The Past, Present, and Future of Food During Indigenous People’s Month

Indigenous People’s Month, observed in November, coincides with the end of the harvest season when the earth’s bounty is at its best. The timing spotlights the close link between Indigenous identity, culture, and the land. Several World Central Kitchen Chef Corps members look forward to autumn to cook with their favorite ingredients.

Crystal Wahpepah is a member of the Kickapoo nation of Oklahoma. She’s the force behind Wahpepah’s Kitchen in Oakland, California and embraces pumpkin, dried corn, and dried berries for her fall table. Around this time of year, she also concentrates on harvesting native foods and storing them for winter use.

Like many communities around the world, rice is both a staple and symbolic ingredient in Minnesota. Chef Sean Sherman is a member of the Oglala Lakota Sioux tribe and founder of North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NĀTIFS) and calls the area home.