How to Make Chiiłchin (Instructions in Navajo)

This video gives the instructions on how to make chiilchin. Instructions are given entirely in the Navajo language. Chiiłchin is the Navajo name for sumac berries. It also refers to a pudding that is made from sumac berries. An English translation of this dish would be called Sumac Berry Pudding. Chiiłchin is a traditional Navajo dish. It predates Navajo Tacos and fry bread. Sumac berries or chiiłchin are indigenous to the Southwest area.

Included in this video is some background on when to pick sumac berries, how to prepare sumac berries for use, storage, & the additional uses that the sumac plant has, such as in making the Navajo Wedding Basket, as a wool dye, and medicinal use.

This video also provides the Navajo words for various cooking actions (such as mixing, boiling, pouring, etc.), cooking utensils (such as cup, cooking pot, wisk, cooking spoon, & a coffee grinder), and for the various ingredients (flour, sugar, & possibly blue corn meal, raisins or apricots for additional flavoring).

My family typically prepares this dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Should you be able to make it, I hope this could be an additional enjoyable dish for you to have this Holiday season. Yá'át'ééh Késhmish (Merry Christmas)!

Category:

Education

Tags:

• cooking
• food
• tutorial
• diet
• terms
• terminology
• translate
• translation
• Native
• American
• Indian
• Navaho
• Dineh
• Dine
• Diné
• liguistic
• language
• spoken
• word
• southern
• Athabascan
• Athabaskan
• Na-Dené
• Yeniseian
• Arizona
• chiilchin
• cheelchen
• cheelchin
• berry
• fruit
• nutritious
• nutrition
• sumach
• recipe
• instructional
• how
• to
• make
• prepare
• cook
• bake
• ya'a'teeh
• ya-ta-hey
• indigenous
• tribe
• tribal

[Medracin]

Wow, such a cool language, though why does the whisk have such a long name in Navajo? What does it mean exactly?

[daybreakwarrior]

Béésh- metal

Ts'ósí- the slender one

Bee ił na'atsíhí- by means of it you stir or poke around...

When this word is used Navajos don't have to think of each word. They "see" the object immediately. For example, Rock Star... you don't think of a "rock" and a "star" separately before you think of a music entertainer. You think of a Rock Star.

[carolinen09]

Ya'a'teeh kesmmes to you and your family! I never knew of Chiilchin. Now I am very curious of the taste. Once I find some Chiilchin I'll try it.  This is an awesome video, I'm learning alot from your videos. You are a gifted instructor in the Navajo Language. Continue your good work!

[southernnavajo]

I LOVE this! I didnt relize it was so easy to make and im sure to try it as soon as i can. Do you have a video on how to make blue mush too? I would also love to learn to make that as well. Thank you so very much for posting your videos.

[MsYahdahlah]

Thanks for sharing... I look forward to your next vid. Ahe'ee! :D

[AmeliaFiend]

@GrapplingItalia Radmilla Cody ( ":

[331SLAYER]

i like tht he's using a fork to mix the flour nd berries..xD

[GrapplingItalia]

woow such a nice sounding language.... Can you reccomend any "modern" Navajo singer to listen to ?

[emperorsenshi]

i assume you can't find any of this stuff anywhere outside the navajo rez?

[SPS148669]

@bimboblacky

Full blood Native Americans have still Asian hair like this guy in the video but Native Americans lost the flat face after crossing the land bridge making then unique and different from modern day Asians from Asia.

[Rochambeau1000]

@bimboblacky Yes a UFO hahaha

[bimboblacky]

@Rochambeau1000 Amen! 4 example, let's C *U* try 2 describe an extraterrestrial flying saucer in one BRIEF all-encompassing word without sacrificing any accuracy. (Heh heh heh). :%)

[bimboblacky]

& all these comments about Terry looking Asian, I wonder if those good people R aware that Terry is NECESSARILY (there is now tons of evidence of this point) descended from ATHABASCAN roots? The other commenters reading this should go look that up & find the amazing TREASURE TROVE of information on the ANCESTORS of the Apache Nation and the Navajo Nation. I never have enough time 2 learn as much about it as I would like. I think Terry BREAKs a lot of negative Navajo/Dine stereotypes, 2, BTW.