edible notables
EDIBLE ETHOS
Carson City powwow celebrates cultural and culinary customs.
WRITTEN BY ERIC CACHINERO
PHOTOS BY CATHLEEN ALLISON, CARSON CITY CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
A ceremony deluged in culture and brimming with culinary traditions, the Stewart Father’s Day Powwow has established itself as an integral element of Native American heritage in the region. The gathering is a colorful cauldron of customs and festivities, bringing authentic arts and crafts vendors, traditional food, and hundreds of participants donning traditional Native American regalia to Northern Nevada. The annual event comes alive once again June 13 – 15, welcoming thousands of visitors to the Stewart Indian School facility in Carson City to take part in the celebration.
Preserving Heritage
A powwow is a gathering that gives Native Americans a chance to dance, sing, socialize, share food, and celebrate their heritage, and the Stewart Powwow has been greatly successful in helping that legacy thrive.
The powwow takes place on the historic Stewart Indian School campus in southeast Carson City. Serving as an off-reservation boarding school for Native Americans from 1890 – 1980, the school now exists as a symbol of education for alumni who revisit the facility each year for another helping of memories and a taste of traditional cuisine.
Nostalgic Nosh
For many Native Americans, culinary creations are more of an art form than food.
Sherry L. Rupert, executive director of the Nevada Indian Commission, plays a fundamental role in the organization and success of the powwow and believes there’s no culinary art served at the event that is more celebrated than the Indian taco.
“When you talk to Indians, we’re really very particular about our tacos,” Rupert says.
Traditional Indian tacos consist of a generous portion of ground and seasoned meat (typically beef), pinto beans, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cheddar cheese, chopped onions, and salsa piled high and served open-faced upon the most essential component of the recipe: fry bread. Although fry bread essentially is exactly what it sounds like — flat bread fried in oil, shortening, or lard — the food is a staple of many Native American diets and often plays a major role in the culinary aspect of powwows.
“Making fry bread is hard work,” Rupert says. “We’re always looking for fry bread that is large, light, fluffy, and golden.”
The powwow is free, and anyone wishing to attend this remarkable Northern Nevada celebration is encouraged. To visit the Stewart Indian School campus is a treasure in itself, but to visit the campus during its most vibrant gatherings while feasting on delectable Native American cuisine makes for an exceptional summer experience.
Eric Cachinero is a Nevada travel writer and associate editor of Nevada Magazine. As a Reno native and foodie, the majority of his experience with Native American cuisine took place while traveling to and from Burning Man.
Resources
Stewart Father’s Day Powwow
June 13 – 15
Stewart Complex, Carson City
For details, contact Sherry Rupert or Chris Gibbons at 775-687-8333, email Cgibbons@nic.nv.gov or visit http://www.Stewartindianschool.com
