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["Lynda" <lurine AT com-pair.net>]

When the various tribes were rounded up and put on reservations, the rez was
usually a worthless piece of land that nobody else wanted.  They were forced
to stay on the rez and couldn't leave to hunt, etc.  The useless land was
generally not much good for gardening, plus they'd been forced to leave
behind all their tools, seeds, etc.  Part of the treaty was providing food.
The foods provided, "commodities," were flour (usually full of bugs), lard, 
rations of frequently rancid beef and beans.  In later years, door stops 
(blocks of cheese that you could kill someone with that came to be called 
"door stops"
because that was about the only good use for them), powdered milk and
various other items were added.

The rest of the ingredients were available to purchase at the agents store.

So, they got creative and Indian fry bread was invented to make use of the
flour.  Chili was made from the beans and beef and there was the main meal
for the day.

Lynda
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <outwest4us AT yahoo.com>


> What is the original story.