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Describe something that Sean Sherman did and explain what that…
Describe something that Sean Sherman did and explain what that tells about him. Include facts and details from the Article in your response.
Cooking Up Native Traditions
When he was growing up on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, Sean Sherman’s family pantry was packed with canned beans, boxed rice, powdered milk, and jugs of vegetable oil. These foods were provided by the U.S. government. Sherman, whose family are Oglala Lakota Sioux, would later raise this question about their collection of groceries: Why didn’t the foods reflect their culture?
Sherman immersed himself in the study of cuisine. And even more questions arose: Why weren’t Native American recipes being more widely used? Where could those recipes even be found? And why aren’t there more restaurants serving Native American foods?
Sherman was determined to find answers. He met with community elders and spoke with Native American chefs and historians. He learned how his ancestors foraged, grew, hunted, fished, preserved, and prepared their food. And he discovered the way to reclaim an understanding of Native American food practices: by using local plants and other natural ingredients in the environment. The idea to make food taste like where it’s from inspired Sherman. He established his own Minnesota-based catering business, The Sioux Chef. He also started the non-profit, NATIFS (North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems). His mission? To bring traditional Native American cuisine back to today’s world.
But why was it lost in the first place?
Before contact with Europeans, Native peoples employed traditional agricultural and butchering techniques. They also developed methods of food preservation. And the foods they ate were as varied as North America’s geography.
But as Europeans arrived, many traditional food sources, including heirloom seeds, were destroyed. Bisonwhich was vital to many Native dietsnearly became extinct. And making matters worse: During the late 1800s, the U.S. government sent Native American children to boarding schools. At these schools, they were taught cooking and farming methods. They never learned how to forage, farm, and hunt, as their ancestors did. So years of generational knowledge of Native American food traditions disappeared.
Through NATIFS and The Sioux Chef, Sherman is restoring that knowledge and reviving Native American cooking traditions and practices. His recipes avoid wheat, beef, pork, chicken, and other ingredients that were introduced by Europeans, in favor of elk, quail, mushrooms, and wild rice. Sherman also helps teach people how to forage indigenous ingredients like wild dandelion, hyssop, cedar, and bergamot. The results have been traditional Native American dishes with a modern flair.
For Sherman, going back to his roots is not just about reconnecting with his culture. Native American foods also have health benefits. Many of the processed and canned foods provided to Native American reservations through government programs are full of sodium. And they’re loaded with bad fats and brimming with sugar. It’s believed these foods have contributed to serious health issues plaguing Native American communities, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. NATIFS hopes to address this health crisis by re-establishing Native foodways.
Sherman is one of a small number of chefs serving and promoting traditional Native American ingredients. But this might be changing. Native American foods fit perfectly into the growing farm-to-table movement, which promotes local fresh ingredients. Plus, Native American foods aren’t processed and can easily be made vegetarian, gluten-free, or vegan. One thing Native American food is not, says Sherman, is a trend. It’s a way of life.
