UFFDA TACOS

A New Yorker asked what where Uffda Tacos. Old Trunks figured a form of Navajo fry bread picked up on and was served at the Minnesota State Fair and spread from there. There were no Uffda Tacos in Thief River Falls when I lived there but I have had them in the parking lot of a chiropractor's office on the corner of Third and Horace, (maybe). NOT maybe I had it, maybe that is the cross street.



In Kansas, they called them Indian Tacos. They had them at Baldwin at the Maple Leaf Festival. They may have made the batter, or they may have bought frozen dough, cut, and rolled it into a rough circle and deep fat fried. The ones in Baldwin were beans, lettuce, and cheese and all the taco sauce allowed. I wish they would have used a slotted spoon when they took the beans out of the pot, the fried bread would be less soggy.



Old Trunks is thinking about where this really started and why. This disastrous attempt at peace led to the “Long Walks”. In September 1863, Kit Carson (1809-1868) was dispatched into Navajo land to retrieve a surrender. When no Navajo came to meet with him, he ordered the burning of the land. Attempts were made to starve out the Navajo, and many were captured and taken to Bosque Redondo near Fort Sumner. Hundreds starved on the 300 mile walk, and more would die later in the crowded and disparaging conditions. Navajo were placed with the Mescalero Apache were home peace was often not the case. The camps were meant for 4,000 to 5,000 people, yet there were now over 9,000 people, and supplies were meager.


The government supplies of lard, flour, salt, sugar, baking powder or yeast, and powdered milk were often rancid. Fry bread came from these few foods provided during the 4 years of captivity. Since that time, it has become common food at most all PowWows of numerous tribes.


To some, Indian Fry Bread is a sacred tradition. It is to be consumed by the people until the earth has again become purified.


The Navajo taco was voted the State Dish of Arizona in a 1995 poll conducted by the Arizona Republic newspaper. They are also popular attractions at many fairs, festivals, and outdoor summer shows held in the southwest. People will line up to wait their turn to buy some freshly made tacos.


Indian tacos are NOW combination of beans or ground beef, chopped lettuce, sliced tomato, shredded Cheddar cheese, and optional green chile atop plate-sized rounds of crispy Navajo or Indian fry bread. No plates or silverware are need, as you just fill the fry bread with your desired filling, roll it up, and eat.

Make me hungry just thinking about them!

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