In a message dated 6/18/01 10:39:39 AM CST, [log in to unmask] writes:

>No; travelling isn't an emergency.  It's a neccesity.  Pemmican is what
> Indians took along for the ride.  And food shortages are pretty much par
>of
> the course, whether you're talking a tribal people running low on game and
> plants or a soccer mom almost out of groceries.  Early people found ways
>to eat some now and save some for later; ...

So, ok the emergency isn't travelling, for people travelling all year.
But you don't think "indians" manufactered pemmican of all animals they
hunted? Instead of eating what they had immediately?
That would be a very inefficient and tedious task.
So, I'd better say: for emergency, when travelling.
I suppose, the amount of long term keeping food would be small
in comparison to fresh eaten food.
Therefore no problems to be expected by some unfavourable fatty acids
in the pemmican.

Many "indians" where pretty successfull neolithic people btw with very nice
villages and interesting social systems btw..
Particularly Iroquois ( http://www.tolatsga.org/iro.html ).

On Mon, 18 Jun 2001 12:47:47 EDT, M.E. C <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I think that maybe pemmican was used also because it could keep for a long
>time without spoiling....not just because of food shortage, etc.

In fall Haudenosaunee used to go hunting and probably they will have had
some pemmican with them. What they brought back, I think, would rather have
been dried meat than pemmican. And leather, furs, sinews course.

After 1,250 B.C., when sunflower seed was added to the agriculture
environment these may also have served as a kind of pemmican, as it has very
similar characteristics of fat and protein
( http://www.redriv.com/sunflower_story.html ).

Amadeus