traditional foods in native america

8/18/2019 Traditional Foods in Native America

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Part I

tradItIonal Foods In

natIve amerIcaA compendium of stories from the Indigenous food sovereignty movement in

American Indian and Alaska Native communities


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“Food is at the center of our culture... it feeds our bodies and it feeds our spiritVanessa Cooper (Lummi)

Northwest Indian College - Traditional Plants & Food Program


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Acknowledgements

Te Native Diabetes Wellness Program expresses gratitude and thanks to Chelsea Wesner (Choctaw), AmericanIndian Institute, University of Oklahoma, who collected the interviews that inspired this report. Ms. Wesnerwrote the report in collaboration with the National Indian Health Board and the Native Diabetes WellnessProgram.

All collaborators would especially like to thank staff and tribal members from the programs featured:Mohegan Foodways (Mohegan ribe), Mvskoke Food Sovereignty Initiative (Muscogee (Creek) Nation), OneidaCommunity Integrated Food Systems (Oneida Nation), Seven Arrows Garden (Pueblo of Laguna), SuquamishCommunity Health Program (Suquamish ribe), and the raditional Plants & Food Program (Northwest IndianCollege). Tis report would not have been possible without the sharing of their stories and diverse experience inrestoring traditional food systems.

Suggested citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). raditional Foods in Native America: ACompendium of Stories from the Indigenous Food Sovereignty Movement in American Indian and AlaskaNative Communities—Part I. Atlanta, GA: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, Centers for Disease Control &Prevention.


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tAble of contents

3 Purpose and Background

3 raditional Foods Programs and Food Security

4 Methods

4 Key Findings and Shared Temes

feAtured trAditionAl foods ProgrAms: PAges 6-31

6 Mohegan Foodways - Mohegan ribe

12 Mvskoke Food Sovereignty Initiative (MFSI) - Muscogee (Creek) Nation

17 Oneida Community Integrated Food Systems (OCIFS) - Oneida Nation o Wisconsin

21 Seven Arrows Garden - Pueblo o Laguna

26 Suquamish Community Health Program - Suquamish ribe

29 raditional Plants & Food Program - Northwest Indian College (NWIC)

trAditionAl foods reciPes: PAges 32 - 42

33 Recipes rom the Oneida Nation o Wisconsin

36 Recipes rom the Suquamish ribe

38 Recipes rom the Muscogee (Creek) Nation

43 Contact Inormation

44 Additional Resources

45 Reerences


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PurPose And bAckground

Commissioned by the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention’s (CDC) Native Diabetes Wellness Program(NDWP), this report highlights traditional foodsprograms in six culturally and geographically diverseAmerican Indian and Alaska Native communities. Fordecades, American Indian and Alaska Nativecommunities have been reclaiming traditional foodsand practices as an integral part of the Indigenous foodsovereignty movement, which embraces identity andhistory, tribal sovereignty, traditional ways and culturalpractices to address health.

For more than a decade, the CDC’s NDWP hassupported tribally driven efforts to promote health andhelp prevent type 2 diabetes in American Indian andAlaska Native communities. Among many

promising efforts, such as the highly acclaimed EagleBooks series and the Diabetes Education inribal Schools K-12 Curriculum (DES), a particularlyinnovative approach to diabetes prevention has beenthe raditional Foods Program. Supporting theIndigenous food sovereignty movement to reclaimtraditional foods systems, NDWP also focuses ontraditional physical activity and culturally based socialsupport in tribal communities to address complexhealth disparities, such as diabetes, and socialdeterminants of health.

From 2008 to 2014, the NDWP has supported 17tribal communities through cooperative agreementsthat make up the raditional Foods Program. Te 17partner grantees are representative of tribes and tribalorganizations from coast to coast. Each site has taken aunique approach to restoring and sustaining ahealthful and traditional food system. Troughout thecourse of this program, the NDWP has learned evenmore the great value these projects provide in addition

to health promotion and diabetes prevention. Teprojects address critical issues such as food security,food sovereignty, cultural preservation, andenvironmental sustainability.

Consequently, in addition to highlighting stories aboutthe NDWP raditional Foods Program partnergrantees (see http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/projects/

diabetes-wellness.htm), the NDWP wanted to learnmore about traditional foods programs from acrossIndian Country. At first, the gathered stories were tohelp educate the NDWP about how to continue thiswork. However, the tribal representatives who toldtheir stories had other ideas. Tey wanted their storiesto be shared with all who could learn from them, withthe hope that those who heard the stories would then

share stories of their own. Te six stories presentedhere are the first in a series of three story collections toachieve that goal.

o collect this initial compendium of interviews andstories, the NDWP partnered with the NationalIndian Health Board (NIHB) who in turn contractedwith the author, Chelsea Wesner. Based on interviewswith key persons in each community, the storiesillustrate how six traditional foods programs are

providing food security efforts that are tribally-supported, culturally significant, and sourced in their very own communities. Te programs representedhere are a diverse network of communities from harshdesert climates to fertile coastal lands.

Traditional Foods Programs and Food Security

raditional foods programs play a promising role inaddressing food insecurity in Native Americancommunities, further supporting type 2 diabetes

prevention efforts among American Indian andAlaska Natives (AI/AN). A rare disease 60 years ago,the incidence of type 2 diabetes is now higher amongAI/AN adults and children than any other racial andethnic group in the United States (CDC, 2011). Ofgreat concern, AI/AN children, particularly thoseliving on or near reservation and tribal lands, are morelikely to experience type 2 diabetes, food insecurity,and obesity in comparison to all children in the U.S. ofsimilar ages (Gordon & Oddo, 2012).

