Wild onion dinners are back

Written By: Braden Harper

(MUSCOGEE NATION) Wild onions are in bloom once again, and with them comes the tradition of wild onion dinners that bring Mvskoke people together from across the reservation. One of the largest dinners is hosted annually at the Salt Creek Methodist Church in Holdenville. Muscogee (Creek) National Council Representative Dode Barnett grew up attending those dinners her entire life. 

Read this story on Mvskoke Media here. 

“It was always a time for people to come and fellowship and eat some good food all at the same time,” Rep. Barnett said.

Initially the church saw on average between 100-150 people in attendance at the dinners. Right before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, attendance numbers at Salt Creek had blossomed to somewhere in the ballpark of 1,000-1,200 people. Last year marked the first year the church had hosted a wild onion dinner since the Covid-19 pandemic began. According to Rep. Barnett, that event saw over 700 people. For Barnett’s family, wild onion dinners are one of the most important traditions of the year.

“One of my sons made the comment to me the other day, ‘Onion dinners are bigger than Christmas’,” Rep. Barnett laughed. “To me and my family and a lot of other families in Hughes County and around the reservation it’s truly a time for people to come, see each other, visit with each other, obviously have some amazing food by very accomplished cooks.”

Salt Creek’s wild onion dinners also feature craft vendors. Past dinners have seen upwards of 20 vendors. Many come for the wild onions, and stay for the shopping. According to Rep. Barnett, some people come as far as from Texas, Arkansas, and Kansas to attend the dinner.

Rep. Barnett  asserted that the dinners would not be possible without the help of the volunteers who come out every year to serve the community. This includes volunteers from other churches, High School National Honor Society students and MCN Lighthorse officers. Last year’s wild onion dinner even saw volunteers from MCN tribal leadership including Principal Chief David Hill, MCNC Speaker Randall Hicks, Representative Charles McHenry, Representative Robert Hufft, and MCN Department of Health Chief Administrative Officer Rhonda Beaver.

No wild onion dinner would be complete without dessert. Rep. Barnett remarked that her favorite dish at the wild onion dinners are the grape dumplings. Salt Creek’s eldest matriarch, Wisey Brown still oversees the event’s dessert table every year.

Salt Creek’s annual wild onion dinner is set to take place Saturday, March 2 starting at 11 a.m., wrapping up at 2 p.m. The event will be hosted at the Holdenville Creek Indian Community Center located at 224 E. Poplar.

A list of Wild Onion Dinners taking place across the MCN Reservation and around Oklahoma can be found below.

March 2 – Salt Creek Methodist | Holdenville Creek Indian Community Center | 224 E. Poplar St. | 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

March 2 – D.D. Etchieson Indian UMC, Tahlequah | 412 W. Seneca St. | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., $12

March 2 – Norman First American UMC, Norman | 1950 Beaumont Dr. | 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., $15

March 9 – Pickett Chapel UMC, Sapulpa | 17610 South Hickory | 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., $15

March 9 – Angie Smith Memorial UMC, Oklahoma City | 601 SW Grand Blvd | 11 a.m.–3 p.m., $12

March 9 – Eufaula-Canadian Tribal Town, Eufaula | 800 Birkes Rd. | 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., $15

March 9 – Hominy Friends Meeting House, Hominy | 510 Friends Rd. | 4 p.m. – Until Out, $15| 

March 16 – Mary Lee Clark UMC, Del City | 1100 Howard Dr. | 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

March 16 – Tulsa Indian UMC, Tulsa | 1901 N. College Ave. | 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., $15

March 16 – Big Cussetah UMC, Morris | 20566 Prairie Bell Road | 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., $15

March 16 – Thloptlocco UMC, Okemah | 377187 E. 1170 Rd. | 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., $12/$10 veterans

March 22 – Fife Indian UMC, Muskogee | 1100 Eufaula St. | 5 – 7 p.m., $10

March 23 – Broken Arrow IUMC, Broken Arrow | 20854 E. 141st St. S. | 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. $15

March 23 – Concharty UMC, Okmulgee | 19040 Garfield Rd. | Times/cost TBA

March 30 – Okmulgee Indian Community Center, Okmulgee | 2900 N. Osage Pl. | 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., $15

April 6 – Springfield Indian IUMC, Okemah | N. 3810 Rd. | 11 a.m. – Until Out, $15