While on my recent trip to Southwest Utah, I got to travel through some
Navajo and Hopi reservation land.  It was very sad to see the physical
condition of most of the Native Americans.  Grossly overweight, even among
the very young children.  I always asked where  one could  find really
authentic food, only to be told, "maybe try some Mexican restaurant".  I
found one family owned place which was owned by a Navajo family.  The only
thing besides burgers, fries and typical American fare on the menu was chile
stewed with pork with fry bread on the side.  No exxageration, but everyone:
the family, the clientelle (all local Navajo) were not just overweight, but
really obese.  Their restaurant was attached to a gift shop which had some
local cookbooks.

I read about "traditional" Native American cooking.  They described Pikka
bread, which is cornmeal ground  with boiled mesquite or juniper ash water ,
so that the flour takes on a blue color.  It is rolled very thin like paper,
cooked on a hot surface to make a flat bread, and served with meat stews.  I
would have been very grateful to find a place which served this fare.  I did,
however, get to pick a yucca fruit off a plant, but by the time I got it
home, it was pretty rotten....

So much for local cuisine.... Even the places that advertised "Homemade
Jerky" were selling commercial crap.  Are there places where white people can
partake of real stuff, or is it just during pow wows that "traditions" are
staged for the paying tourists?

Cheers,

Judy Genova, cavegirl