YLS Celebrates Native American Heritage Month

NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

The Young Lawyers Section Celebrates National Native American Heritage Month

Heather Krick

National Native American Heritage Month started off as an effort to get a day of appreciation and acknowledgment for the unique contributions made by the first Americans for the growth and establishment of the United States. The effort has now resulted in a whole month being celebrated for that purpose. The first year of dedicating November as “National American Indian Heritage Month” was in 1990, proclaimed by President H.W. Bush, and has continued each year under subsequent presidents. Under President Barack Obama in 2009, the celebration title was changed to “National Native American Heritage Month.” There are currently 574 different federally recognized Native American tribes. While there are no federally recognized tribes in Maryland, Maryland has three state recognized tribes: the Piscataway Indian Nation, the Piscataway Conoy Tribe, and the Accohannock Indian Tribe.

The Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs also serves the following tribes:

1. Accohannock Indian Tribe 2. Assateague Peoples Tribe 3. Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians 4. Piscataway Conoy Confederacy and Sub-Tribes 5. Cedarville Band of Piscataway

Indians 6. Piscataway Indian Nation 7. Pocomoke Indian Nation 8. Youghiogheny River Band of

Shawnee Indian

Four Sisters Dip

We’re celebrating Native chefs and foods as part of Native American Heritage Month. First up, Chef Nico Albert (Cherokee Nation), a self-taught chef, caterer, and student of traditional indigenous cuisines based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Burning Cedar Indigenous Foods (@burningcedarfoods), is Albert’s catering and consulting company specializing in traditional and modern Native American cuisine. Enjoy her Four Sisters Dip, which is full of complex carbohydrates, essential fatty acids and all eight essential amino acids!

Ingredients

• ½ cup sunflower oil • 2 whole garlic cloves, peeled • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped • 1 ½ cup cooked hominy (or one 15oz can, drained & rinsed) • 1 ½ cup cooked white beans (or one 15oz can, drained & rinsed) • ½ cup cooked pumpkin or other winter squash (or about half of one 15oz can pumpkin) • Juice of half a lemon • 2 tsp kosher salt • 1 tsp black pepper • 2 tbsp roasted salted sunflower seeds (for garnish)

Instructions

Combine sunflower oil, garlic, and rosemary in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring the oil to a simmer and cook, simmering gently, until the garlic is soft all the way through and just beginning to turn golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool. While the oil cools, combine the hominy, beans, squash, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a food processor. Add the oil with the garlic and rosemary to the food processor and puree on high until completely smooth. To serve, garnish with roasted sunflower seeds.

Wild Rice Side

Cook up some wild rice with this recipe from Ben Jacobs of Tocabe for something new, or to re-imagine your leftovers. Ben Jacobs is a member of the Osage Nation of Oklahoma and co-owner of @ tocabe: An American Indian Eatery based in Denver, Colorado. Tocabe takes its origin from Grayhorse: An American Indian Eatery, a restaurant established in downtown Denver in 1989 by Ben’s mother and father.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked Wild Rice • ¼ cup Red Onion (small dice) • ¼ cup Poblano Pepper (small dice) • 1 fire roasted corn cut off cob or ½ cup corn of choosing (Ute blue was used for video) • ¼ cup Dried Cranberries (minced) • 2 stalks scallion, chiffonade for garnish • ½ Tbsp Oil for sautéing (your preference)

Slurry:

• Pinch kosher or flake salt and pepper • Pinch of Smoked Paprika • 2 oz. Bison Stock (Substitute with beef, veg, water or stock of your choosing)