Fry Bread

Diné (Navajo) fry bread is a symbol of perseverance and also a reminder of a painful past. Between 1864 and 1866, over 9,000 Navajo people were forced by the United States government to take the “Long Walk.” Already suffering from the onslaught of Colonel Kit Carson’s scorched-earth campaign to drive them off their land, the Diné began the deadly trek of nearly 400 miles from their homeland to an internment camp at Bosque Redondo, New Mexico. There were no traditional foods available at the Bosque Redondo. Instead, the Diné, were given flour, salt, powdered milk, lard, sugar, and baking powder for cooking. From those ingredients, the resourceful Diné created fry bread. It is a food with deep cultural significance that represents survival and resilience. Today, the Diné hold fry bread competitions at fairs and enjoy eating fry bread in many different ways: with honey or powdered sugar, Navajo tacos, Navajo burgers, and more.