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American-Indians-R-Real
Wednesday September 19, 2007
| Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 19 |
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| "I am building myself. There are many roots. I plant, I pick, I prune. I consume." |
| --Wendy Rose, HOPI/MIWOK |
| The most sacred thing on this Mother Earth is life. My life on this earth is governed by God's laws, principles and spiritual values. These things are my roots. Let me see Your gifts of growing and becoming a spiritual warrior. Make my strength based on values - spiritual values; on principles and laws, the laws of God that really run the universe. We need to realize the seeds we plant in the spring will be what shows up in our summer season of growth and will be the fruits that we will harvest in our fall season. We really have a lot to do with what shows up in our lives. |
Great Spirit, let my seed that I plant today be based on values that will make You pleased with my selection | | | |
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| Native Cooking |
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| Posted: September 05, 2007 |
| by: Dale Carson / Indian Country Today |
Buffalo has become a hot topic again. It was gaining national prominence in the late l990s, but didn't take off, disappointing many growers. Then, in 2003, according to The New York Times, the popularity of bison had a second coming. This is due to the health benefits, and praise from chefs and from environmentalists. Sales are up and still climbing. Bison/buffalo meat has much less fat than beef, fewer calories and a significant amount of iron. The best thing about it is that they eat grass, not grain. Some controversy arose over finishing them off with grain before slaughter or leaving them exclusively on grass. I imagine this will work itself out in time.
As of press time, there has never been a case of ''mad cow,'' or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, in buffalo. There are an estimated 500,000 buffalo in the country right now. People love the meat, as it is delicious, rich and versatile. Some of the tougher cuts that were not desirable before have been turned into delicious meals through slow cooking and innovative chefs. Home cooks have also found many ways to cook this delicious meat, most beginning with ground buffalo as I did. I started with buffalo burgers, then chili, meatballs, meatloaf (or buffaloaf, ha ha), finding, however, that just about any recipe using ground beef can be exchanged for ground buffalo. Here and there you might want to add a little fat or other ingredient for more moistness. Marinating works well for many cuts, but not ground meat. In fact, marinating stew cuts really adds a lot of flavor and tenderizes in the process.
Prices are coming down, too. It's still a bit more expensive than beef, but the more you buy it, the demand goes up and prices will surely go down. The more we buy it, especially from Native growers, the better we will eat and help reduce the price sooner! It's a win-win situation.
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Ground Buffalo Chili
This chili is best made in a slow cooker or a large, heavy saucepan. If you use a slow cooker, it can be composed early in the day and ready by dinnertime. I add sausage here to give it a little varital flavor, but it isn't really necessary.
1 pound ground buffalo
1/2 pound chorizo (or sweet or hot Italian sausage, even smoked sausage)
1 large onion, chopped
1 16-oz. can of each: light red kidney beans, dark red kidney beans, navy pea beans, pink pinto beans
1 rounded tablespoon chili powder
1 rounded teaspoon (or more) ground cumin
1 tablespoon molasses or brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Brown the meats and onion. While meat is browning, put the beans in the heavy pot or slow cooker. You can drain off any liquid in the beans, or let it cook off. Add the meat, onion, chili powder, cumin, molasses, salt and pepper. Stir to blend. Simmer on low and check frequently if using a pot on the stovetop to make sure there's no sticking on the bottom. You can add some water, tomato sauce or beef broth if needed. Note: A little grated cheese for garnish or a dollop of sour cream is good if the chili is too spicy hot.
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Buffaritos
2 pounds ground buffalo
2 onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 jar taco sauce
1 small can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
8 large flour tortillas
2 cups Monterey jack cheese, grated
Brown the meat in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and pepper; cook until they are tender. Now add the taco sauce, tomato sauce and chili powder. Put mixture down the center of each tortilla and top with some cheese, about 1/4 cup each, then fold up and serve.
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Mommy Mix
1 box elbow (or penne) pasta, cooked and chilled
1 pound ground buffalo
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Tomato sauce, optional
Brown the buffalo, onion and bell pepper, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic powder, salt, pepper and cooked pasta. Let all simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. You might want to add some tomato sauce at this point. Turn off heat and let dish ''rest,'' or refrigerate and heat the next day. Note: We always liked this best reheated for some reason. Maybe the flavors need time to mingle.
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Notes and Tips
-- There is nothing quite like a buffalo-bacon burger on a large bun smothered with sweet sauteed onions!
-- Ground buffalo is excellent for stuffing squash and peppers, as it is drier than ground beef and doesn't cause ''mushiness'' as do some greasy meats.
