Lard, the semi-solid white fat product, is used as a cooking fat and most notably one of the few ingredients of bannock or fry bread. This deceivingly simple food holds a complex history that produces varying opinions. 

According to Navajo tradition, fry bread was created in 1864 with US government rations. These rations were given during the Long Walk of the Navajo - the deportation and attempted ethnic cleansing of the Navajo people by the US federal government. It’s often referred to as “die bread” due to its associations with diseases endemic to Indigenous peoples.

However, not all Indigenous chefs reject this food. Although it may be a symbol of colonialism, it still holds a sense of comfort and nostalgia to those who grew up with it. Chef Shawn Adler of @powwowcafeto delivers his take on Indian Tacos by bringing depth and intricacy to food that has rarely claimed proper space, celebrating traditions that were previously ignored/erased. From Treaty #3, Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation, Adler is a big advocate for foraging as seen on his CBC Gem Series “Forage”, where he states is a way to stay connected to his community & culture by doing something his people have always done.

Find Adler’s work at Pow Wow Cafe Insta  |  CBC Gem Forage  |  The Flying Chesnut Kitchen Insta