Women play an important role in every culture. They are the mothers, daughters, and sisters that bear children and make homes for their families. In the Chickasaw culture, women traditionally kept house, tended to the children, food preparation, and slaves if the family owned them. Though many women work outside the home nowadays, similar values are held by many Chickasaw women today. Family ties are highly valued, as evidenced by the numerous programs offered by the Chickasaw government to aid families. Some of these programs include parenting classes, family preservation classes, and various programs designed to maintain family health.
At the Chickasaw Festival, I was honored by the opportunity to interview Mrs. Sharon Gantt, a school teacher and Chickasaw tribal member from Fittstown, Oklahoma. Mrs. Gantt and I discussed tribal food preparation while enjoying a traditional Chickasaw dish called pashofa. This dish remains a staple of the traditional Chickasaw diet.
Pashofa is a slow-cooked corn soup made with ground white corn and pork. Mrs. Gantt informed me that she often cooks this dish in an electric crock pot, though traditionally it would have been simmered over an open fire, perhaps in a Dutch oven. She explained in detail how she prepares the dish. First, she washes the dried, ground corn. Then she soaks the corn in cool water, usually overnight. After the corn has been reconstituted, she drains the water and puts the corn in the crock pot. To this she adds fresh water and seasonings such as salt and pepper. While the corn begins to simmer, she cooks the pork in a cast iron skillet, browning the pieces of meat. After the meat is cooked, she adds it to the pot with the corn. This makes the meat very tender as well as flavors the soup.
In addition to the recipe for pashofa, Mrs. Gantt shared another traditional Chickasaw dish with me. Grape dumplings, a popular dessert, are much easier to prepare now than they were in the days of Indian Territory. In the old days, women and children would gather possum grapes. These are smaller than those found in today’s supermarkets, and more tart. They would wash and smash the grapes to extract the juice, and then simmer it until it reduces to syrup. Then the heat is lowered and any impurities are skimmed from the grape reduction. The juice is then returned to a low boil, and dumplings, made of biscuit dough, are dropped in. As they cook, the dumplings absorb some of the juice, making them sweet and moist (Gantt).
As a student, I appreciate the knowledge I gained of traditional Chickasaw cooking. As a Chickasaw myself, I find the traditional food interesting. I have actually prepared and enjoyed both dishes at home. I am glad to have met Mrs. Gantt and gained some knowledge of Chickasaw traditions.
Works Cited
Gantt, Sharon. Personal Interview. 7 October 2006.
