Kickapoo chef Crystal Wahpepah documents the intertribal flavors and characteristics of contemporary Native American cuisine and her upbringing in Oakland, California in her debut cookbook, “A Feather and a Fork: 125 Intertribal Dishes from an Indigenous Food Warrior.” Woven through the recipes and gorgeous food photos, Wahpepah gives readers and cooks a tour of her restaurant, Wahpepah’s Kitchen and present Oakland Native food sovereignty initiatives, and poignant personal and cultural stories that ingredients and flavors hold.
Near the end of winter, ooligan (eulachon or smelt), a small oily fish, would come rushing up rivers by the millions in the Pacific Northwest, according to historical accounts and elders’ stories. Today, ooligan are listed as a threatened species with sporadic springtime runs that more often don’t support subsistence fishing. We’ll hear from the Nuxalk Nation in British Columbia about their ooligan studies and restoration, and from fishermen in Metlakatla, Alaska about this spring’s ooligan haul.
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