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes, such as foodinsecurity, food environment, and poverty (Gordon& Oddo, 2012; Seligman et al., 2007; Berkowitz et al.,2013; Jones-Smith et al., 2013), pose significantbarriers to type 2 diabetes prevention in NativeAmerican communities. While adhering to a healthfuldiet is an important factor in diabetes prevention and

http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/projects/diabetes-wellness.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/projects/diabetes-wellness.htm


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control or those who have diabetes, it requires theavailability and affordability o healthul ood.

Availability of Healthful Food

In 2008, one in our AI/AN households were oodinsecure, and AI/AN households with children weremore than twice more likely to experience ood

insecurity than non-AI/AN households with children(Gordon & Oddo, 2012). Food deserts, a more seriousdegree o ood insecurity, exist in many o the moreisolated reservation and tribal lands, requiring peopleto travel long distances to supermarkets (Gordon &Oddo, 2012).

A study in 2012 by Bauer et al., ound 40 percent oamilies living on the Pine Ridge Reservation oodinsecure. In the same study, parents reported

experiencing multiple barriers to accessinghealthul ood. Much o the ood available in the homewas purchased at convenience stores on or near thereservation. A similar study in 2013 ound 29 percento children and 45 percent o adults ood insecure inour AI/AN communities in the Southwest, suggestinginterventions that address the affordability o healthulood and transportation to obtain resh ood areneeded (Mullany et al, 2013).

Affordability of Healthful Food

Food insecurity is urther compounded by poverty. In2010, more than 24 percent o AI/AN households werebelow the Federal poverty line in comparison to 15percent o all U.S. households (Gordon & Oddo, 2012).

While ood insecurity is associated with type 2diabetes and poverty (Seligman et al., 2007), it is alsoassociated with a ood environment that promotesobesity in households with children (Nackers &Appelhans, 2013). A recent study suggests changingthe ood environment alone is not sufficient inchanging healthul ood intake among lower incomeamilies (Jones-Smith et al, 2013). Food environmentin this study was the density o healthul andunhealthul ood vendors in a specific area (Jones-Smith et al, 2013). While unhealthul oodenvironments in this study were associated with a

higher prevalence o obesity, lower income participantsliving in healthul ood environments were more atrisk or obesity. Researchers suggest this inverserelationship might be explained by purchasing power.Families with limited income tend to purchase moreprocessed and unhealthul oods in a large grocerystore because they are ofen more affordable per caloriethan resh, whole oods (Mullany et al, 2013; Bauer

et al, 2012; Gordon & Oddo, 2012; Jones-Smith et al,2013). Tus, interventions that address ood insecurityshould also consider the affordability o healthul oodin the community.

methods

Te methods used in this report included a set o fiveopen–ended questions asked o each interviewee. Eachquestion and the answer make up the story or each

community. Te questions were most ofen answeredin writing, providing the interviewee time to thinkabout what she or he would like to say. Webelieve this method allowed or the rich andthoughtul narrative that each o these storytellersprovides.

Identified by the author, NIHB, and NDWP as havinginnovative approaches and promising practices, a totalo nine traditional oods programs were invited toparticipate. O those invited, six programs agreed.

Key findings and shared themes were identified andare listed below. Each o these findings and sharedthemes can be ound in all or some o the stories.

Te interviews with representatives o the sixtraditional oods programs ollow the list o keyfindings and shared themes. Included are traditionalood stories rom:

• Mohegan Foodways (Mohegan ribe, Connecticut)• Mvskoke Food Sovereignty Initiative (Muscogee

‘Creek’ Nation, Oklahoma)• Oneida Community Integrated Food Systems

(Oneida Nation o Wisconsin)• Seven Arrows Garden (Pueblo o Laguna, New

Mexico)• Suquamish Community Health Program


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(Suquamish ribe, Washington)• raditional Plants and Foods Program (Northwest

Indian College, Washington)

Representatives from each community also sharedtraditional foods recipes, contact information, andadditional resources for tribal communities interestedin developing their own traditional foods programs.

All programs featured in this report operateindependently from NDWP. Interviews wereconducted between May and July of 2013, andparticipation was voluntary.

key findings And shAred themes

Te traditional foods programs featured in this reportshare many common goals, with particular focus on

supporting local policies and health practices, thepreservation of stories and traditional methods ofgathering and preparing food, and engagingcommunity members. Some of the most commonlyshared themes among the programs include thefollowing:

• Educating community members about indigenousfood systems and raising awareness of the

• importance of restoring traditional methods.• Using organic growing methods to preserve the

environment and to increase access to healthierfoods.

• Striving to build community engagement, support,and leadership for program sustainability.

• Increasing the availability of healthful, local foodsin schools (farm to school policies).

• Establishing a local food economy through socialenterprises, farmers’ markets or other activities.

• Increasing access to traditional and healthful foodsfor tribal members.

• Fostering intergenerational knowledge throughengaging tribal elders in the local food system.

• Increasing physical activity through activities suchas gathering, gardening, harvesting, hunting,

• preserving, and preparing traditional foods.• Involving youth in program activities for

cultural preservation, community engagement,leadership development, and disease prevention/

health promotion.

Other critical themes included:

• Understanding the importance of plantdiversity, and educating tribal members aboutseeds in relation to genetic diversity and local foodsystems.

• Developing seed saving projects and offering seedsaving education.

• Learning about and implementing dry agriculturetechniques in harsh desert climates.

• Understanding how genetically-modified seeds,through cross pollination, threaten the integrity ofheirloom seeds.

• Practicing water conservation through waterharvesting and grey water irrigation systems.

• Improving soil quality and composting,

particularly in harsh desert climates.• Strategic planning for sustainability.• Completing a community food assessment to guide

program goals and objectives.• Increasing food security in the local tribal

community.• Increasing access to healthful and traditional foods

in tribal elder programs.• Strengthening cultural identity and knowledge

sharing among tribal members.

Key areas of interest for future work andsustainability include the following (primarily basedon oral interviews with program staff):

• Increasing education and outreach (for bothprogram staff and community-based classes).

