Chef Brave Heart

29/12/2024

We Remember Wounded Knee

My childhood home is less than 5 miles from the Wounded Knee Massacre site. When you see photos of that tragedy, remember: you know people who are direct descendants of those who were lost. Their bloodlines continue, and their stories live on through us. We remember, and so should you.

On this day, December 29, 1890, over 200 innocent, unarmed women, children, and men were brutally massacred at Wounded Knee, their lives stolen by the United States government. These were our ancestors, gathered under the leadership of Chief Spotted Elk, seeking refuge and peace. Instead, they were met with violence, betrayal, and death. The echoes of their screams still reverberate across the lands of our people, their pain etched into the soil and passed through our DNA.

This massacre marked the end of the Indian Wars but also the beginning of generations of resistance. The pain and trauma remain a part of us, but so does the strength, the resilience, and the will to endure.

Today, we honor our ancestors by surviving, by thriving, by standing tall. Our very existence is resistance, a tribute to those who were taken. Their memory fuels our fight to preserve our culture, our history, and our future.

We remember. And we will ensure the world remembers too.

27/12/2024

In the last week of 2024 we are checking out and celebrating our time with our families. See you in 2025 thank you to everyone who’s hired us, celebrated our wins. Shared and interacted with our socials. We appreciate all of it. See you in the new year! 🌴✌🏽♥️🙏🏽☀️😎

25/12/2024

Happy Holidays from our family to yours.

As we reflect on this past year, we are deeply grateful for your support and the moments that brought us together. We remember the ones we’ve lost and light a candle in remembrance. Thank you for every kind word, shared meal, and moment of connection has been a gift we hold close to our hearts.

Nobody truly knows the silent battles we carry, but through it all, we continue to show up, to heal, and to honor our journeys.

Food has always been a bridge between our past and present, a powerful connection to memories, traditions, and the people we love. As a chef, my favorite moments are those rooted in shared meals, where stories are told, and laughter fills the air.

This holiday season, let us celebrate those cherished traditions, or perhaps create new ones, around the table. May your homes be filled with warmth, love, and the joy that only good food and company can bring.

With gratitude and love,
Chef Brave Heart & Family

17/12/2024

Thank you Sacred Storm Buffalo!

Still mailing T-Shirts & Hats! www.lakotatimes.com Subscribe 1 year E-Edition with Free APP Wopila!

17/12/2024

This is so so beautiful! Love my community! Support Garbage Tale Vintage

15/12/2024

Growing up, we didn’t have many holiday traditions, but I always dreamed that one day, I’d create a season full of magic for my own family. Now, as a parent, nothing feels more special than gathering in the kitchen to make Christmas cookies and holiday treats. The smell of sugar and spice fills the air, little hands sneak a taste of dough, and flour somehow ends up everywhere. It’s chaotic, messy, and absolutely perfect. These moments aren’t just about cookies—they’re about creating memories that last a lifetime. My heart is full knowing these traditions will be something my kids carry with them forever.

11/12/2024

Love this! Thank you Lakota Times for highlighting the launch of my new mini cookbook! Just landed on Amazon! But I prefer you purchase it directly from me if possible. www.chefbraveheart.com Amazon link in comments.

Also support Native owned & run businesses.

Still mailing T-Shirts & Hats! www.lakotatimes.com Subscribe 1 year E-Edition with Free APP Wopila!

08/12/2024

Update: I want to apologize to a woman I deeply admire and respect, she originally wrote this article and was not credited for it. I feel awful that I unknowingly perpetuated this. The original article was written by the brilliant manning for Indian Country Today.

The below is written by talented artist kempenich

As Native people, we constantly navigate a world where our stories, knowledge, and cultural expressions are taken and repackaged by outsiders—often with privileges we ourselves are denied. This isn’t because they can tell our stories better. It’s because their voices are seen as more palatable or marketable, while ours are overlooked.

Recently, I came across yet another example of this. A story that originally appeared 6-7 years ago, covered by the talented Indigenous journalist Sarah Sunshine Manning in Indian Country Today News, is now resurfacing through a platform called “The Mind Unleashed.” What struck me was how quickly this retelling gained traction while the original—told by an Indigenous writer—was largely ignored by the mainstream.

In a previous post, I shared the annoyance of two Non-native artists talking over one another about Indigenous history and art, who both are profiting on an ethnic group they’re not part of. Yet, we are fully capable to creatively express our traditions and speak on them.

This dynamic is not new; it’s the same old pattern of “Columbusing.” Non-Native people profit off our culture, educate others from their perspectives, and gain opportunities that should belong to Native artists and voices. Meanwhile, we continue to fight for the basic respect and recognition of our work and our truths.

Why is it that when someone else takes our knowledge, it’s celebrated, but when we share our own stories, they’re dismissed? This systemic disregard erases not only our voices but also the nuance and authenticity of the stories we tell.

