In the Eastern Pomo language, April is referred to as “Schubok-Goy-Di” or “Flowers Grow Time.” For many of our local tribes, the first strawberries are celebrated and blessed as the arrival of spring brings growth and renewal, and the strawberries are considered “first foods.” Berries are an integral part of the traditional California native diet. Aside from being enjoyed raw, they can be used to make ciders, teas, dressing, and sauces as well as added to flavor and texture many types of foods, including meats, soups, and breads. Excess harvested berries can be dried and stored for winter.
In her book Enough for All, Dry Creek Rancheria elder Kathleen Rose Smith recounts traveling to the coast with her grandmother to Goat Rock Beach and filling buckets with muhway?mi or wild strawberries. She states, “Of all the Coast Miwuk and Southern Pomo foods I have eaten, wild beach strawberries are the best. I can imagine when the Greeks invented the word “ambrosia” for the food of the gods, they had in mind the wild strawberries growing on the windswept bluffs overlooking the icy, cold Pacific Ocean in Sonoma County.”
According to the American Indian Health and Diet Project and the Native Roots Farm Foundation, strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C and can be used to treat multiple ailments. The leaves and roots can be dried and infused into teas to stimulate appetite or address intestinal distress, gout, or other stomach disorders. Ground leaves are also used on wounds for their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. The roots can be chewed to reduce gum inflammation and clean teeth. Strawberries are also believed to have general benefits for the heart, blood, arthritis, and detoxification purposes.
The ripening and harvesting of strawberries is a time when we celebrate seasonal change and our reciprocal relationship with our homelands. As a young person, I benefitted from learning these values from the late Kashaya Pomo elder Lanny Pinola, attending the Kule Loklo Strawberry Festival the fourth Friday of every April. His teachings remain in the hearts and minds of the young dancers he mentored at the time. They will continue on as our tribal youth continue to learn and practice these traditions with our next generation of cultural educators.
Our protocols teach us of the deep connection between indigenous people and our plant relatives. Our interconnectedness sustains life. Pepperwood Preserve summarizes it best by quoting Pomo elder Julia Parker, “Never take without asking and never ask without giving thanks.” As these first edible fruits emerge, let’s all be reminded to express universal gratitude and support to our ancestors, land, water and resources that continue to sustain us. Yahwi (Thank You)!
Berry Vinaigrette
By Crystal Wahpehpah
Featured in A Feather and A Fork: 125 Intertribal Dishes from an Indigenous Food Warrior
Ingredients
Makes 1 ½ to 2 cups
¼ cup of fresh blackberries
¼ cup of fresh blueberries
¼ cup fresh strawberries
¼ cup fresh raspberries
3 tablespoons of agave syrup
¼ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon of sea salt
Preparing the dressing
Cook the blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and agave syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat for 7-10 minutes, until the berries begin to break down. As the berries cook, press them with the back of a large spoon to help them release their juices.
Transfer the berries to a blender. Add the vinegar, oil, and salt and puree until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a jar or a bowl. Serve with a smoked salmon and berry salad or another one of your favorite salads. Store any unused vinaigrette in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
About the Author:
Nicole Lim is the executive director of the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center (CIMCC). She is working to establish a Traditional food incubator at the museum and advocates for food sovereignty and ancestral gathering rights for California Native people. CIMCC’s work will be featured in the forthcoming book by Sean Sherman (The Sioux Chef), Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of Indigenous Peoples of North America.