• raining series on establishing a sustainable foodeconomy (social enterprises, farmers’ markets,cafes, local markets).

• Strategic planning and grant proposal trainings todiversify funding and create sustainable programs.

feAtured interviews

Te following section includes interviews with sixtraditional foods programs from the coastalcommunities of the Pacific Northwest to a NewEngland tribe near the Atlantic Ocean.


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Quote from Gladys Tantaquidgeon, Mohegan Medicine Woman, 1899-2005.Photo courtesy of Susan Meehan, Sutáyi Muks.

mohegAn foodwAys Wiyámo Mohiksinak, Healthy Mohegans

Mohegan Tribe

Connecticut

Mohegan Foodways is a program with the Mohegan

ribe. Te Mohegan ribe is located in southeasternConnecticut about 10 miles north of the Long IslandSound. With about 1,700 tribal members, the tribe’sreservation covers 700 acres.

Te following is an interview with Susan Meehan(Mohegan) from April 2013. Susan is the raditions &Outreach Specialist with the Mohegan ribe.

Q: What were the primary or original goals for starting

the Mohegan Foodways program? Did they involve food

sovereignty, identity, cultural preservation, improving

health, or another issue?

A: “In short, yes! All of the concepts in the list aboveare important considerations in regard to anysuccessful tribal program. Te connectedness of triballife impacts all aspects of our life: our sovereignty, our

cultural identity, our language, and all aspects of ourwell-being including spiritual, physical, emotional andmental health. In regard to food sovereignty, originalseeds are disappearing annually at an alarming rate.According to the mission statement of the Seed SaversExchange, “Agriculture and seeds provide the basis

upon which our lives depend. We must protect thisfoundation as a safe and genetically stable source forfuture generations (www.seedsavers.org).” In referenceto Seed Savers Exchange findings, Canadianresearcher, Brewster Kneen, suggests open-pollinated,non-genetically modified seed strains aredisappearing from the world at about the rate of 1%2% per year. Further, Kneen states, “Seed Saver foundthat 943 open-pollinated varieties available in 1984were no longer available from seed companies in 1987,and between 1987 and 1991, 1263 more varieties of

open-pollinated vegetable seed (23.8% of thecatalogues’ varieties) were dropped from the seedcompany catalogues. In addition, of the 5,797 vegetable varieties appearing in commercial seedcatalogues, 3002 are offered by only one company, withanother 883 offered by only two companies. In otherwords, unless strenuous efforts are made to save theseseeds, there could be a tremendous loss of genetic

http://www.seedsavers.org/http://www.seedsavers.org/


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diversity in just this area o vegetable seeds in the nextew years (Kneen 1995).”1

Many Americans, including many Mohegans, do notrealize the big picture o genetically modified seed ando hybrid plants; thereore, sharing a communitygarden o heirloom non-hybrid, non-modified vegetables is initially only sharing a community

garden that produces great-tasting oods. From thisseed which we plant today with care and consideration,the larger picture grows deep-seated roots and shapesthe bigger picture in the mindset o our uturegenerations. Some o this generation may not everrealize what is at risk with lack o plant diversity andsterile2 hybrids, but this generation can be motivatedto preserve the seed or the next generation withoutever having to understand the importance o suchefforts. Tey may or may not realize the crisis, but still,

they can help pave the path with smooth river stonesor the uture.

In simple terms, we encompass this larger message allalong the way showing our people a hybrid gourd, onethat looked pretty with yellow and green interestingbumps. Te dried gourd is the same color as the purestrain but it eels thin-skinned and weak, and evenmore concerning, the music is missing. When youshake the dried hybrid, the music is silent – there is noso rattle sound because the hybrid is without seed -

an empty, thin shell o what once was.

A primary goal in establishing Wiyámo Mohiksinak isto plant the seeds or a sustainable program that willdevelop with Mohegan encompassing uturegenerations. Directly due to Meehan’s studies atGoucher College or her Master o Arts in CulturalSustainability (MACS, Class o 2013), WiyámoMohiksinak is a sustainable program considering allacets o the pillars o sustainability as defined by the2002 Melbourne Principles (Melbourne Principles,UNEP, 2002). Wiyámo Mohiksinak is steeped in

1 Kneen, Brewster. (1995). From Land to Mouth,Understanding the Food System. Toronto, Ontario: NC PressLimited, 1995.

2 Unlike hybrid animals (e.g. mules) that are unable toreproduce, hybrid plants are not completely sterile. However, hybrid

plants do not breed true, and seedless varieties can only reproducevegetatively, i at all.

Mohegan culture with minimal economic need incompanion, organic garden beds that result inenvironmental sustainability and responsibility.Awáhkuwôk ahykihcáwôk is a socially equitablecommunity project or all Mohegan community.

While we have maintained a version o a communitygarden over the years, the difference today is stability

o location and interaction o our people at the new(2010) Mohegan Community and Government Center.As we embark on our seasonal Awáhkuwôkahykihcáwok (the Community Garden) atMohegan Community and Government Center,Mohegan’s Cultural and Community Programstogether with the community will nurture and osterour garden. Every week our summer camp and ourcultural docents (a mentoring and summer internshipprogram designed by Mohegan’s Human Resources

and by Sandra Pineault, Manager, MoheganCommunity and Cultural Programs) have a workshopwith Meehan centered around Wiyamo Mohiksinakand the community garden, Awáhkuwôkahykihcáwôk. Some hands-on activities includeharvesting and sharing resh vegetables and makingherbal teas. More academia related topics includediscussion comparing indigenous oods and non-indigenous oods and the direct impact o oods on ourhealth and well-being. In the tradition o our ancestorswe will annually save the best o our heirloom seeds to

ensure a strong oundational root system upon whichMohegan can build, develop, and sustain our health,our ideals, our culture and our people.”

