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"Fry bread was born of necessity. Indian tacos were born of something else entirely — a love for chili, beans and lots of cheese.

What started in the late 1800s as sustenance concocted from government rations of lard, flour, salt and baking powder later became a staple in American Indian homes and at powwows.

To this day, an Oklahoma festival, fair or powwow just wouldn't be the same without a booth selling fry bread topped with layers of chili, beans, lettuce, tomato and cheese.

Some American Indians wish this high-calorie, high-fat food would just go away. Others want to preserve the history of it and worry that younger generations may let the tradition slip away.

Here's hope: Young people make up a good portion of those interested in and entering the National Indian Taco Competition, sponsored by the Osage Nation, in Pawhuska. Cooks from across the country travel to this event to show off their fry bread techniques and to assemble the best Indian tacos you've ever eaten."

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Video: Load it up: Indian tacos are rich in fat, history (The Tulsa World 5/13)