Spirit Plate

Over the course of this season, our guests have helped us understand the history of disruption and provided essential context for why the Indigenous food movement is necessary. In this last episode for season 1, we talk with Anishinaabe farmer and food producer Rosebud Bear Schneider about the joys and challenges of revitalizing cultural foodways in the present day. Rosebud gives us a glimpse into what food sovereignty work looks like in a contemporary, urban context-- how people are practicing place-based foodways in the City of Detroit, the challenges related to this, and what gives her strength to continue this intergenerational work.

During the Indian Reorganization Era, which took place between the late 1920s through the 1930s, the U.S. government began winding down its assimilation policies and made moves to reaffirm Tribal self-governance. The Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, also known as the Indian New Deal, had three main goals: strengthen Tribal self-governance, reconsolidate tribal lands, and promote economic development. The Indian Reorganization Act did emphasize the need to involve Native peoples when the federal government made policies affecting their communities and it provided some new opportunities for self-governance. However, oversight from the Bureau of Indian Affairs continued a long history of paternalism and left little room for Tribal governance based on cultural values and protocols. Few Native individuals or communities were able to become financially self-sustaining as a result of this “Indian New Deal.” In the present day, many have mixed positions and opinions of how well these goals were achieved/realized. Spirit Plate is part of the Whetstone Radio Collective. Learn more about this episode of Spirit Plate at www.whetstoneradio.com, on IG and Twitter at @whetstoneradio, and YouTube at /WhetstoneRadio. Topics covered in this episode: Min 1:35: Introduction of the show and then intro of Shiloh Min 3:45: Shiloh family’s history and how she decided this was her passion Min 8:00 Overview of the dinner parties and how their effects on the community Min 12:30 Introduction of the Sacred Roots - Food Sovereignty Program Min 16:00 Difficulties in creating and maintaining the Space and Opportunities for Urban Indians in Food Sovereignty via Sacred Roots Min 20:00: Introduction of the Pop-up in Detriot Min 22:30: Introduction to present-day work Min 25:00: Working with the Native American Food Sovereignty Min 29:55: Connecting her role in the Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance team to Spirit Plate and what she thinks the future hold 32:00 Looking ahead

During the Allotment & Assimilation Era (1887-1930) the U.S. government moved to assimilate Native peoples into American society and the economy. Private land ownership was forced onto Indigenous peoples by breaking apart communal lands into family parcels, effectively altering relationships to land and food. In many cases, Native peoples were forced to shift from subsistence lifestyles and traditional forms of trade to growing food as a commodity. This commodity-based approach to food was and continues to be in conflict with traditional relationships, knowledge, and practices related to growing food. Topics covered in this episode: Min 1:30: Meet Eric Hemenway Min 2:30: Introduction to the Allotment & Assimilation Era Min 4:22: Division of land Min 6:10: The Burt Lake Burnout Min 9:58: Shiloh’s scorched corn and fish cakes Min 16:31: Convoluted allotment in northern Michigan Min 20:51: Impacts of allotment on the Odawa community Min 25:29: Debunking stereotypes Spirit Plate is part of the Whetstone Radio Collective. Learn more about this episode of Spirit Plate at www.whetstoneradio.com, on IG and Twitter at @whetstoneradio, and YouTube at /WhetstoneRadio. Guest: Eric Hemenway

For many Indigenous people involved in the food sovereingty movement, reconnecting to ancestral foods is extremely powerful. Every time someone learns a new recipe, plants a seed, and feasts together, we are helping to transmit knowledge, technologies, and skills from one generation to the next. In this episode, we'll talk with Shelley Buffalo—Meskwaki seed keeper—about her experience of revitalizing cultural foods, growing practices, and language. We'll also talk about her involvement in the growing seed rematriation movement, which is helping to return heritage seeds to their communities of origin. Topics covered in this episode: Min 2:08: Meet Shelley Buffalo of the Meskwaki tribe Min 6:35: Favorite ancestral foods Min 9:07: Shelley’s journey to seedkeeping Min 15:16: The experience of rematriation Min 18:09: Seed keepers as cultural memory keepers Min 19:13: Removing barriers Min 22:42: Healing through traditional food practices Min 25:09: Struggles with language Min 30:00: Looking ahead Min 32:27: Improving land access Spirit Plate is part of the Whetstone Radio Collective. Learn more about this episode of Spirit Plate at www.whetstoneradio.com, on IG and Twitter at @whetstoneradio, and YouTube at /WhetstoneRadio. Guest: Shelley Buffalo (@kiwate_restlessheart)

The Spirit Plate podcast is an honoring of all the Indigneous communities across Turtle Island who are working to preserve and revitalize their ancestral foodways. In this space we will talk about Indigenous foodways as means of resistance, resilience, and revitalization. We’ll discuss some of the social, political, and historical reasons why the Indigenous food sovereignty movement is necessary. Topics covered in this episode: Min 1:20: Who is Shiloh Maples? Min 2:33: Connecting the stories of Shiloh’s ancestors to Shiloh’s work Min 5:32: Place-based foodways Min 7:27: The long history of colonization Min 11:52: Impacts of generations of genocide, disenfranchisement, and oppression Min 14:36: How this history has affected Shiloh’s life Min 17:11: What is Indigenous food sovereignty? Min 21:14: Reclaiming the narrative Min 23:41: Behind the name “Spirit Plate” Spirit Plate is part of the Whetstone Radio Collective. Learn more about this episode of Spirit Plate at www.whetstoneradio.com, on IG and Twitter at @whetstoneradio, and YouTube at /WhetstoneRadio.