What kind of food did lumbee eat?

Prior to European contact, the foodways of the Lumbee people were derived primarily from what could be gathered, cultivated, or hunted in the region of present-day North Carolina and South Carolina. The environment offered a variety of resources, including game animals, fish, shellfish, and wild plants, as well as fertile grounds for growing crops. The Lumbee, like other Indigenous peoples in the Southeastern Woodlands, were accomplished farmers who cultivated a variety of crops, including corn, beans, squash, pumpkins, sunflowers, and tobacco. They also commonly kept chickens and swine. Hunting and fishing were additional sources of food, with the meat of deer, bear, squirrel, rabbit, turkey, duck, and fish serving as dietary staples. Nuts and berries were also gathered and consumed, as well as various kinds of greens, including pokeweed and lambsquarter.

Post-contact

Following European contact, the Lumbee maintained many aspects of their traditional diet while incorporating new foods introduced by the Europeans, such as wheat and peaches. They continued to rely heavily on agriculture and hunting, but the encroachment of European settlers into their traditional territories placed increasing pressures on their ability to sustain these practices. As a result, the Lumbee began to adopt more foods that were widely available and required less land, including cornmeal and pork. They also began to purchase certain foods from local merchants, such as coffee and sugar.

Contemporary

Today, Lumbee foodways continue to reflect their history and heritage, with traditional dishes passed down through generations. Cornbread and beans, squash, and hominy are still common foods, as are fried chicken, collard greens, and black-eyed peas. Fresh seasonal vegetables are a part of the Lumbee diet, as are various types of game meats and fish. Lumbee people have also maintained a tradition of preserving and pickling foods, a skill that was originally necessary for survival in times of scarcity but has now become more of an opportunity to savor the flavors of the season and share them with family and friends.

In addition to traditional Lumbee foods, many Lumbee people also incorporate ingredients and dishes from other cultures into their diets, reflecting the diversity and interconnectedness of the contemporary world.