For boys the time of the first animal kill and for girls the time of making the first basket. There are special times when certain lessons can be taught. Indian foods are special sources of food, minerals, and vitamins. This is a plant domesticated by Indian people. All of these traditional foods have mucilage and gum and help slow the absorption of sugar which gives our bodies time to respond to the sugar.
Water is key in Indian culture - it is central for all life.
Its use and management influences the structure of Indian society and culture. Ak Chin is an irrigation practice where we disperse the flow of rain runoff so it absorbes into the ground and our fields. We plant where water will be as well as where it is. We place in the ground special seeds that grow long roots and grow rapidly when it rains - these are our special plants.