Moving From Reservations to Rituals

"Savor the ritual of the table" -Alice Waters; The Art of Simple Food

   From left to right: My "Gramio", my brother Justin, My friend and sister-in-law Vicki, and my loving boyfriend, "Garbster"

In just a day or two we will be celebrating, quite possibly, the foodie's favorite holiday, Thanksgiving! But what makes it a foodie favorite? Good food makes even the greatest of times that much greater, but there is obviously so much more to enjoy than food ...



Those of us that have, or work with children, will likely come into contact with traced outlines of tiny hands made into the shape of turkeys; families will discuss what they are thankful for. Some of us will be serenaded by stories about the first Thanksgiving, about the Native Americans who saved the pilgrims by sharing their food with those weary settlers.

At very least, most of us will enjoy a delicious feast side by side with those we love (or we should hope so).

Last Year's Thanksgiving, created by moi!

But Thanksgiving is more than one or all of these activities. At the risk of sounding overly sentimental, I will make the case that Thanksgiving, like all holidays, is cherished by people because certain rituals are upheld and shared, bonds are strengthened, and a sense of continuity is established.

Food is merely the means by which we partake in this process. But yet it is also much, much more.

My brother showing off (and eventually sharing) his 'Smores'

Ritual is needed to bring people together and create meaning. Our modern, self-serve culture is one that has dispensed with family dinners, intimate discussions, and many other simple rituals that were once carried out daily. But while our obvious need for more money or more progress in other areas of our busy lives has come first, we still retain the need (and want) for the simplicity of ritual and ceremony in our personal lives. It's the way we learn to love others and ourselves--whether we know it or not.

Perhaps the care with which we observe Thanksgiving should therefore be applied to all our meals; even simpler, humbler servings, like say, the average weeknight dinner. It shouldn't matter if there are twenty place settings, or only one, whether we have a grandiose stuffed turkey on the table, or a mere veggie burger; the point is we are thankful for what's in front of us and rightfully take our time to enjoy it.

Celebrating my birthday: just one of the many memories shared with my love

With that being said I would now like to discuss the absence of ritual and the reality of a life void of such observance. As it is that Thanksgiving is now upon us, it seems fitting to use Native Americans as an example, illustrating the power of ritual while providing a true sense of Thanksgiving and it's history.

Most people are at least semi-familiar with the story of the "first Thanksgiving" and how the Pilgrims were saved by the generosity of the Native Americans. But there is another story, a sequel if you will. This is the story about the Native Americans today and how their rituals, or lack there of, have had devastating consequences on their people as a whole. But don't fret, this story may have a happy ending yet, that is, if we can learn from the mistakes of our past.

While carrying out my research I stumbled upon an article in The Guardian written this past summer by Autumn Spanne. The article details how epidemics of obesity and obesity-related health issues have plagued several Native American communities; Spanne writes: "The rapid change in diet, aided more recently by fast food and more sedentary lifestyles, have contributed to an epidemic of diabetes, obesity and other health problems across Indian Country." Furthermore, Spanne addresses the fact that since being relocated, many such communities have been forced to abandon traditional diet staples which once provided needed nutrition not found in cheap, processed foods.

The silver lining? Tribes are beginning to reclaim "traditional foods" in an effort to restore both their health and their culture. What's more is that these efforts are also environmentally friendly, returning to local, sustainable agricultural practices in a much needed effort to combat destructive industrial farming. Mark Tilsen is one of the leaders of "the sovereignty movement", as it was coined when it began in the 1990's; he describes it as: "reconnecting people to the rituals of where food came from, why food is sacred." And indeed I would agree; food is sacred. Living beings are sacred. Ritual is sacred. When we forget this, when we break our connections between them, that is when we are left with devastation and disease. Need we look further than the Native American population for evidence?

Food is Sacred! Spread the love :)

This is only the beginning. The forces that threaten our food and our health are the same ones the threaten our personal well being and our connections to others. Most Americans have not experienced devastation in the same manner as Native Americans, but as the quality of our food dwindles the health problems continue to mount, we are faced with a difficult reality: it's not only our food, but our lives and our happiness that are being sacrificed in the name of profit. Is this what we want?

Many Native Americans have lost their traditions and are fighting to regain some of what was, and in the process, creating rituals anew. While these tribes have made progress, there are several obstacles standing between them and long-term success; some of these include lack of funding, lack of education, difficulty of location and other "bureaucratic complexities". If you want to learn more, check out the article; I've included the citation below.

Native Americans are not the only victims though. Small farmers and businesses, third-world countries and their inhabitants, mother nature and her glorious variety of species, and perhaps the most relatable, the modern human being, have all fallen prey to this massive onslaught. And so it has become the rule rather than the exception that people should suffer from both psychological and physiological health complications in the wake of nutrient-devoid food, and a culturally deficient lifestyle. I can't stress it enough, food matters. So if like myself, you are fortunate enough to enjoy a thanksgiving full of healthy, delicious, food-made-with-love, then make sure to be extra thankful, because real food cooked with friends and family seems to be going extinct. 

I've made my case, and having done so I will once again return to my original question in a more somber, but also more mindful state. Why is Thanksgiving a foodie favorite? I will tell you. Whether I am cooking or leaving that sacred pleasure to someone else, I always cherish the detail and craftsmanship that goes into making (and baking) a masterpiece.

Like all children, when I was a child I loved the holiday season, but I especially loved Thanksgiving because it marked the beginning of a feeling. That feeling is still with me today; I can smell its amorous aroma in the scent of sautéed carrots and onions, I can hear its sweet song in the melody of friends' laughter, and I see it with my own eyes when, after all the food is cooked, and the turkey is carved, and the table is set, finally, everyone is together and ready to eat! 

For me, Thanksgiving is the beauty of a table set with care, a turkey roasted to perfection, the time taken to come together and create something truly magnificent: a ritual savored by all.

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody...

 

Me, uh, wrestling? with my cousin

                  "Mealtime is a time for empathy and generosity, a time to nourish and communicate" 

                              -Alice Waters

 

 

 As you can see, I have much to be thankful for.

Article Citation:

"Native American tribes tackle diet and health woes with businesses built on traditional foods; Across the US, Native Americans are reclaiming their cultural cuisines to produce healthy and sustainable nutrition options within their communities." theguardian.com 13 June 2015. Academic OneFile. Web. 24 Nov. 2015.