Sharing Our Native Foods

by Peter Twitchell

Thank you for those friends, John D., John S., Edward B., and others who have shared some of their bounty from the Great Kuskokwim River!
This reminds me of our Grandfathers and Grandmothers who have passed and whose generation was sharing their bounty from the land, sea, and air. It is a good value we have carried forward to the 21st Century!
Keep it up folks, otherwise, how are we going to stay healthy in mind, body and spirit? Our Ancestors survived that way, they shared every little bit that they had and never asked for anything in return.
I want to be better about sharing what I have with the men and women who stand on street corners and ask the public to share whatever they can to keep our homeless fed and healthy!
The strong in our Native Culture helps the weak and those who lack the resources to stay healthy by nourishment to their bodies of what our people have been eating for thousands of years. It is in our DNA, and crucial that we eat what our bodies need.
I’m thankful for people like Esther G., and Mary E., for sharing their seal oil, which is a necessary part of our diet to keep us strong. Quyanaqvaa, and just because we might have moved to Anchorage or elsewhere into an urban area, doesn’t change our DNA and diet of native foods.
Thank you to the Native Charter Schools, the Native Community of Anchorage, the Heritage Center, and friends and family from all over the state who share their native foods with others.
It’s summer time and fish will be our steady diet and carry us through to next spring. Wild berries off of our tundra and hills will sustain us through the long cold winter months ahead.
Thanks to all the vendors who share their catches with people who are craving fresh fish, clams and ocean foods. This is the happy time of the season and a lot of love and TLC goes into preparation of our dried fish, half-drieds, sulunaq and akutaq.
Quyana for allowing myself to express my appreciation. Piura!