DISCOVER THE DIVERSITY:

Indigenous American cuisine has been around for centuries and is one of the most diverse ethnic foods in the world.

“ The Magic Eight ” — cacao, chiles, corn, beans, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, and vanilla — are eight plants that Indigenous people gave to the world and are now woven into almost every cuisine… On August 3, 1990, U.S. President George H. W. Bush declared the month of November as Native American Heritage Month

The term Asian Indian is used to avoid confusion with Native Americans in North America aka "Indigenous peoples”… One of the most distinctive features of Indigenous peoples’ culinary methods is the use of traditional cooking over an open fire, in a clay pot, or in a horno (a traditional oven).

Today, there are more than 570 federally recognized Indigenous tribes across the United States — each with their own distinct food traditions and flavor palettes… Indigenous chefs are reviving centuries-old techniques and creating dishes that showcase vegetables native to the Americas, as well as proteins like bison, buffalo meat, pheasant, salmon, and venison.

Mitsitam Native Foods Café features seasonal dishes using native foods from five regions of the Americas — located inside the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in the U.S. capital. ■