EP. 31: Mohegan Food with Sharon Maynard and Rachel Sayet
Description
This episode features a conversation in early July 2024 with Mohegan tribal members Sharon Maynard and Rachel Sayet about traditional Mohegan food.
Sharon Maynard is a Mohegan elder and a Tribal Nonner. Retired after serving 12 years on the Council of Elders, Sharon’s interests include food sovereignty, seed saving, and decolonizing our diets. She has a BA in anthropology and an AS in food service management.
Rachel Sayet (Akitusut) is a Mohegan writer, teacher, and indigenous food specialist. Rachel has a BS in restaurant management and an MA in anthropology. She has spent her adult life trying to cultivate awareness of Native New England. She worked for the Mohegan tribe for 8 years in their cultural department spearheading grassroots efforts in revitalizing traditional foods and diabetes prevention.
FOOD AND MEDICINE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Maple, Birch
Blueberries, Strawberries, Fiddlehead Ferns
Milkweed, Sassafras, Elder, Boneset
Corn, Beans, Squash, Sunflowers, Tobacco
Succotash (Corn, Beans, Salt Pork, Salt and Pepper)
Johnny Cakes (Journey Cakes)
Yokaeg (traveling food made of dried, parched corn which has been ground finely with a mortar and pestle).
Clams, Quahogs, Scallops, Shad, Salmon
Fry Bread, Indian Tacos, Buffalo and Alligator Burgers
- Rachel's Johnny Cake Turkey Sandwich on America the Bountiful, PBS
LINKS:
Rachel Beth Sayet, Indigenous Educator, Lightworker, Chef, Herbalist
- Wikôtamuwôk Wuci Ki tà Kihtahan (A Celebration of Land and Sea):
Modern Indigenous Cuisine in New England by Rachel Sayet in Dawnland Voices 2.0 Gladys Tantaquidgeon - in Memorium
Makiawisug, or the Little People at Mohegan Hill
Eastern Woodlands Rematriation
Sherry Pocknett, Mashpee Wampanoag chef, Sly Fox Den Restaurant
The Man Who Weeps, story by Dale Carson, Abenaki cookbook author, in Dawnland Voices 2.0
Strawberry Thanksgiving, by Paula Dove Jennings, Narragansett
Sioux Chef, Sean Sherman, Oglala Lakota Sioux
Yazzie the Chef, Brian Yazzie, Diné
Rowen White, Mohawk/Kanienkeha:ka, seed keeper
THIS EPISODE SUPPORTED BY:
- YOU! Please become a Patron for $1 or more a month at Patreon.com/trueloveseeds
- The No-Till Market Growers Podcast Network (which includes our friends at the Seed Farmer Podcast)
- Scribe Video Center and WPEB, West Philly Community Radio
ABOUT:
Seeds And Their People is a radio show where we feature seed stories told by the people who truly love them. Hosted by Owen Taylor of Truelove Seeds and Chris Bolden-Newsome of Sankofa Community Farm at Bartram’s Garden.
trueloveseeds.com/blogs/satpradio
FIND OWEN HERE:
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FIND CHRIS HERE:
Sankofa Community Farm at Bartram’s Garden
THANKS TO:
- Rachel Sayet and Sharon Maynard
- Elissa Fredeen of Scribe Video Center
United States
