Cherokee Wild Food

One Day Workshop & Feast

Explore Cherokee Heritage &

Traditional Food Ways

Cook & Eat Wild Harvested Traditional Cherokee Foods

All proceeds from this event go to the Big Witch Indian Wisdom Initiative, ᏍᎩᎵᎡᏆᎯ ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯ ᎠᎦᏙᎲᎢ an Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians run non-profit dedicated to the preservation of Cherokee culture.

This class is offered in collaboration with the Organic Grower’s School.

Be Part of Decolonizing our Food System

Deep, personal connection with food is one of the roots that has always, and continues to, connect the Cherokee people to this land.

Glimpse a world where food, community and land are intertwined. Where the plants names, whisper some of their story and the people grow from their land alongside the plants, trees and mushrooms that were here first.

Shag bark hickory tree,

Traditional Food Ways

This is an unique opportunity to hear an indigenous perspective, not just on food and local food systems but on life, culture and how to be a human in the world.

This interactive session centers the experiences of our local indigenous people while providing space for reflection, questions and hands-on food preparation.

acorns, a traditional wild Cherokee food

Learn while you Eat

This is an afternoon workshop from noon to 6pm in the Fall.

You will be sitting, standing, preparing and eating food with others.

You will need to bring:

  • Water bottle (you can refill it with our mountain spring water)

  • Caamp chiar or something to sit on

  • Notebook and pen

  • A plate, bowl, fork, spoon, knife

  • A fun, focused attitude and your questions

Members of EBCI please contact us before you register.

Meet Your Guide: Tyson Sampson

Tyson Sampson is a two-hearted and two-spirited individual who descended from the local indigenous matriarchy called the ᎠᏂᎩᎶᎯ (A-ni-gi-lo-hi). Their home is referred to as The Beautiful Painted Earth. This family is based here in their aboriginal territory most commonly known as the Great Smoky Mountainsides. Tyson has been educating about harvesting and processing regional flora for 21 years.

Tyson organizes his relations to document culturally sensitive life-ways to prepare the next wave of Traditional Ecological Resiliency. The collective is referred to as the Bigwitch Indian Wisdom Initiative and recently shared demonstrations and presentations at the Organic Growers School.

This group works to advocate for Cherokee land practices, the initiative’s purpose is to ensure that Cherokee plant knowledge continues to be shared within the local Cherokee Indian community given the high demand and the current risk of losing this knowledge forever.