INDIAN BREAKFAST AND WAYS OF EATING

SOME OF THE INDIANS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GATHERED EMORY OAK ACORNS AND ATE THEM WITHOUT LEACHING (INCREDIBLE)! THESE ARE SAN DIEGUENO INDIANS WHO LIVE IN THE SIERRA JUAREZ HIGH MOUNTAINS. THEY ARE COLLECTED WHEN THEY ARE RIPE AND HAVE FALLEN FROM THE TREE. THEY COLLECT AND THEM FOR YEARS. A WOMAN TAKES ACORNS FROM ONE YEAR AGO.
THEY BITE A CIRCULAR CUT AROUND THE ACORN TO OPEN IT. THEY ATE THEM IN QUANTITIES LIKE THIS.

THEY PREPARE SWEET ACORN MUSH BY POUNDING WITH MORTAR AND PESTLE. THE WOMEN USE ANCIENT GRINDING STONES FROM 8000 YEARS AGO. IN THIS AREA THEY CRACK THE SHELL. THEN THE MEAL IS POUNDED AND SOME OF THE BROKEN SHELLS HAVE TO BE RUBBED OUT OF THE MEAL WITH THEIR HANDS. THEY WINNOW THE FINE MEAL BY TOSSING IT IN THE AIR AND THEY POUR THE CLEANED MIXTURE ONTO MILLING STONE AGAIN. IN THIS AREA THEY COOK THE ACORN MUSH IN A CLAY POT. SOME PEOPLE EAT THIS WITH THEIR HANDS. BUT HERE THEY ALSO MAKE WOODEN STIRRING SPOON AND PADDLES THEY BOIL VENISON AND EAT IT WITH ACORN MUSH FOR BREAKFAST AND SUPPER. THE MUSH IS BOILED FOR 30 MINUTES AND IS A RICH SWEET NUTTY SOUP. THE AUTHOR ATE TWO BOWLS AND WAS CONTENT.

SOME OF THESE TRIBES ONLY ATE TWO MEALS A DAY! THEY DID SOME TASKS IN THE MORNING BEFORE THEIR BREAKFAST OF ACORN MUSH AND MEAT. AFTER BREAKFAST THEY RESTED AND THEN HAD THEIR SUPPER AROUND SUNSET - ACORN MUSH AND MEAT AND THEN GATHERED TOGETHER TO TELL STORIES (SOMETIMES AROUND A CAMPFIRE).

THE TUBATULABAL WHO LIVED ALONG THE KERN RIVER ALSO ATE ONLY TWO MEALS. THEIR CHILDREN COULD EAT ANYTIME THEY WANTED. IN WINTER THEY ATE ACORNS, PINONS, MEAT OF ANY SORT, DRIED AND FRESH FISH. THE WOMEN WHO GATHERED SEEDS BROUGHT LUNCH WITH THEM AS WELL AS THEIR CHILDREN AND THEY ATE AROUND 11 IN THE MORNING.


PAUL CAMPBELL