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ARE WE BECOMING A "LUG-LESS" SOCIETY?... |
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A CULTURAL PRESERVATION FEATURE |
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BY GUYAUSHK (JAMES E. PETE, DBA) |
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For most
people the word Lug or Lug-a-Laid is probably foreign. Within the
Red Cliff Community, many of us know Lug as a baked bread our parents
and grandparents would make on a regular basis. For me, it is comfort
food, because of the memories it brings back. |
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A few months
ago, a young Tribal member was asked if she wanted a piece of Lug and
didn't know what it was. To me, this was disturbing. It made me
think of the "transition" in our Community, by losing parts of our Red
Cliff Community Indian culture, as older people pass away and the
younger people are becoming the next generation. |
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First let me give you my definition of Lug. It comes from having it,
as a normal part of growing up, in Red Cliff. Lug is a baked bread.
The ingredients I was taught by my mother, Elma, are flour, salt,
sugar, baking powder, dry milk, eggs, bacon grease, and water. As you
stir the ingredients together, you mix into a dough and form a ball to
knead for a few minutes, and bake in the oven. |
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Many years ago, Delores Bainbridge was reading a book (the name I
don't remember), that had various pieces of history of the Red Cliff
area. In the book , which was a collection of accounts from
fur-traders in our area in the 1800's, mentions a bread called "Lug"
which had become a regular part of our diet. The ingredients were
probably items used to trade between the local Anishinabe and traders. |
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In other Tribes, there appears to be versions of Lug, called Bannock,
Cowboy Bread, Naa-nah-poon, and Sand Bread. There are other tales of
the Lug dough being wrapped around a branch, place up against a
campfire, and baked. |
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By these accounts, Lug has been a part of our lives for at least 200
years! |
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At a gathering in Red Cliff a few years ago, there was a feast. Lots
of good food and some one brought Lug to the feast. A young Tribal
member came into the feast and was so excited about the Lug! As I
watched her, she was "mouthing" to her mother, who was across the
room, the word LUG…LUG…LUG…I guess the mother couldn't lip-read the
message, but it was loud and clear! I enjoyed watching this little
interaction between the two and again, thought of the importance of a
tradition in our Community. |
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For the second year in a row, I hosted a Lug Luncheon for a couple of
relatives from Odanah. Each time we gathered, to have Lug, Salt Pork,
white Rice, potatoes with the jackets on, and pork grease. For many,
this was kind of a normal part of our eating at home. It was from a
time when resources were scarce, our parents and grand parents had to
make every thing go as far as it would go, and yet very inexpensive. |
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I laughed to myself, as we were sitting in the dining room, with
matching dishes, cups, saucers, knives, forks, and spoons, and our
grand parents would have had this same meal sitting at the kitchen
table, next to the old wood stove, the slop pail in the corner, and
someone just went and filled up a pail of water at the local pump.
What a difference a generation or two makes….this gathering has become
very important for me, because it helps me remember my parents,
grandparents, other relatives. It helps to remember the closeness of
our families and community……in the old days. A nice warm and
comforting memory of our recent past. |
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Other recollections I have about Lug is the different manner in which
families fix it. In our family, it was made "plain." In other
families, the top would have bacon or salt pork placed on top while it
baked in the oven. My "Ol' Ant Sue" (Susan J. Gordon) would make a
big pan of Lug with bacon on top. Her daughter, Mildred Hanson, would
do the same. Many people still remember different gatherings in Red
Cliff were Millie's Lug was there…another nice warm and comforting
memory of our recent past. |
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I have memories of my Gramma Angeline Peterson making Lug and then
would "pung-i-gay" her piece of lug in her eggs or gravy or grease. |
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In the 1960's, my cousin
Diane (Goslin-Bear-Defoe) was at the house to pick my sister Mary up,
'cause they were going out. Mary had just finished her supper,
including Lug. Diane was all excited about some Lug that was on the
table and asked my Dad (Louis "Uncle" Butts Peterson) if she could
take a piece with her. He said, "awwww…… if you meet some boys, you
will just throw it out, anyway." Well, she took some and then when a
car with boys stopped to pick them up, Diane threw her Lug-a-laid in
the ditch! |
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Salt Pork (cut in
slices, boiled, then fried) is a natural fit with Lug a laid. For the
Annual Lug Luncheon, I invited Marlene DePerry Paap. However, she
couldn't make it yet shared this little story. |
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She said many years ago,
when Antie Suz-zun (Susan Baker Newago) was eating salt pork,
Marlene's brother Murl DePerry took the piece of salt pork out of
Antie Suz-zun's mouth, and stuck it in his mouth and ate it! What a
crazy little story, which probably happened over 60 years ago…..and
yet, we can still laugh at the craziness of it….more nice warm and
comforting memories of our recent past. |
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In our Community and in
our families, one way to continue a tradition, is to have Lug-A-Laid
available at feasts, gatherings, and encourage people to talk about
what it means. I think we would be surprised at the depth of lug in
our culture and how much it is tied back to good times and yes, bad
times. It is a representation of who we are as Red Cliff Anishinabe. |
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I guess what "we" need
to continue to do…is just continue to do! Make lug, not war! A piece
of lug in the hand, is better than two in the bush! Let them eat
lug! What's lug got to do with it! |
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Are we becoming a Lug-Less Society? Only if we let ourselves to be…. |
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This Cultural Preservation Feature is a part of a series of stories,
tales, and articles directed at the preserving various aspects of life
in the Red Cliff Community, from past to the present and for the
future. |
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