Q: What is your favorite thing about being involved in a

local food system?

A: “Helping to orm the oundation or healthier livingor uture generations o Mohegan citizens and ourcommunity is the most exciting part o being involvedin the local ood system. Tough we are starting with asimple garden and our stories, the big-picture,encompassing approach will integrate the WiyámoMohiksinak programming across many departmentswithin Mohegan government. Mohegan’s Cultural &Community Programs is working with Monica FarinaRN, MS, CDE rom Mohegan Health Support Servicesunder the Special Diabetes Program or Indians Grant


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to acilitate a Mohegan Community garden tooster integration o nutritional concepts,hands-on activities, cultural conceptsand oral traditions about the oodswe choose to eat. MoheganGovernment and CommunityCenter houses Cultural andCommunity Programs under

the management o SandyPineault; MoheganRecreation Department,Mohegan ribal HealthSupport Services and ribalFamily Services and allo Mohegan government’soffices. With our culturalguidance stemming romthe Council o Elders and our

Medicine Woman Melissaantaquidgeon Zobel (Zobel alsoserves Mohegan in the capacity oExecutive Director o Cultural andCommunity Programs and ribalHistorian), programmingwithin Wiyámo Mohiksinak can establish rootsthat can grow to sustain the test o time or uturegenerations. Another important thing to mention isthat personally, I have been impacted by the ribe’sinitiatives to improve the health o our citizens. I have

recently joined the ribe’s Healthy Heart initiative andparticipated in the diabetes prevention and educationprograms losing over 8% o my total body weight andwalking several miles a week, stretching and practicingour ribal dances alongside our tribal youth. Tis isthe first year I have ever been able to win the “FeatherChallenge!” Te Feather Challenge is a social danceor a game played by many North American tribes.A clean turkey or goose eather is placed on theground – grass gives the best advantage to the player.Tere is a specific song that accompanies the FeatherChallenge. As the song starts, the player dances his/herbest around the eather. When the rhythm o the songchanges to a very ast energetic beat, the player mustpick up the eather. Only the soles o the player’s eetmay touch the ground, and the player may use only hermouth to pick up the eather, so the Feather Challengeis a game o stretching, balance and agility. We ofen

joke that is also a game in which the playermust learn when to surrender – or they

may end up with their ace plantedin Mother Earth. It is important

to me to live what I amtrying to share with our

community, so I havebeen making better ood

and activity choices thisyear. In summary to thisquestion, my avoritething about beinginvolved in MoheganFoodways is the potential

to have great positiveimpact upon the overall

health o uture Mohegangenerations.”

Q: What traditional Mohegan

foods are found in the Mohegan

Foodways program?

Is there a particular approach

you take when restoring

traditional foods and methods?

A: “Whether a tradition is a ood or music or a dance,the first move in a game-plan to restore a traditionincluding a traditional ood is to ascertain what past-

practice encompasses. What is the tradition? Whatare the cultural markers surrounding this traditionalood? Mohegan’s tribal community is all about thepast and its immediate, circular impact upon thepresent and the uture. At Mohegan, the first places tostart to determine past practice are two-old: ask the“old ladies” and consult Mohegan Archives. Toughsomewhat cumbersome, Mohegan Library andArchives is a treasure chest o 3-dimensional and in-print past Mohegan practice that was, until recently,maintained by a aithul Mohegan elder, FaithDamon-Davison. Davison once reerred to me as “likeme,” (She was saying I reminded her o a younger“Faith.”) a “keeper,” meaning someone who would holdonto something important until the time came to let itout rom under the bed. Tis was a great complimentrom Davison! In Mohegan Archives, anything thatmentioned Mohegan in any way was archived into a

Elder Accomac Sharon Maynard painting ceremonialsymbols on the faces of Mohegan youth.

Photo courtesy of Susan Meehan.


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“...if you are going to nurture a program for the people, it must ultimately start and be in the hands of the

people. Building things FOR people is not nearly as valuable as building things WIH the people so theyknow how to succeed on their own one day.” Susan Meehan (Mohegan)

mentioned Mohegan in any way was archived into afile: files include headings such as “corn” or “basketry”or “symbols,” and within each file is everything thatDavison ever encountered about that heading, alongwith an intelligible summary written by Davison asMohegan Archivist. Current Mohegan Librarian andArchivist David Freeburg together with Moheganassistant Rachel Sayet, have brought these valuable

summaries into the 21st century digitally scanning thedocuments into a searchable database, andestablishing up-to-date blogs o the happenings aroundthe reservation. So, “Archives,” i you are lucky enoughto have a “keeper” in your ribe, is the easy answer tothis question.

alking to your elders is sometimes not so easy. Eldershave unique ways about them – when it is time to talkabout something, it is time to talk, and this time is not

necessarily right now even i your school paper is duetomorrow. alking to your elders about such importantmatters as “traditions” including traditional oods maymean years o listening to a lot o things one may notthink has anything to do with the topic at hand, butsometimes turns out to have everything to do with theanswers you were seeking. At Mohegan, we are luckyto have our Council o Elders, an elected body o seventribal elders who serve many unctions, but amongstthose unctions, they offer guidance in all matters oMohegan culture, they appoint ceremonial positions

such as Medicine Person, and Fire Keeper, and theyserve to protect our governing document assuring thatall legislation is true to the Mohegan Constitution.Having a Council o Elders does not minimalize ourmany other tribal elders and their input, but turningto the Council o Elders does offer a great place toembark upon a project. Aer the elders, I would stillstrongly recommend talking to the people, as manyas possible, rom the children to the parents to thegrandparents and aunties and uncles. I you are goingto nurture a program or the people, it must ultimatelystart and be in the hands o the people. Building thingsFOR people is not nearly as valuable as building thingsWIH the people so they know how to succeed ontheir own one day. As in any group, a program’s successis oen determined by how much it is an idea o thepeople and is true to the ideals o the people. Insummary, plan to spend a great deal o time

listening beore you even begin to plan and program– the Creator gave us two ears and only one mouthor good reason. Plant the seeds, ask the question, andthen listen or a long time. Kitámôq. Listen.”

