The Cherokee people ate a wide variety of food. There were a couple reasons for this. One reason was because the Cherokee people were spread out in three different regions. Each region was different. For example, some clans who lived in the Coastal Plains, they had sandy soil. This made it hard for vegetation to grow so they ate more meat (especially seafood because of the bigger rivers) than they ate greens. Those who lived in the Appalachian Region ate a lot of seafood during a few months of the year, and had a good amount during the rest of the year as well. Another reason they ate such a variety of food was because in different seasons, food could be abundant or scarce. When food is scarce, people didn't have much of a choice on what to eat, because it could meant the difference between life and death.
The three main foods for the Cherokee people were squash, corn and beans. Almost all of their meals contained these. Squash, corn and beans were known as the "Three Sister". They were called this because they thrived when they grew together. Also, when it was cooked together, it was a really healthy combination.
These are the Three Sisters
Despite the "Three Sisters" being in almost every meal, the diet of the Cherokee people was mostly meat. Especially for those who lived on the Coastal Plains because their soil wasn't very good for farming. They ate wild hogs, turkey, white tailed deer,, buffalo, elk, squirrel and rabbit. These were the animals that were generally available in their areas, so they were easier to hunt. They also hunted bear. The fat of the bear could be used as a mosquito repellent when it was mixed with roots of golden seal. During older times, the Cherokee people ate dogs, but that was mainly to get them through leaner times. The Cherokee people also ate a good amount of fish, especially those on the Coastal Plains because they lived near the oceans. Because of the marshes, and swamps on the Coastal Plains, the rivers on the Coastal Plains were wider and longer. This also let the people there fish. Fish was a constant supply of food through the year. The Cherokee people were not allowed to eat opossums because they considered them as scavengers so their meat was considered unclean.
The Cherokee people also ate some greens in their diet. Other than the "Three Sisters", the Cherokee people ate non poisonous plants, berries, roots and pumpkins. Women gathered wild plants, wild onions, mushrooms, berries and grapes. These were the greens that were available in their areas. Plants like cattail and hummingbird blossoms were found in the area they lived and the Cherokee people used them as medicine. In all three regions that the Cherokee lived in, there was a tree called the Black Gum Tree. The bark of the Black Gum Tree was used in a tea for chest pains. They grew peaches, sweet potato and watermelon. These foods were rich in nutrients. Here is a chart of some of the plants they ate.
Wild onion plants
Polk plants
Water Cress
Huckleberries
The Cherokee people usually cooked their food. They always cooked the meat they hunted so they could be sure that the meat was safe to eat. From the green they gathered and the meat they hunted they made meals. The Cherokee people grounded corn, bean, pumpkins and nuts to make flour. They made a paste called pemmican from grounding meat. From the flour, they made fry bread which was a popular dish for a lot of Native American groups. Some of the meals the Cherokee people ate were corn soup, pemmican and wild rice, pemmican and prairie turnips, bean and corn soup. The Cherokee people usually ate their berries raw. They also used the berries to make jam.
Pemmican could be eaten as a snack which was high in protein.
Fry bread was a dish that a lot of Native Americans, including the Cherokee people ate.
This section done by Hansi.R
