Tlingit Cuisine
Tlingit cuisine is the food culture of the Tlingit people, native to southeastern Alaska and neighboring parts of Canada.
The Tlingit people often practice coastal foraging, gathering ‘beach food’ such as shellfish and seaweed. Beach food is not highly valued in Tlingit culture, and it is believed that any capable person should be able to survive with food foraged on the coast.
Gathering berries is also common. A traditional berry-picking basket(kaltask) is used to gather berries in the season. Berries are sometimes combined with fish roe or other ingredients.
Salmon is the most prized food of Tlingit cuisine. Several varieties of salmon are caught and used in many ways: fresh, dried, roasted, steamed, etc. Most foods are eaten fresh, roasted, or boiled.
Tlingit people traditionally made special wooden fishhooks for catching halibut.
The Tlingit people are famous for their carved wooden totem poles and distinctive art style.
Ingredients
Many kinds of common and unique berries(tleikw) are available in the Tlingit cultural region: thimbleberry(ch’eex), wild strawberry(shakw), wild blueberry or huckleberry(kanat’a or naanyaa kaanat’ayi), highbush blueberry(lax loowu), serviceberry(gaawak), bog cranberry(daxw or k’eishkahaagu), highbush cranberry(kaxweix), mountain ash berry(kalchaneit tleigu), bog bilberry/bog blueberry(ts’eekaxk’w), yellow cloudberry(nex’w), canada buffaloberry or soapberry(xakwl’i). Berries are eaten raw or sometimes made into sauce.
Salmonberry(was’x’aan tleigu) is eaten as well as the young salmonberry bush shoots(k’eit). Grey currant(shaax) is not eaten, but the leaf is used.
Many types of algae and kelp are used in Tlingit cuisine. Tlingit people traditionally harvest black seaweed(laak’ask) in spring and dry it for storage, similar to Japanese nori. It can be ground and used for seasoning. Red ribbon seaweed(k’aach) is another common variety. Tlingit cuisine also uses various kinds of kelp(geech) and bull kelp(su).
Razor clam, clam(gaal), oyster, mussel(yaak), limpet, and gumboot or chiton can be gathered from the beach and made into Tlingit dishes. Most are eaten blanched or raw.
Salmon(xaat) is prepared in many ways. Sockeye salmon(gaat), coho salmon(l’ook), king salmon(t’a), dog salmon(teel’), and pink salmon or humpback salmon(chaas’) are all used. Depending on the variety, it is eaten fresh, roasted, dried, half-dried, or smoked. It can even be made into soup. Salmon head is often used for oil and sometimes eaten raw.
Halibut is a favorite fish caught and enjoyed by Tlingit people since long ago. Herring is typically dried or smoked; herring roe(gaax’w) is particularly enjoyed. Hooligan is also eaten, but mostly used for oil.
Seal is hunted, mostly for its oil. Tlingit cuisine sometimes features game meat from animals such as sitka deer, rabbit, and even bear.
Dishes
- berries
- fresh seaweed
- shellfish, raw or blanched or steamed
- kaneegwal’: salmon roe cooked with berries
- raw salmon
- roast or steamed salmon
- naayadi: smoked, half-dried salmon
- x’eeshi: dried salmon strips
- fish head soup
- berry juice(tleikw kaheeni)
Related Links
Recipes
coming soon~