Q: In what ways has the Mohegan Foodways program

been a champion for improving health in your tribal

community?

A: “Being a champion takes a long time and a lot opractice. I think Wiyámo Mohiksinak has the potentialor champion status. Integrating our culture with ourmessages is integral to appealing to our community.Programs such as Wiyámo Mohiksinak will be moresuccessul i analogous to the messages our culture,our celebrations including seasonal celebrations, ouroral histories, our lesson stories and our lie-trailshave shown us. Food is a component in nearly every

cultural marker, in every lie transition across everysociety upon Nahkás Áhki (Mother Earth), ood is lie;without ood, there is no lie. For that reason, ood isan easy integration into any program, and with anyprogram, trying to offer healthy options and pertinentinormation is a good place to start. For example, startwith what our people know – they watch television.A native-based movie coupled with dinner includinghealthy Mohegan oods was a natural result and a greatsuccess. Storytelling and sharing stories – these arehuman nature, at least here at Mohegan. Add yoh’kik

(roasted, pounded corn meal) and a reasonable servingo vanilla ice cream – nuks (yes), Mohegans will come!aking something that someone already enjoys, andadding healthy oods is a good sale’s tactic. Offering“water” as the drink o choice at many events is alsoan easy option that can truly impact the health o thepeople. Replacing just one sugary or caffeinated drinka day with water can make a difference. In all buildingblocks with the large picture o Wiyámo Mohiksinak,providing inormation and healthy ood optionsprovides good oundation or healthy habits.

Giving our people the knowledge, skills and toolsets tomake healthier choices works. Being considerate o thethings that people enjoy, and coupling these activitieswith healthy and tasty ood options helps oster thecause o healthier choices. By reasonable and realisticchoices, one must realize that while Mohegan is in the


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Autumn Sun Catrina Meehan waiting or Harvest Dance Celebration.Photo courtesy o Susan Mehan.

lush green hills o Connecticut, the space availablethat is not developed is sparse compared to the spacein which our ancestors enjoyed. We cannot expectour people to harvest wild plants as we have a couple

o generations o knowledge gaps missing. While thisknowledge o sae to eat plants is something we canaspire to, we have misplaced this traditional knowledgein our 21st century busy liestyles. Our reasonableexpectations may include choosing a handul o reshruit and nuts and maybe a ew dark chocolate chipsinstead o a candy bar, and a definite better choice isthat glass o water over that soda.

Repetition and consistency are also keys to success.For example, all programs that involve our youthbegin with a similar code o conduct review. Tiscode o conduct is on posters and print outs in bothchild-riendly and legalese language, and it starts with,“Be nice,” and “Respect.” Offering water only as a drinkat our programs is becoming more popular.Sometimes, these offerings include tea and coffee.Ultimately, some o this tea will come romAwáhkuwôk ahykihcáwok, our Mohegan CommunityGarden rom the strawberry leaves, mints and SweetMace o our ancestors that will grow this season in

Awáhkuwôk ahykihcáwok.

In summary to this question, being a champion is yetto come or Wiyámo Mohiksinak, MoheganFoodways, and Awáhkuwôk ahykihcáwok, theCommunity Garden, because many times championsare not recognized or a long time rom when theyonce championed or their people. What seems like a

minor decision today can mean everything tomorrow.Tis year, the new location o our garden at MoheganCommunity and Government Center was unded bythe ribe’s Diabetes Education Grant. Perhaps it willbe that one seed that was saved rom hegemony in ourhybrid world, or perhaps it will be that one story thatstood the test o time and is repeated by agrandmother to her Mohegan grandchild seven

generations rom now. It could be that one day that wedecided to walk on the upper path and reject a violentanswer, or it could be that one punch we threw to savea sister. Champions take many moons to come into thelight and to recognize sometimes.”

Q: What advice would you offer tribes that are

interested in starting their own community food

system?

A: “We started with only the classic “Tree Sisters”over a decade ago up at Fort Hill. All we grew wasMohegan flint corn, beans and squash, and maybesome strawberries, tomatoes and Jerusalem artichokes.Tis was a good oundation. With our corn harvest wemanaged to use a ood processor to make ourtraditional ground corn yoh’kik or travelling ood. Wehave perected this process over the years firstroasting our corn kernels with a little hard-wood ash,and grinding our roasted kernels in a stone mortarwith wooden pestle, siing it or those concerned

about their dental work. Yoh’kik has such a nutty,pleasant taste and my kids have used it on ice cream, inpancakes, or pancakes, in mashed potatoes, in soups,and sprinkled on just about any ood. Ironically, tosome this may seem like stepping backward rom oodprocessor to mortar and pestle, but in our minds wehave “perected” and relearned the value deep withinthe lessons o our ancestors. oday, it may not eedeven a micro-world, but envision tomorrow and alwayskeep your heart set on the prize.

Each year, someone has brought a new, oldcomponent back to the garden to share, and to plant.Sage, sweetgrass, cucumbers, more bean varietiesand more squash varieties have been introduced, butcare is taken not to cross-breed our heirloom seedsto create sterile hybrids. Knowledge is power, and asour early 20th century chie Harold antaquidgeon


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said, “A smart Indian uses what is available to him,” ashe covered his wigwam with ree surplus canvas. Ourchildren have no idea how hard it once was to findinormation. Now-a-days the directions are but a clickaway: how to plant, harvest, save seed and prepare justabout any ood imaginable is available online. Tisis another way to pull in our 21st century dwellers –research and finding answers is a key component tolearning, and children instinctively like to seek answerswhether it is by talking to their grandparents orenlisting the internet.

