Food is not just fuel. Food is a living currency. It brings us wealth and joy. It sustains

us and connects us to our past and to the future. And like all valuable things, food

requires protection because traditions can be stolen, like they were stolen from indigenous

people. In the 19th century native children were forced to boarding schools. And the whole

idea was to keep them away from their family. So they wouldn't see their families for months

or years at a time. And many of these kids, once they were taken, they never did make it

back home. So they were disallowed from speaking their language. Boys who had long hair,

you know, their hair was cut. They were not allowed to do any of their ceremonies. And

if they were caught doing anything like that, the punishments could be very severe. So

this is where a lot of kids really became very sick. Saying that a lot of these kids had,

you know, when they got home was gravy, gravy, gravy. Because white flour was the cheapest

and easiest thing for these schools to buy and to feed these kids. So they made biscuits

and gravy. Sometimes three times a day, biscuits, pancakes, pies, all of that stuff. And so

they came home and made it. And they taught their kids how to do it.

This is Devon Mahesua. She's the author of many books, including the cookbook, recovering

our ancestors gardens. And she's a professor at the University of Kansas. And I direct

the American Indian Health and Diet Project. The health of native people has declined dramatically.

And we have high rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease. I'm really hoping

that other native people can reconnect with their traditional food ways.

Whatever your background, knowing and honoring your traditional ways of cooking, eating,

and gardening can make your life healthier and richer. My name is Parth Shah, and on

this episode of NPR's Life Kit, how to carry forth your food ways.

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