For the past 5 years the Osage Nation, located in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, a place I have personally grown to adore, has held the National Indian Taco Championships. I have known of the contest for the past 3 years I believe and have even known of a friend, a fellow Haskell student to be a judge.I am, although unaware of how the turn out for the actual event is, I have yet to hear of how many compete in this contest and where do the contestants come from.
The prize money is 1st - $1,500, 2nd - 1,000, 3rd - 500. The categories are "Classic" or "Traditional" and "Dessert". Do not think I am not a fan of frybread because I am, although I can not see myself divulging my recipe for "promotional" uses for the Osage Nation, which is a requirement of the winners of the contest. I am sorry but I do not know of any person throughout "Indian Country" that would really care too much for that part of the contest.
It may just be me as well, but I am not one to say that frybread is "traditional" at all. There are tribes that have similar foods but nothing quite as unhealthy as frybread. I love a big piece of greasy frybread after a long evening at a big powwow, believe me, but when I truly cared about my performance in the contest circut I would not dare eat a food so heavy. I just kind of feel in this day and age of such unhealthy living amongst Indigenous people an event like this just makes it okay.
A class that is offered at Haskell Indian Nations University is "Diabetes and the Native American",a class that is there for a reason. Point taken. I am not the most fit of all Indigenous peoples around but I do care for our younger generations if anything. I can only imagine what the Osage Nation could do for other programs within its nation. $3,000 seem like it could go a long way for a day care, help a youth camp like NVISION, which has an Osage tribal member as a big part of planning and such. $3,000 sure could help buy a computer for a native student perhaps, don't you think?
Maybe I am being a bit too judgmental, but there are just too many ideas and concepts floating around in "Indian Country" to lose $3,000 dollars to some tasty but extremely unhealthy pieces of frybread. Not only does this event market it as a "prized" piece of Indigenous culture to the non-indigenous community but what does it say to our own people. I feel the tribe could offer such a big incentive or "prize" money to a healthier event. Showcase truly "traditional" food. Many plains tribes did not have such a bread at all, lets showcase our extremely healthy "clear" soups, with awesome root vegetables and our thoughtful ways we showcased our precious fruits. I can only imagine but hopefully the trend could catch on...Until next time...
Onward in peace and solidarity