For SF Native Americans, it’s Christmas and a winter feast

When waiting in the reception area Native American Health Center At Capp St, visitors can easily get a sense of the upcoming festival season – ornaments in the form of Christmas trees, snowmen, stockings, hats and gifts decorate the room.

Still, Laura Cedillo, who has been working here for twelve years, prefers to use the words winter feast, or holiday celebration, rather than “Christmas.”

In Native American traditions, winter is the season of storytelling and reflection. In the past, many indigenous people could not survive the very cold winter. So the tribe would gather around the bonfire, celebrate those who succeeded in it, and exchange stories.

Nowadays, some indigenous communities are “associated with Christianity and some are not,” Cedillo says.

What characterizes indigenous culture in general is that many of them include traditional designs in decorations, whether they are on Christmas trees or stockings. So when people see those tribal shapes and patterns, they recognize those motifs as “native”.

Another tradition is tamale It is made from shredded corn and wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves.

“But there are also a lot of people who eat different types of seasonal foods. So I would say it really varies by tribe.” He said…