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WASNA – A SPIRIT FOOD From Brittany Standing Rock Sioux Tribe I have always known wasna, a traditional Lakota dish, to be spirit food and we commonly use it in traditional ceremonies. When I was younger, I remember someone leaving out a plate of wasna during a ceremony and I thought they had forgotten a plate of food, so I grabbed it and brought it to my mother. She explained that it was spirit food—a form of offering to the spirits during the ceremony, representing a thank you for all we have received and a prayer for our future. While it is not a family recipe, it is widely used amongst my people. I hope you enjoy it.
Directions
1 Ingredients 2 cups shredded beef/bison jerky. 1 cup chopped tart berries (such as chokecherries, cherries, or cranberries). 6 tbsp. beef tallow or vegetable shortening.
Mix all ingredients together. Roll into small balls (optional).
