First Nations Humour

Dog Head Stew (For Fifty People)
by Dorothy Pennington

Carefully prepare one medium dog head, removing teeth from jaw bones and hair, putting these aside for future use.  Into kettle, add heaping handfuls of camos bulbs and cattail roots.  The eggs from two medium-size salmon may be combined with water to cover, and place over fire and bring to boil for three hours.

It is customary to observe the rites of preparation in order to have all present appreciate the dish that will begin the feast.

At the proper moment, using the ceremonial arrow, impale the dog head and bring forth for all to observe the excellence of the dish.

Then allow fifteen to thirty minutes for all whites to excuse themselves and leave for home.  Bury stew in back yard and bring forth the roasted turkey with all the trimmings.  In this way, a 15-pound turkey will do.  The others have been invited to the feast ... and the fact they didn't stay is their tough luck.

[from section III. The New Indians, Indian Humor, p. 75, in the book The Way: An Anthology of American Indian Literature, Edited by Shirley Hill Witt and Stan Steiner, (c) 1972 by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.]