For chef Mijen Armstrong, Indigenous food is as much about history as it is flavor. Armstrong traveled to Jackson from Owamni, a Minneapolis-based restaurant known for its focus on pre-colonial ingredients like wild game, corn and native plants.
Owamni partnered with the Central Wyoming College culinary program to prepare and serve the tasting menu that also included bison stew, corn relish and sweet potato fritters.
At the Jackson Hole History Museum, Armstrong kept watch over a bowl of corn chips served alongside tepary bean dip.
“They’re beans native to the southwest, mixed with garlic, onion, sumac, sunflower oil,” Armstrong said.
Festival attendee Gena Opella sampled the bean dip between gallery stops.
“It’s really good,” Opella said. “It’s got some unique spice, not hot or anything. Creamy.”
Organizers said they hope that the menu prompts conversations about Indigenous foods and the plants that grow locally. During early spring in the Tetons, that means foraging season for morels.
The food accompanied a gallery walk at downtown locations, spotlighting both historical and contemporary native art, including Wyoming artist Al Hubbard at Shari Brownfield Fine Art. The exhibit at the Jackson Hole History museum features ledger art by Terran Last Gun, Terrance Guardipee and historical ledger drawings. That exhibit continues through November 7, 2026.
