Michael does not like much. The long list of foods he will not touch includes sweets. For special occasions he likes crisps (or cwisps as he refers to them).
This morning I got this email from my husband.
From: Husband
Sent: 24 November 2010 12:37
To: Wife
Subject: Sounds like one for Michael
From the journal:
TAYTO PARK: The world’s first theme park dedicated to the humble crisp, Tayto Park, opens today. Launched on 55 acres of Meath farmland by crisp king Ray Coyle, the park will create 85 jobs and offer children the chance to visit Santa, experience a Native American village or, er, eat Irish crisps.
I thought you would like to know.
What the heck does a Native American village have to do with potato crisps?
I think you’ll have to go to Taytoworld to find out.
According to the website: “The Potatohontus Native American Village comprises six different tipi tents, each one hand painted in the national colours of its tribe.”
I expect Mr. Coyle may have his “Native Americans” confused. What Europe got from North America was corn (maize), which was brought to Europe following the establishment of the English colony at Jamestown in Virginia in 1607. Potatoes came from South America (Equador and Peru), and did not arrive in Europe until 1586 following Pizarro’s (Spain’s) conquest of the Incas.
Apparently, most “Native American tribes” are totally unaware that they have “national colours” and live in tipis. The Powhatans (Pocahontas’ tribe) lived in large communal lodges covered with reed matting — or did until they were wiped out by smallpox and measles.
The nomadic Indians of the western plains, such as the Lakota’s, the Cheyenne, maybe the Crow, would have lived in tipis (or tepees or teepees). But their diet consisted mostly of bison and other wild game. Mr. Coyle could import a herd of wild bison to really liven up his theme park!
BroLo: already done. http://www.taytocrisps.ie/park/explore/animals/ (scroll down to the ‘Buffalo Ridge’ section)
Marvellous! But you’d better tell Michael to get eating. You are going to need lots of those crisp packet tokens if you are to make the visit anyway affordable – €14 per adult and €12 per child is pretty steep for the “average” Irish family! Especially in these unmentionable times
I know, C, it is surprisingly steep, isn’t it? I will wait for first reviews from other crisp lovers before forking out my cash. I see you Americans are interested in our appreciation of Native American culture. Fascinating, isn’t it?