I encourage you to take a moment to engage with and amplify Indigenous voices. Let’s uplift the original storytellers and knowledge keepers. Here is the original article by Sarah Sunshine Manning:
https://ictnews.org/archive/bringing-science-culture-together-chokecherry-pudding

We deserve the autonomy to control our own narratives. Our stories are not commodities for others to repackage and profit from—they are deeply rooted in who we are. It’s time to value and honor Native voices as the true stewards of our histories, cultures, and futures.

Our traditional foods are medicine.

Native American student links science and culture by proving hypothesis that traditional chokecherry pudding is medicine that inhibits uterine cancer cells.

05/12/2024

Today was bitter cold—the kind that gets into your bones. We stayed cozy, I working alongside the girls, and I made the most delicious pot of soup using every last bit of Thanksgiving leftovers. Nothing went to waste—feels like a win! 🥕🧅🥔

I sautéed onions, carrots, and parsnips in a touch of butter, added ham, sliced potatoes, the last of the gravy, and finished it with bone broth. The kind of soup that warms your soul and feels like love in a bowl.

I felt a little lonesome for the Black Hills today, but as always, I’m finding my way. One step, one soup, one cozy moment at a time. 🌾✨ Here are high-performing hashtags tailored for your post, focusing on food, family, and personal reflections:

30/11/2024

Shop small business Saturday my buying Indigenous Lakota Made LLC

30/11/2024

Today is Small Business Saturday! It’s the perfect opportunity to create a positive impact by supporting small, Indigenous, Black, POC, and women-owned businesses. When you shop small, you’re not just buying a product—you’re helping support families, uplift communities, and contribute directly to our shared economy.

This holiday season, I encourage you to consider shopping small. My bite-sized cookbook is the perfect gift—ideal for individuals, corporate gifting, schools, or as an educational tool. Plus, I have an array of beautiful, high-quality swag available!

Order yours today at chefbraveheart.com—link in bio too. Let’s make a difference together!

27/11/2024

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches in uncertain times, my perspective as an Indigenous woman, mother, and chef diverges from the conventional celebration. It’s not a day of festivity for me; rather, it’s a solemn remembrance, a day of mourning marking the onset of our people’s genocide.

Thanksgiving’s foundation lies in a fabricated tale, a narrative that sugarcoats the harsh reality of our history. It was not a watered down romanized fairytale as we’ve all be taught since elementary school. The European colonial settlers would celebrate and feast calling it Thanksgiving” after they had massacred entire Indigenous villages.

So as you gather round to prepare your family’s feast, I encourage you to delve into the truth, acknowledge the original inhabitants of the Indigenous lands you now call home, and incorporate Indigenous ingredients and dishes into your table. Reflect on the lives sacrificed that allow you to dwell on these stolen lands.

Living on this continent means residing on Indigenous territory, and instead of feeling threatened by the real history, consider a mission to support Indigenous people, native-led organizations, and contribute to native communities. Our foods serve as beautiful connectors, fostering relationships despite diverse experiences and combined history.

Wishing you a meaningful fall harvest, embracing awareness and gratitude.

I am grateful for this walk of life, for my children, and the gifts that have been bestowed upon me.

In respect and remembrance, Chef Brave Heart

06/11/2024

The sun will continue to rise and it will set. We will continue to pick our medicines. We continue to grow our reconnection to the land. We will lead with our hearts, ancestral knowledge, and kindness. We will continue to build the future for our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. We will forage, hunt. dry. plant. and prepare. This system was never designed for us. So every morning we will rise again and start just as we have. Food sovereignty is even more crucial now. Sending everyone some gentleness this morning and maybe some hope too. ✨♥️🙏🏽

05/11/2024

There’s so much power in us telling our own stories. Continued to feel inspired and empowered by the work of Sterlin Harjo

18/09/2024

Chicago fam please attend this amazing event!!

Indigenous Artists, Storytellers and Culture-Bearers Coming to Three Fires Territory, AKA Chicago!

NDN Collective and our Radical Imagination Artists are coming to Odawa, Ojibwe, and Potawatomi homelands to host a FREE art event and exhibition at the Chicago Indian Center.

We warmly invite our Relatives to attend, celebrate, and be in community with us. This free, public event will feature visual and performance-based art, including an exhibition, live performances, and more!

Come experience how some RAD Indigenous artists imagine and create art that supports building the collective power of Indigenous Peoples, communities, and Nations to exercise our inherent right to self-determination, while fostering a world that is built on a foundation of justice and equity for all people and Mother Earth.

If you live in the area, please share this post with your family, friends, and community.
We appreciate your support on reaching our relatives in the area.

Unable to make it in person? We got you! NDN will be livestreaming this event on Facebook and YouTube.

We look forward to celebrating and uplifting our Radical Imagination artists, being with the community, and connecting with our relatives in Three Fires Territory.

For latest event updates, visit: ndnco.cc/rihoti

🔗 Link in bio