Sometimes you think a program is working, and youthink you are successully conveying a message, andthen you find that you have not adequately explainedthe “WHY.” For example, we ound that our childrenhad no idea why Mohegan did not recognizeColumbus Day as a “holiday” – wasn’t the ribal Office

just opened because we (the children) have no school,so we get to go to Camp? Like most children, in theirinnocence who believe anything that happens must bea direct result o something to do with them (whetherthis thing that happened is good or bad), Moheganchildren assumed we stayed open to be able to havethem come to camp or a day out o school. Do not bearaid o mistakes. Mistakes are our opportunities to

do better next time. Mistakes provide our directionbook.

Te ollowing year we made the message more clearwith a Columbus Day re-enactment o Columbus’enslavement o the indigenous (the “Indians”) on theCaribbean islands off the coast o urtle Island. Forthe adults, it was very daunting to have this man with

a sword given the best we had to offer, and in turngive us these large silver bracelets as he spit the bestood we had to offer in our aces. For the kids it wassword-bearing pirates, chains, running, “acting,” andun, but beore the end, they understood what wewere trying to tell them. When they viewed the nowquieting scene: the empty smoldering village with noIndians le to run, and the laughing parade oColumbus’ men, aer a while, they paused in theirun – there were no more Indians. Tey understood.

Columbus was not a nice man who simply sailed theocean blue. His arrival heralded empty villages scarredwith enslavement and murder or many indigenouspeoples.

Addressing with our children why this matters todayis vital to connecting with our upcoming generations.World-wide, cultures are still under attack, andbullying and hatred toward people because o theirdifferences is not the path we want to travel. Here isanother connecting thread: biodiversity in people is as

valuable as that in our garden. We summed the day upwith a east as it may have looked here on the easternshorelines o Mohegan’s homeland in the dawn o the16th century. Food is always good consolation aer asad story. Learning rom our mistakes or our“teachings” allows us to change to meet theever-changing needs o our people.”

Special thanks to Ms. Susan Meehan, Sutáyi Muks, of the

Mohegan ribe for sharing her time and stories. o learn

more about this project, please find contact information

on page 43.

Klindest Patricia quote on wood sign. Photo courtesy o Susan Meehan.


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Indian pumpkin plants from seeds provided by MFSI growing at the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture Farm, Poteau, Oklahoma.Tese pumpkins are light tan in color and are very tasty in pies, breads, and other dishes. Seeds can be toasted and eaten as well. Seeds are also saved

for growing next year. Picture taken by MFSI, August 23, 2013.

mvskoke

food sovereignty

initiAtiveMuscogee (Creek) Nation

Oklahoma

Te Mvskoke Food Sovereignty Initiative (MFSI) isa well-established organization led by Darrell Fox(Mvskoke) within the Muscogee (Creek) Nation inOklahoma. Located in east central Oklahoma, theMuscogee (Creek) Nation covers nearly three millionacres and has approximately 75,697 enrolled members.

Te ollowing is an interview with June Marshall andthe MFSI staff rom May 2013. June is a CommunityCoordinator and Program Director with MFSI.

Q: What were the primary (or original) goals for start-ing the Mvskoke Food Sovereignty Initiative? Did they

involve food sovereignty, identity, cultural preservation,

improving health, or another issue?

A: “It was at the April 13, 2005, project meeting, thatthe mission statement was being developed and theollowing was to be submitted to the Attorney

General’s Office to use to draf the legislation or theNational Council Resolution to recognize andpossibly und the Mvskoke Food SovereigntyInitiative: Te Mvskoke Food Sovereignty Initiativewill enable the Muscogee (Creek) Nation to provideor the ood and health needs o its citizens now and inthe uture through sustainable agriculture, economic

development, community involvement, cultural andeducational programs. Later, the word ‘citizens’ waschanged to read: “…enable the Mvskoke people andtheir neighbors…”

Te three options that the MFSI had to consider waswhether or not to continue as a steering committeeand apply or nonprofit status under tribal law, orm aboard o directors and officers and apply or nonprofitstatus under the State o Oklahoma and then applyor 501(c) (3), or become a part o another 501(c) (3)

and work under their auspices. Te ad hoc committeecomposed o eleven Muscogee (Creek) Nation (MCN)citizens and neighbors discussed many ideas andconcepts or goals. One issue that kept suracing washow to involve the community centers into MFSIactivities and services. Tis was thought to be a vital link to the citizen. A huge ollowing continued


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to come to meetings to discuss the ood needs o theMuscogee peoples. It dawned on the group that thiswas probably the first time in the long history o theMuscogee people that they were almost completelydependent on outside sources or their oods.

Goals were established at the March 30, 2005, meeting:• Plan and develop marketing strategies connecting

tribal ood service provides with tribal and localood producers.

• Develop and maintain a sustainable agricultureprogram throughout the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

• Implement a tribal greenhouse and otherseason extension systems to assure year roundresh produce.

• Implement community gardens and armersmarkets programs.

• Provide garden services and products or

Muscogee citizens.• Provide educational opportunities involving

nutrition, organic gardening, traditional oods,traditional non-ood uses o plants (baskets, cras,etc.) and other related topics.

• Create an intertribal marketing network.

As it turned out, the Mvskoke Food SovereigntyInitiative, Inc. received the not or profit certificate oincorporation rom the State o Oklahoma December8, 2006, and a board o directors and officers were

ormed, and MFSI applied or IRS 501 (c) (3) statusthat was granted June 18, 2007.”


local food system?

A: “MFSI avorite thing about being involved in a localood system is all the neighbors we have met and theriendships we have developed. Te completed grantsand the grants we are currently working on have reallyhelped MFSI reach into the heart o our communities.”

Q: What traditional Mvskoke foods are found in the

MFSI? Is there a particular approach you take when

restoring traditional foods and methods?