-- Lettuce is the only vegetable - or fruit actually - that is never sold frozen, canned, cooked or processed. | | | | |
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| Posted: September 14, 2007 |
| by: The Associated Press |
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AP Photo/Donovan Quintero -- Louise Manuelito, 84, said education is the only way to succeed in life, at the 61st Annual Navajo Nation Fair Parade, Sept. 8, in Window Rock, Ariz. Galareka Harrison, a University of Arizona freshman accused of killing her roommate, Mia Henderson, admitted to police that she stole items from the victim, court records showed Sept. 7. Both grew up on the Navajo Nation in Arizona, and both were freshmen who had started classes at the UA just three weeks before the slaying. |
| By Felicia Fonseca -- Associated Press
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) - Wilbur Begay has been practicing traditional medicine for more than 30 years, praying and performing ceremonies for young Navajos in hopes they'll gain as much knowledge as possible in their lives.
But with the death of an 18-year-old Navajo woman police say was killed by her fellow tribal member and roommate at the University of Arizona, Begay now wonders whether the community and the culture somehow failed.
''There's always a feeling, 'did we do something wrong?''' Begay said. ''We have to step back, refocus. What do we need to do more?''
Among the thousands gathered Sept. 8 for the tribe's biggest event of the year - the 61st annual Navajo Nation Fair - the incident involving the two young women, Mia Henderson and 18-year-old Galareka Harrison, was on many people's minds.
Both grew up on the Navajo reservation in Arizona, Henderson in Tuba City and Harrison in Many Farms, 100 miles to the east. Both were freshmen who had started classes at the UA just three weeks in late August.
According to court records, Henderson had accused Harrison of stealing her Social Security card, a debit card and a check. Police accused Harrison of stabbing Henderson multiple times early Sept. 5. She has been charged with first-degree murder.
Fairgoers called the incident a tragedy and questioned how it happened to two bright and promising Navajo girls.
''I was really saddened about it,'' said Erin Toadlena-Pablo, a Gallup police sergeant and mother who was attending the fair while off duty.
''I think it more emphasized that we can teach our children as much as we can but they make their own decision,'' Toadlena-Pablo said.
The fair, a mix of tribal meeting, pow wow and county fair, is a huge draw on the sprawling reservation, which covers much of northeastern Arizona and parts of Utah and New Mexico. Navajos from across the region camp out and line up as early as 5 a.m. to get in the gates and see the rodeos, traditional dancers and walk the carnival midway.
Yvonne Kee-Billison, 38, of Window Rock, was at the fair with her daughter's softball team to raise money for tournaments. When she heard about the incident, she said she felt ''a little bit of everything.''
''Some disbelief, some shock. That's probably what hit me first,'' Kee-Billison said. ''But right after, some sadness and disappointment.''
She is baffled and doesn't understand how it happened.
''Everybody's wondering why,'' Kee-Billison said.
A program supervisor for the Navajo Office of Youth Development, Kee-Billison said staff members plan to discuss the incident and try to come up with ways to teach the tribe's young people the ways of their elders.
The Navajo culture teaches that members should have respect for all living things and do no harm. Navajos are taught they are part of the same family and should watch out and take care of each other.
Louise Manuelito, a tribal elder from Tohatchi, N.M., said if she had one piece of advice for Navajo youth it would be to get an education, something Harrison and Henderson were seeking. But she said it is critical to also have a grounding in tribal culture because that's what helps guide Navajos through life.
Others questioned how the university handled the conflict between the two girls, which had been simmering for more than a week. Henderson filed a police report on Aug. 28, and a police affidavit filed in court showed that Harrison admitted stealing the items during police questioning the next day. But she wasn't arrested until Henderson was found slain in the room the two shared a week later.
''What precautions were taken?'' asked Darlene Salibiye, 45, of Gallup. ''They were already arguing about space. Why wasn't something done?'' | | | | |
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Tuesday September 18, 2007
| Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 18 |
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| "I walk in and out of many worlds." |
| --Joy Harjo, CREEK/CHEROKEE |
| In my mind are many dwellings. Each of the dwellings we create ourselves - the house of anger, the house of despair, the house of self pity, the house of indifference, the house of negative, the house of positive, the house of hope, the house of joy, the house of peace, the house of enthusiasm, the house of cooperation, the house of giving. Each of these houses we visit each day. We can stay in any house for as long as we want. We can leave these mental houses any time we wish. We create the dwelling, we stay in the dwelling, we leave the dwelling whenever we wish. We can create new rooms, new houses. Whenever we enter these dwellings, this becomes our world until we leave for another. What world will we live in today? |
Creator, no one can determine which dwelling I choose to enter. No one has the power to do so, only me. Let me choose wisely today | | | |
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| Elder's Meditation of the Day - September 17 |
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| "The old people must start talking and the young people must start listening." |
| --Thomas Banyacya, HOPI |
| We are at a critical time in transferring cultural knowledge, spiritual ways. During the last few years the young people have not been interested in learning the old ways. The only place this knowledge is found is among the Elders. We must encourage the young to visit with the Elders. The adults need to think also about learning the culture. The Elders are getting old and soon will go to the other side. Each of us must pause and think about our individual responsibility to learn the culture and teach this to our young. |
Great Spirit, help us to learn and remember the old ways. | | | |
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