The Power of Food: How Native Youth Cook Up Tradition

Allowing youth the space to learn and embrace their heritage is crucial for the preservation and celebration of cultural diversity. 

By providing opportunities for young people to explore their roots and learn about their cultural traditions, we can empower them with a strong sense of identity and belonging. This, in turn, can help to foster a greater appreciation and understanding of cultural differences, leading to a more tolerant and inclusive society. 

“I take great pride in my Native American heritage and feel deeply connected to people of diverse cultures, animals and the environment. This connection is both spiritual and mental, and influences my daily life,” says Kathy, staff member at Prairie Band of Potawatomi Boys & Girls Club.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America is the largest Native youth service provider in the nation, with more than 230 Clubs reaching over 120,000 Native youth. Native Clubs prioritize the well-being of youth, families, communities and staff through culture, life-shaping programs and mentorship that fosters resiliency for Native young people and meets the needs of the community. 

One of the most powerful (and delicious) ways that cultural heritage is preserved is through food. The importance of different recipes and ingredients is passed down from generation to generation, allowing traditions and customs to thrive. This is especially true for Native American Tribes across the country. And for young people, food is an accessible way to connect to culture from an early age.

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Club Members excited to be Chefs for the day!

A Taste of Tradition

Food is not just a source of sustenance, it is a reflection of our heritage, values, and identity. The way we prepare and consume food is deeply ingrained in our cultural practices and traditions. Exploring the food culture of different communities and our own can help us understand history, beliefs and a way of life.

In Mayetta, Kansas, the Boys & Girls Club of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation serves 256 Native young people of the Potawatomi Nation. The Potawatomi people originated in the present-day Great Lakes Region. 

Over the course of history, the Potawatomi people were separated and now consist of nine distinct federally recognized bands. One of the nine bands migrated to Mayetta and is named the Prairie Band or Shkotani “Prairie People.” Today, the Nation stewards a herd of over 300 Bison on the Potawatomi Reservation.

The Club spends time with young people learning about food, including making traditional dishes. Youth at the Club have a particular fondness for frybread, a traditional dish of indigenous people of North America. Frybread is a type of flat dough bread that is usually fried or deep-fried in oil that can be eaten on its own or added to a large number of meals such as tacos, beef and hominy, served alongside soup and more.

Gracie, a young Prairie Band of Potawatomi Club member, says her favorite part of her Native American Heritage is the food because that’s the main time they all come together as a family and community. “If there’s food there, then you can promise that my family’s probably going to be there!” Gracie exclaimed.

Gracie and her Club friends cooking a traditional dish

The Prairie Band of Potawatomi Boys & Girls Club’s staff members love to talk to the kids about cooking indigenous foods and the importance of hunting and fishing on the Tribe’s land. They regularly discuss the benefits of using organic ingredients and avoiding processed foods, emphasizing its positive impact on health.

Teaching children about food and cooking is essential for their overall well-being, and it also provides an excellent opportunity to introduce them to potential career paths they may not have considered. 

Modern Boys & Girls Club Kitchen Cooks Up Legacy Recipes

Zach is an alum of the Prairie Band of Potawatomi Club who loved learning about food from an early age. He pursued his passion for cooking by attending culinary school. He attributes his love for cooking to his parents and the Club’s staff, and now he shares that passion with his community. 

Recently, Zach returned to his Club as part of a kitchen renovation by Boys & Girls Clubs of America national partner, Power Crunch, as well as a cooking class with Club kids to test out the new space. During the kitchen refresh, the Club was able to purchase an industrial dishwasher and water softener, replace the sink, garbage disposal, and chemical dispensers, and add sound absorbing panels to the walls. These upgrades are helping the Club to lessen their carbon footprint and also enable them to continue serving traditional meals to youth in the community. 

In partnership with Power Crunch, Zach and celebrity Chef Pyet DeSpain hosted a cooking class at the Club, teaching the youth how to prepare a traditional Three Sisters Salad. Zach says, “I often find myself drawn to more traditional foods as it not only connects me to the land but also to those who came before me.”

Three Sisters Salad

In a world that is becoming increasingly diverse, it is important to embrace and celebrate our differences. Learning about different food cultures is a great way to start.

Power Crunch is proud to aid in Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s mission to celebrate the unique strengths of Native communities and work in partnership with tribes to support young people in being resilient, healthy, and successful.

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