (kah sh-pah< pee oh-kee-seh)
dime – ka ‘spa< pi (kah sh-pah< pee)
quarter – ‘so< ke la (sho< keh lah)
dollar – maza< ska (mah-zah< skah)
Wildlife
dog – ‘sun< ka (shuh< kah)
cat – ig mu< (ig moo<)
horse – ‘sun ka< wa kan (shuh kah< wah kah)
buffalo bull – ta tan< ka (tah tahn< kah)
buffalo cow – pte< ta (p-teh< tah)
deer – ta< ‘hca (tah< h-chah)
wolf – ‘sung< manitu tan ka (shung<mah-nee-too tah kah)
coyote – ‘sung ma< he tu (shung mah< heh too)
bear – ma to< (mah toe<)
eagle – wam bli< (wah-m blee<)
crow – kan ‘gi< (kahn g-hee<)
hawk – ‘ce tan< (cheh tah)
People
girl – wi< cin (wee< chih)
boy – hok< ‘si la (hoke< shee lah)
woman – wi yan< (wee yah<)
man – wi ‘ca< ‘sa (wee chah< shah)
grandmother – un ‘ci< (ooh chee<)
grandfather – tun ka< ‘si la (tuh kah< shee lah)
Food
bread – a ‘gu ya< pi (ah g-hoo yah< pee)
butter – a ‘san< pi wig li (ah shah< pee wee-g lee)
eggs – wit< ka (weet< kah)
sugar – ‘can han< pi (chah hah< pee)
salt – mni sku< ya (m-nee skoo< yah)
meat – ta< lo (tah< low)
pumpkin – wa gmu< (wah g-moo<)
turnips – timp< sila ( teem-p see-lah)
water – mni (m-nee)
Household Items
table – wa< gluta pi (wah< glue-tah pee)
chairs – ‘can akanka< pi (chah ah-kah-kah< pee)
dishes – wak ‘si< ka (wah-k shee< kah)
fork – wi ‘cape (wee chah-peh)
knife – mi< la (mee< lah)
stove – o ‘ce< ti (oh cheh< tee)
freezer – o ‘sniye ogna< ke (oh sh-nee-yeh oh-g-nah< keh)
lamp – peti janjan< ye ( peh-tee jhah-jhah< yeh)
book – wo wa< pi (woe wah< pee)