Meet the Black Elk Family
Linda and Luke Black Elk live in Mountain Lake, Minnesota, with their three children. Luke is part of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and they are Lakota people.
Their family spends time each day growing, gathering, and preparing food, not just from the grocery store, but from the land around them.
They grow food on their farm, and they also hunt, fish, and gather wild foods from nature.
Linda says, “We teach our children to care for the Earth. The plants, animals, water, and land are like our relatives, so we take care of them just like we care for our family.”
Luke is a chef who makes delicious meals using the foods their family grows and gathers. Linda works as a teacher and helps others learn about traditional Native foods through a group called North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS).
Luke says, “Corn is very special. It is part of many Native American foods and ceremonies. Although corn originated in what is now Mexico, our people traveled far and wide to share corn seeds all over Turtle Island.” The Lakota and Dakota people call corn wagmiza (wahg-MEE-zah). There are thousands of kinds of Indigenous corn! Each kind grows a little differently and has its own special taste. Corn is used in soups, stews, and even in warm salads called succotash.
Think About It
What are some ways the Black Elk family uses and cares for the land,
water, plants, and animals?
What are some ways you can take care of the Earth where you live?
Turtle Island is what most Indigenous people call North America.
