Native American Foods: Technology and Food Sources: Special Occasion Foods

Every tribe used specific foods and preparations to meet a variety of needs, among them seasonality, travel use, winter storage, and provision for times of shortage. There were even special foods for children—oxalis root (Oxalis montana) among the Pawnee and butternuts (Juglans cinerea) among the Iroquois. The foods of celebrations and festivals were often related to specific new foods of the year, whether in preparation for planting and hunting or as an expression of gratitude that followed success.