Earlier this month, the American Indian Education Program hosted an Indigenous food preparation class for the Native American youth in Hopkins schools. Students at the high school were treated to a “build your own bowl” with many ingredients common in Native culture.
There were salad greens, berries, beans, acorn squash, bison meat, wild rice, wojapi, and hominy. Many students had never tried some of the ingredients before, but they were excited to eat a traditional meal and learn more about the history of the ingredients.
For example, a Native American diet consisted of what they had access to in the area. Scholars learned that the only native nut to Minnesota is the hazelnut. Other natural ingredients included raspberries, fish, duck, beans, corn, and more.
“We are teaching them ways of living in the old times, but also showing how modern Natives are today,” said Andrea Faue, American Indian Education Coordinator. “We are still here; we are not an extinct people. Being able to show them that is very important to their identity.”
The American Indian Education Program brings cultural knowledge to the Native youth in our District. Hopkins Public Schools has 140 students in the District who identify as Native American. More often than not, the students know they have American Indian ancestry but they don’t have a rich understanding of what that means.
“We would love to grow our numbers and let people know that they are welcome. Even if they don’t know anything about their heritage, that is what we are here for—to share knowledge,” Faue said.