Next on Native Bidaské: Chef Sean Sherman Talks “Turtle Island” and the Future of Indigenous Food

Indigenous chef and author Sean Sherman joins Levi Rickert and Shaun Griswold on this week’s Native Bidaske to share the story behind his new book, “Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America”, and to explain why reclaiming Indigenous foodways is essential for the health and sovereignty of Native communities.

Sherman—known for co-founding Owamni, one of the most celebrated Indigenous restaurants in the country—says the work starts with moving past the foods that outsiders assume define Native cuisine.

Turtle Island takes readers through those regional differences, celebrating the diversity of Indigenous agriculture, wild foods, and cooking traditions across the continent. The conversation also covers Sherman’s nonprofit organization, NATIFS (North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems), which has become a powerful engine for rebuilding Native food economies.

Sherman’s restaurant, Owamni, continues to sell out nightly, and Sherman hopes its success opens doors for more Indigenous restaurants, food products, and food education across mainstream spaces. He encourages viewers to actively support Indigenous-owned businesses, food producers, and media outlets doing the work to uplift Native voices.