A: “Te raditional Mvskoke Foods Recovery Projectis currently the only ormal approach that Mvskoke

Children planting celery at the Wilson Garden. Photo courtesy of MSFI.

Food Sovereignty Initiative has or increasing

production, availability o seeds, and consumption otwo traditional Mvskoke tribal crops -- sofe (osafe)corn and Indian pumpkin.

Indian pumpkin belongs to the gourd amily and isindigenous to the Americas; it has been cultivated byancestors o the Mvskokvlke or over 4,000 years.Indian pumpkin is endangered in terms oaccessibility, which directly stems to availability oseed, a pass-along variety, or planting. Tere are veryew armers that continue to grow Indian pumpkin inthe Muscogee Nation today. Although there aregenetically-related varieties rom the Cucurbitamoschata species, such as Buckskin, Kentucky Field,and Seminole Pumpkin, which is also endangered,elders know that there is a distinct difference in thetexture and taste o the pumpkin meat. Tere is much value in revitalizing this particular variety o pumpkinin terms o its nutritional value and what it cancontribute to a tribal group that has a disproportionateincidence o diet-related diseases compared to the rest

o the population. Both sofe corn and Indianpumpkin originate rom seed lines that began insoutheastern tribal homelands and have continued asa part o Mvskoke ood ways today. Sofe corn andIndian pumpkin are o significant value and representsustenance that is revered through language, stories,belies, and patterns o behavior that contribute to the


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MFSI cooking class. Photo couresy o MSFI.

larger value systems o the Mvskokvlke.

At the beginning o this project Stephanie B. Berryhill,project manager, who is also an applied anthropologist,believed that Mvskoke people had stopped growingsofe corn around 40 years ago. Te biggest obstaclesdirectly related to growing this corn was access toseed. Mvskoke Food Sovereignty Initiative (MFSI),as an organization, had been mistaken regarding theextremely limited availability o this seed or planting.Te very limited amount o sofe corn that was in thepossession o MFSI could not be ormally identified

as sofe corn, although it was utilized or planting andwith limited success.

Te ideal situation in terms o sofe seed or plantingwould have been a seed donation by a Mvskoke elderand/or amily members who had kept seed that hadbeen grown in their amilies and had been passeddown to subsequent generations. By the end o thisproject, Berryhill was able to identiy a source or whatis believed to be original sofe corn that was grown byMvskoke people aer arrival in Indian erritory(Oklahoma). Tis was possible through Berryhill’swork interviewing elders on their knowledge o oodways as well as local amily growing practices andhistories.

Te work was originally implemented at twoprojects sites in located in Okmulgee and Creek

counties through grant unding rom SustainableAgriculture Research and Education Program. It iscurrently being grown at the Kerr Center orSustainable Agriculture through its horticultureprogram work related to a Natural ResourcesConservation Service grant, under which Berryhillworks and is continuing this project.

Te first objective o the original project includedgrowing plots o two traditional crops - sofe corn andIndian pumpkin - using modern equipment andconventional plant/row spacing. Te secondobjective included training community growers aboutseed saving techniques and to save seeds rom eachcrop or ree distribution to other communities andamilies or the 2013 growing season. Te thirdobjective included working with the Muscogee (Creek)Nation Food and Fitness Policy Council to engage

tribal government leaders, local armers, and tribalnutrition program providers (elderly nutritionprogram, child care, etc.) to incorporate support orlocal armers to grow traditional crops through aprocurement policy or local, sustainably producedarm products. Te ourth objective included utilizingtraditional knowledge o tribal elders to teach, throughour cooking classes held at Wilson IndianCommunity Center, young women o parenting ageand youth about preparation o Indian pumpkin andsofe corn dishes. Te fih objective included the

collection and publication o stories about traditional

Black pot used to prepare osae corn. Photo courtesy o MSFI.


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Children’s artwork rom the MFSI Cookbook.

oods in the MFSI newsletter. Tis wasdone in order to increase awareness othe cultural and nutritional significanceo Indian pumpkin and sofe corn aswell as to motivate people to add suchoods to their diets.

Objective 1 included growing, using

modern equipment and conventionalplant/row spacing, two plots o sofecorn and Indian pumpkin. Te seed orsofe corn planting was given to LukeFisher, a certified organic armer, whose amily arm islocated near Bristow in Creek County. Fisher seededthe corn indoors and transplanted one acre o cornon an isolated area o his property in order to preventcross pollination by other varieties. Te corn thatFisher grew was affected by limited rainall and did not

produce the amount o seed that was planned or inthe original project design. Tere is no sofe corn seedavailable or distribution in 2013.

Indian pumpkin seed was a pass-along varietyobtained rom a Hanna armer. Four acres o Indianpumpkin were planted by Barton Williams at WilsonCommunity Garden in Okmulgee County. Tepumpkin was direct seeded to the field. While Indianpumpkin seed will be available or distribution in 2013,the crop was significantly affected by a squash bug

inestation.

Objective 2 included training community growersabout seed saving techniques. Tis was done throughseed saving and cooking classes that were held threetimes at Wilson Indian Community Center and wereled by elder community members. Te ocus o theseclasses were youth, although there was a broad rangeo class attendees that included other tribal communitymembers (Okuskee County) who were interested inholding similar classes. Berryhill offered twoadditional seed saving and cooking classes in othertribal communities and included Sapulpa ElderlyNutrition Program, which operates out o SapulpaIndian Community Center, and is located in CreekCounty and Okmulgee Elderly Nutrition Center,located in Okmulgee County. Te ocus o thesetrainings or elders was to encourage them to include

pumpkin as a regular part o their diets. Additionally,saer, healthier, and more efficient methods opreparation, and cooking Indian pumpkin wereoffered. Te recipe or “ried” pumpkin was modifiedwith healthier substitutes, olive oil and organic agavesweetener, or original ingredients, which includedpork at and sugar.

