November is Native American Heritage Month, when we celebrate and honor the traditions, languages and stories of Native American communities. Recognizing their rich heritage, diverse cultures and important contributions helps connect the past with the present.
November was chosen because it marks the end of the harvest season and a time for gathering and giving thanks. Autumn is also the season of reflection, gratitude and sharing meals with family and friends.
Indigenous foods not only nourish the body but also sustain a culture. Many foods widely enjoyed today were first used in Native cuisines, which include potatoes, beans, corn, peanuts, pumpkins, tomatoes, squash, peppers, melons and sunflower seeds.
Canton was once inhabited by the Potawatomi, Ojibwe (Chippewa) and Odawa (Ottawa) tribes, who formed an alliance known as the Council of the Three Fires. Before European settlers arrived in Southeast Michigan, these tribes hunted, fished and cultivated the fertile land to sustain their way of life.
In the early 1800s, Canton’s population grew as more settlers established farms. For much of the 19th and 20th centuries, Canton continued as a primarily agricultural community. As Canton continues to grow and diversify into a modern community, it’s important to remember its historic Indigenous roots.
The "Three Sisters" of native agriculture are maize (corn), climbing beans and winter squash. They are Indigenous crops traditionally cultivated together in a companion planting system that helps them support one another. Many tribes share stories about this trio of crops, personifying them as living sisters or spirits sent by the Creator.
The story begins in a field where the Three Sisters lived together. Though they were different, they cared deeply for each other. One summer, a Native American boy captured the attention of the two younger sisters (Climbing Beans and Winter Squash), who wandered away, leaving the eldest (Maize) standing alone in the field.
Later, when the sisters reunited, they realized how much they missed each other and pledged never to be separated again. The story illustrates that these crops need to be grown in harmony and are essential to providing a balanced diet.
Here’s a list of cooking resources that honor and celebrate Native American traditions that will enlighten your dinner menu.
Decolonize Your Diet: Plant-Based Mexican-American Recipes for Health and Healing by Luz Calvo. A return to indigenous Mexican-American cooking based on the belief that food is both physically and spiritually healing.
A Feather and A Fork by Crystal Wahpepah. From an acclaimed Indigenous chef comes an extraordinary cookbook that weaves powerful storytelling with 125 intertribal recipes to heal our bodies and restore our foodways.
The Modern Navajo Kitchen by Alana Yazzie. This cookbook brings together traditional Navajo recipes and global dishes with a Navajo spin, creating a truly unique culinary experience that incorporates both traditional and modern ingredients.
Rooted in Fire by Pyet DeSpain. A tribute to her dual heritage, the book is a crafted celebration of the diversity of food and the stories, traditions, culture, and profound philosophies of Indigenous people that season each meal.
Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky by Lois Ellen Frank. This book introduces the splendor and importance of Native culinary history and pairs it with delicious Native American-inspired dishes. Grounded in a primer on Native American cuisine and including a necessary discussion of food sovereignty and sustainability, the book offers more than 100 nutritious, plant-based recipes organized by foundational ingredients.
Tawâw by Shane Chartrand. Part cookbook, part exploration of ingredients and techniques and part chef's personal journal. A visionary book that will invite readers to leaf through its pages for ideas, education, recipes and inspiration.
Turtle Island by Sean Sherman. Discover the multifaceted story of the foods that have linked the environment, traditions and legacy of Native American tribes for a millennium through over 150 ancestral and modern Indigenous recipes.
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