"'Can Taste the Wild' in Buffalo Burgers Served at Chiefswood"

OHSWEKEN - Buffalo burgers - $3.

For anyone wanting traditional native food, hot and fast, Gary Lafontaine's stand was one of many serving it at the Grand River Champion of Champions Powwow at Chiefswood Park during the weekend.

Buffalo burgers are just that - buffalo meat shipped from the west and served like hamburgers.

"It's 50 per cent leaner than beef, but you can taste the wild," said Mr. Lafontaine, a big man who looks as though he enjoys all his products.

An Ojibway, Mr. Lafontaine owns and operates Manomin Native Food Services in Ottawa. Like other food vendors, he also sold Indian tacos. Frybread is used for the shell. It's bread - flour, baking soda, baking powder, lard and salt - deep-fried.

It originated with Indians of the West, but it's similar to the scone made by Indians at Six Nations. The difference is that the scone is fried in a pan.

The usual garnishes - spiced meat and sauce, cheese and lettuce - are spread on the frybread to complete the taco.

Although tacos are usually considered Mexican, "a lot of stuff we call Mexican was Indian before there was a Mexico," said Six Nations resident George Beaver.

Manomin is the Ojibway word for wild rice, which Mr. Lafontaine obtains from north western Ontario. He also serves corn soup, caribou and even arctic shark at special occasions.

"I served a dinner of arctic shark to 300 people at a convention once," he said, perspiring as he flipped buffalo burgers on the barbecue.