The look, texture, and taste of frybread are a little different depending on where you are in the world. In the continental U.S., indigenous people created a version of frybread because we had no other choice.

Quite honestly, the origin of this tasty treat in North America is one of oppression and tragedy. However, we must not lose sight of the events that led to the creation of frybread - it is our duty to remind people of how it came to be.

In the 19th century, the United States Calvary forced tribal members into concentration camps. These poor souls were grieving because they were forced from everything they knew and had to walk from their homeland to the concentration camps, often more than 100 miles away. Cavalry soldiers would execute our people if they could not keep up on the journey from their land to the concentration camps. Countless pregnant women, children, and elderly tribal members died from starvation, abuse, and murder at the hands of calvary soldiers.

While imprisoned, the calvary only provided our people with rations like sugar, flour, lard, and coffee. These rations were not part of our traditional diets, and with no other forms of sustenance, women did not know how to turn them into food. Perhaps the only positive thing that may be said about the history of frybread is it symbolizes the resilience of indigenous peoples - the women made do with what they had. They mixed the flour with water and created the first version of North American frybread - it kept many of our ancestors alive.

We make our frybread from a recipe passed down from Val's grandmother. Val's is more than a snack; it is a taste of our ancestors' perseverance, grit, and determination.