Ponca cookbook against domestic violence

Ponca Tribe Compiling Recipe Book to Raise Awareness of Domestic ViolenceTawna Luschen, a domestic violence outreach advocate for the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska’s Domestic Violence Program, wants to reconnect American Indian women with their culinary roots and help them pass on traditional recipes to their children. Through that process, she also hopes to raise awareness of the violence committed against Native women.

Luschen is currently accepting recipe submissions from tribal members for a recipe book, which will also include information and statistics on domestic violence and uplifting quotes. The information will advise ways to curb violence against Native women. “It’s a problem everyone needs to stand up against—it happens far too much in the Native American community, and it’s not a tradition among American Indians. My goal is to see it end someday,” Luschen told Indian Country Today Media Network. “It is not only affecting the man and woman [involved] but affecting the children. We need to break the cycle for youth, so they don’t grow up thinking that this is OK or natural.”Comment:  For more on Native cookbooks, see Mitsitam Cafe Cookbook and Healthy Hopi Recipes.