Recovering Our Ancestors' Gardens

Indigenous Recipes and Guide to Diet and Fitness

by Devon A Mihesuah

Featuring an array of tempting traditional Native recipes and no-nonsense practical advice about health and fitness, Recovering Our Ancestors' Gardens, by the acclaimed Choctaw author and scholar Devon Abbott Mihesuah, draws on the rich indigenous heritages of this continent to offer a helpful guide to a healthier life. The first half of the book consists of clear and often pointed discussions about the generally poor state of indigenous health today and how and why many Natives have become separated from their traditional diets, sports, and other activities. Poor health, Mihesuah contends, is a pervasive consequence of colonialism. Indigenous foods and activities can be reclaimed, however, and made relevant for a healthier lifestyle today. By planting gardens, engaging in more exercise and sport, and eating traditional foods, Native peoples can emulate the health and fitness of their ancestors.

The second half of the book is a collection of indigenous recipes, including Summer Salsa, Poke Salat Salad, Dakota Waskuya Soup, Osage Pounded Meat, Chickasaw Pashofa, Elk Steak, Choctaw Banaha, Comanche Ata-Kwasa, Stewed Fruit Dessert, and a one-week diet chart. Savory, natural, and steeped in the Native traditions of this land, these recipes are sure to delight and satisfy.

218 pp ~ illustrated — ©2005