Choctaw Food: Remembering the Land, Rekindling Ancient Knowledge

Ian Thompson (Archaeologist)

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, 2019 - History - 344 pages

"Choctaw Food tells the story of a group of people and the land. Through hundreds of generations living in the American Southeast, Choctaw ancestors wove the region's landscapes into their language, culture, and food. The foodway that they developed was local and productive. Its dishes were flavorful and healthy. Its food production activities brought the community together in a way that was sustainable on the land. Today, this foodway is one of the most threatened parts of our traditional culture. Yes, it contains timeless insights that have the potential to improve quality of life in the 21st century. The pages of this book delve deep into Choctaw history to bring to light the type of practical knowledge needed to bring Indigenous Choctaw food back to the family dinner table. This story is uniquely Choctaw, and yet, it is connected with the heritage of everyone who has ancestors that lived closely with the land."--Page 4 of cover.

About the author

Ian Thompson has a lifelong interest in traditional arts, especially those of his Choctaw ancestors. He earned a PhD in Anthropology from the University of New Mexico and is a registered Professional Archaeologist. He has been certified by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma as a Choctaw Community Language and Culture instructor. He is a member of the Repatriation Review Committee for the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Choctaw Food: Remembering the Land, Rekindling Ancient Knowledge
• Author: Ian Thompson (Archaeologist)
• Editor: Kathy Carpenter
• Publisher: Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, 2019
• ISBN: 0997264853, 9780997264852
• Length: 344 pages
• Subjects: History / United States / General; Nature / General