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“Little Tastes, Big Traditions”

~ Danielle James

Sage Bear, an Apache and Navajo young

girl, loved learning. She was always

asking questions, but was occasionally

told to just watch to learn. That helped a

little, but she wanted to learn more. So,

she went to her family’s computer to

Google many topics. Sometimes they

used big words, so she used artificial intelligence like Claude to change big words into words she understood. This helped her learn more big words.

She later learned that there were many other websites to learn from, like YouTube. She loved watching videos on Native American traditional foods. She longed to taste them.

Then, one day, her school announced that someone special would be visiting soon to share some ingredients from Apache, Navajo, and other Native American ancestral foods. The visitor was a kind Native American woman whose eyes lit up whenever she talked about the foods passed down through generations. Sage Bear was so excited that she told her mom and family. She was curious about what tasty items would be shared with her class and her.

Finally, the day came for the ancestral food workshop. She learned to say special old food names passed down from her ancestors, and every time she said one, she got to taste something brand new.

First, she tried bison. It tasted rich and hearty, like the wide open plains where the bison used to roam.

Next came the scarlet runner bean. It was pretty, with sunset-colored skin, and it tasted sweet and a little earthy.

Then she tried wild rice. It tasted nutty and a little chewy, like it had a story to tell about rivers and quiet forests.

She popped a spruce tip into her mouth and laughed. It tasted green and fresh, just like the smell of a pine forest in springtime!

Then came the blueberries, sweet and juicy, followed by lingonberries, which were tart and tangy, like a tiny sour surprise.

She drizzled some walnut oil on her spoon. It tasted warm and nutty, almost like toasted bread.

A sprinkle of sumac made her tongue tingle with a zesty, lemony taste she'd never felt before. All the classmates made funny faces as they tasted the sour sumac, and then they all laughed together.

She even nibbled a wild flower, which tasted a little bitter at first, then faded into something light and floral, like sunshine cooling down.

And finally, Sage worked up her courage to try something really different: grasshoppers! When it was time for the grasshoppers, a few brave kids jumped at the opportunity. Some kids were nervous, but slowly they tried the food. One kid said it "tasted like chicken," which made everyone laugh. They were crunchy and toasty, kind of like a nutty chip. Sage smiled. It wasn't scary at all, just an adventure for her taste buds!

Then came story sharing time for the youth. Hands shot up all around the room as kids couldn't wait to share how their families used traditional foods, and how to say the special names for them. The room felt warm and safe, where everyone's story mattered.

With every new food, Sage wasn't just eating a snack. She was tasting stories from long ago, connecting with her ancestors one bite at a time, and realizing that trying new things can be its own kind of magic.

Everyone was so happy and energized when the food workshop was done. That is how eating should make you feel: energized.

  

Editor's Note: Our author is one of this year's WINDS Scholars