Food for Thought
The Karuk Indians lived in Northern California and were known as the Upper River People. History is not fair; like countless other cultures, the Karuk are now all but forgotten by the masses.
The following is from a conversation between two Karuk elders, c: 1900. Translated by Julian Lang; I found it interesting and post it now for your edification:
The Old People were following the Ikxareeyavs,the Spirit People, all the time.
All the People did the same long ago; whatever the Ikxareeyavs did, the People did. And the things that the Spirit People ate, that was all the Old People ate. That's what they were told, "You must eat this kind of food" So the Spirit People ate salmon and they spooned up acorn soup, eating salmon along with acorn soup. And they ate deermeat. And the Old People claimed that the Spirit People ate two meals a day. And so that's the way the Old People did as well.
When the white people came, the Old People said "they are eating food poisonous to Indians. It is poison food; world-come-to-an-end food."
The working-aged people were the first to eat the white man's food. When they liked it, they really liked it. Then they told each other, "It's good tasting food." They said, "He never died. I'm going to eat it, that white man's bread."
It was a long time before the Old Men and Old Women ate the white man's food. "We are the last ones that know how the Spirit People used to do, all that they used to eat. Our mothers told us that. And even we do not eat anymore, what they told us before "You must eat this kind."
And what will they who are raised after us do?"
The following is from a conversation between two Karuk elders, c: 1900. Translated by Julian Lang; I found it interesting and post it now for your edification:
The Old People were following the Ikxareeyavs,the Spirit People, all the time.
All the People did the same long ago; whatever the Ikxareeyavs did, the People did. And the things that the Spirit People ate, that was all the Old People ate. That's what they were told, "You must eat this kind of food" So the Spirit People ate salmon and they spooned up acorn soup, eating salmon along with acorn soup. And they ate deermeat. And the Old People claimed that the Spirit People ate two meals a day. And so that's the way the Old People did as well.
When the white people came, the Old People said "they are eating food poisonous to Indians. It is poison food; world-come-to-an-end food."
The working-aged people were the first to eat the white man's food. When they liked it, they really liked it. Then they told each other, "It's good tasting food." They said, "He never died. I'm going to eat it, that white man's bread."
It was a long time before the Old Men and Old Women ate the white man's food. "We are the last ones that know how the Spirit People used to do, all that they used to eat. Our mothers told us that. And even we do not eat anymore, what they told us before "You must eat this kind."
And what will they who are raised after us do?"
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