More than a meal: Wild onion workshop highlights culture and connection
(OKMULGEE, Okla.) Spring signals the return of wild onion season across the Muscogee Nation, and one student is sharing Muscogee culture through free public workshops on wild onion preparation.
Claudia McHenry, a student in Oklahoma State University’s Master of Public Health program, is hosting a series of workshops on traditional methods of preparing wild onions as a part of her degree practicum. McHenry, who will graduate this spring, chose this project to highlight Muscogee culture and community practice. She began the series on February 23, hosting a session each Monday.
Community members and students gathered together at the College of the Muscogee Nation to learn more about one of the most recognized seasonal Indigenous foods.
"Wild onions are part of our seasonal rhythm,” McHenry said. “They bring people together, not just families, but church groups and communities. Beyond the food itself, there’s something about the process of cleaning, preparing and sitting together that strengthens that connection.”
The workshops highlight the patience and careful work that are required long before the meal reaches the table. Participants learned the proper steps of preparing wild onions, starting with trimming the tip of each onion while keeping the root intact. The roots are saved so they can be returned to the earth for further nourishment next spring. After the tips are removed, the onions are washed in water to remove dirt and debris. Once clean, the onions are sliced into smaller sections to be used in a variety of traditional dishes.
McHenry explained the workshop was designed to bring people together through shared preparation rather than a formal lecture.
"As I’m preparing to graduate, I wanted to create something that feels rooted in who we are,” she said. “I wanted this project to center social, culture, land and community.”
Respect for the land formed an important part of the discussion. McHenry reminded participants that harvesting wild onions carries with it a responsibility passed down through generations. She encouraged attendees to approach gathering with gratitude and respect for the land.
She also emphasized respect for the plant itself.
"These are ancestral lands and ancestral ways of eating,” McHenry said. “These onions are living beings that provide nutrients for us.”
Before pulling onions, Muscogee people often take a moment to pray and may lay out an offering of tobacco. McHenry described the practice as a way to give back and honor the land that provides food.
Some participants grew up harvesting, preparing and cooking wild onions. Others were new to the tradition or participating in the process for the first time. In addition to sharing cultural knowledge, the workshop provided a space for participants to share laughter and stories as they learned from one another and reconnected with this springtime tradition.
McHenry said she hopes the workshops encourage students and community members to ask questions, continue the tradition each spring and feel more confident taking part in ancestral ways of life.
The final workshop in the series takes place on Monday, March 23, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Student Center Building Core Values Cafe, 2170 Raven Circle in Okmulgee. It is free and open to the public, but space is limited. Those who plan to attend are asked to complete a pre-workshop survey.
If you’re looking for more wild onion activities, including dinners, Celeste Cleary of Bartlesville Community News and Shonday Randall have organized events across Oklahoma into one convenient map titled 2026 Wild Onion Dinners.
Other upcoming events include a Tulsa Native Youth Board Community Meal + Fundraiser at Burning Cedar Sovereign Wellness this Saturday. Proceeds will go to Tulsa Indian Education student Emilee Weavel, who is competing at the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues (NAUDL) 2026 Urban Debate National Championship at Harvard next month.
