History of Bannock - Tee Pee Treats (2024)

FAQs

What is the history of bannocks? ›

Bannock is a type of fry bread, which originates from Scotland but was eventually adopted by the Indigenous peoples of Canada, particularly the Métis of western Canada. Bannock stems from the Gaelic word bannach, which means “morsel,” a short and sweet but accurate description.

The name Bannock seems to originate from the Old Celtic English “bannuc”, derived from the Latin “panicium” for “bread” or meaning “anything baked”. Made simply from oatmeal and flour, the first citing of a bannock or bannuc recipe in Scotland was in the 8th Century.

Apart from its origin controversy, Bannock as we know it today, represents a time when Indigenous peoples were forced off the land and forced to eat new foods. As nomadic communities were moved from their hunting and trapping grounds onto reserves, their food supply now came from Canada in the form of rations.

Indigenous people eventually adopted bannock, often using corn flour or plants rather than the wheat flour of Europeans. Bannock became a staple for voyageurs, fur traders, prospectors, and later, Indigenous peoples. It is a quick and simple carbohydrate-rich food, which was hard to come by in many parts of Canada.

Bannock (British and Irish food), a kind of bread, cooked on a stone or griddle served mainly in Scotland but consumed throughout the British Isles. Bannock (Indigenous American food), various types of bread, usually prepared by pan-frying also known as a native delicacy.

Traditional Bannock and Shoshone cultures emphasized equestrian buffalo hunting and a seminomadic life. The Bannock also engaged in summer migrations westward to the Shoshone Falls, where they gathered salmon, small game, and berries.

Some sources claim that bannock was unknown in North America until the 1860s when it was created by the Navajo who were incarcerated at Fort Sumner. According to other sources, fur traders introduced bannock to tribes in North America, and that a bread, and the name 'bannock', were originally introduced from Scotland.

Bannock is essentially a giant scone. The texture is pretty much the same. Except before you bake it you assign some grooves to it and then you cut it all up to eat with your spreads of choice. Just like a scone, Bannock is rather versatile.

The Bannock speak a dialect of Northern Paiute, part of the Numic language family, and are closely related to the Northern Paiute peoples of southeastern Oregon, Nevada, and eastern California.

The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes is a federally recognized sovereign nation located in southeast Idaho. Tribal sovereignty is the power to govern themselves, determine their own membership, and the power over a distinct geographic land base.

What food did the Bannock tribe eat? ›

The rest of the year the Bannock lived in dome-shaped houses covered with grass. In the summer they fished for salmon, and in the spring they gathered seeds and roots. The root of the camas plant was an important food for the tribe.

The bannock tribes beliefs and religions were largely based around dreams and visions. These dreams and visions were used to get help from Guardian Angels. They believed in Appi, as a creator but the main mythological figures were the wolf and coyote.

Classic bannock has a smoky, almost nutty flavour blended with a buttery taste, while dessert bannock can have flavours resembling a donut or shortbread.

The Bannock, which are closely related to the Northern Paiute, called themselves Nimi', Pan a'kwati or Panaite.

The first known maker of this variety was a baker named Robbie Douglas, who opened his shop in Selkirk in 1859. When Queen Victoria visited Sir Walter Scott's granddaughter at Abbotsford she is reputed to have taken her tea with a slice of Selkirk bannock, thus ensuring that its reputation was enshrined forever.

When the Northern Paiutes left the Nevada and Utah regions for southern Idaho in the 1600s, they began to travel with the Shoshones in pursuit of buffalo. They became known as the Bannocks.

The rest of the year the Bannock lived in dome-shaped houses covered with grass. In the summer they fished for salmon, and in the spring they gathered seeds and roots. The root of the camas plant was an important food for the tribe.

In fact, the ingredients are almost identical to those found in a recipe for Baking Powder Biscuits found in James Beard's American Cookery. The main difference is that the dough is formed into patties and fried in a greased skillet. The patties are fried about 4 minutes on each side.