At One Alaskan Hospital, Indigenous Foods Are Part of the Healing Plan
The New York Times
In a state hit hard by Covid, seal soup, caribou stew and other traditional dishes are prepared for patients who are often hundreds of miles from home.
While Aaron Osterback was hospitalized with Covid-19 and pneumonia in September, he leaned on the foods he grew up with, like salmon and cod, to help him recover. Mr. Osterback is Aleut and was raised near the Bering Sea in Sand Point, Alaska — home to one of the largest fishing fleets in the Aleutian Islands.
During his 10-day stay at the Alaska Native Medical Center, one of his favorite meals was the hospital’s salmon Caesar salad — which he said was great mix of traditional and modern foods.
“A large part of what I received from the cafeteria, and from the folks cooking there, actually helped heal me,” Mr. Osterback said.