Objective 3 included working with the Muscogee(Creek) Nation Food and Fitness Policy Council todevelop procurement policies or growers that producesofe corn, Indian pumpkin, and other local,sustainably produced arm products. In September2013 the tribal law-making body passed legislation toofficially support tribal program purchases rom localood producers, which was a direct result oprocurement policy that was developed by the tribalood and fitness policy council.

Objective 4 utilized tribal elders to teach classes onpreparing, processing, and cooking the traditionalcorn drink sofe, Indian pumpkin, and cvtvhakv, “bluebread,” -- a dumpling made rom corn meal. Teseclasses, which targeted youth participants, were held atWilson Indian Community Center and were taught bylocal community elders as well as Berryhill.

Objective 5 included the collection and publication ostories about traditional oods in the MFSI newsletter.

Elders who offered inormation about traditional oodways oen ended up being interviewed as a result ocasual conversations where they revealed invaluabledetails related to knowledge systems that are rapidlybeing lost. One o the most valuable aspects o thisproject is the knowledge o ood ways that are beingdocumented. Te work o this project is ongoing and

“It is critical for youth to learn how to grow and prepare and process traditional foods if such

food ways are to continue.”


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has been the impetus or gaining valuable inormationabout ood processes that were thought to have beenindefinitely lost with the passing o elders. Tere arestill those who hold such knowledge and oentimesit is not their own lived experience, but the memorieso the old ways as told to them by elder mothers andgrandmothers. It reminds us that progress,technology, and convenience is not without a price.

Ancient knowledge systems, processes related to oodproduction, and the way that Native languages encodesuch knowledge should be approached with anurgency or documentation.

Tis work is tied into building a tribal ood system thatincludes approaches that begin at the grassroots levelwith tribal communities - elders teaching youth - toprocurement policies that support tribal purchasesrom local growers or programs that eed young

children and elders on a daily basis. Te long termbenefits o this work are directly related to the targetaudience. It is critical or youth to learn how to growand prepare and process traditional oods i such oodways are to continue. As individuals that will be ochild-bearing and care giving age in the next ten yearsit is critical that they continue such learning that willprepare them to grow ood and cook healthy wholeoods that will model positive patterns o behavior orthe next generation. Te work o the Muscogee (Creek)Nation ribal Food and Fitness Policy Council has

been the catalyst or tribal law that supports tribalprogram procurement rom local ood producers,including growers. raditional tribal whole oods arehealthy, are tied to Mvskoke belies and identity, andare culturally appropriate oods that should be offeredon the plates o tribal programs that eed youngchildren and elders on a daily basis. ribal laws thatsupport the procurement o such whole oods romlocal growers has the potential to bolster thedevelopment o a tribal ood system that cancontribute to reversing diet-related diseases.Actionable efforts to begin building such a ood systemrequire the collaboration o tribal officials, leaders,programs, and communities, although it is yet to berealized.”

Q: In what ways has the MFSI been a champion for

improving health in your tribal community?

A: “eaching how to grow healthy oods within ourtribal communities.”

Q: What advice would you offer tribes that are interested

in starting their own community food system?

A: “Education, involvement and support rom riballeaders.

Education: Our initial actions were to get as manypeople in our community educated as to oodsustainability as possible. We did this by attending eachcommunity ribal meetings and asking i we couldspeak or a ew minutes regarding ood and healthissues. We gave out inormation pamphlets to tribalmembers and the general public and we offered

educational classes at our acilities. Our staff traveledto as many places as possible to urther educatethemselves.

Involvement: We collaborated with as many o ourexisting ribal government agencies as possible suchas our Elderly Program, Diabetes Program, IndianHealth, and WIC, along with these affiliations we wereable to establish a Food and Fitness Policy entity andadopt legislation rom the ribe to adopt a Resolutionor our ribe regarding our Food and Fitness uture.

ribal Leaders: Our organization would not exist had itnot been or the support rom our ribal leaders. Teirinterest, insight, and input help guide our organizationon the path o sustainability. We continue to be a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization and apply or Grants butwe also are in partnership with the ribe. Once theribal leaders understood what we were doing andrealized all the health benefits or our ribal members,they offered their complete support.”

Special thanks to Ms. June Marshall and the MFSI staff

for sharing their time and stories. o learn more about

this project, please find contact information on page 43.


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Buffalo of the Oneida Nation Farm, Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin. Photo courtesy of OCIFS.

oneidA community

integrAted food systems Oneida Nation

Wisconsin

Oneida Community Integrated Food Systems (OCIFS)

is a comprehensive food system within the Oneidaribe of Indians of Wisconsin. Located just miles eastof Green Bay, Wisconsin, the Oneida Nation has morethan 16,000 enrolled members and the reservationspans more than 65,500 acres.

Te following is an interview with Jeff Metoxen(Oneida) and William (Bill) VerVoort from July 2012.Jeff is Chairman of OCIFS and Bill is a ProgramCoordinator with OCIFS.

Q: What were the primary (or original) goals for starting

OCIFS? Did they involve food sovereignty, identity,

cultural preservation, improving health, or another issue?

A: “Te tribe recognized the importance of FoodSecurity and Food Sovereignty, even if they were notthe cliché words of that time. Like its name sake, the

integrating of food was a primary goal of OCIFS. Itrequired the involvement of the community and not just ones that worked directly with food. Te currentmembership reflects the involvement andparticipation of the diverse approach we have to taketo address our community’s food insecurity. Ourtribe faced and continues to address many issues that

require them to be approached in different ways forsuccess. It was not limited to food, health, cultural andtraditional values, knowledge, and economicdevelopment. Each of these, including others notmentioned is always on our minds. We pursue waysand ideas to affect them in a positive manner. OurFood, especially our traditional meals are a primaryaspect for these areas and it covers many fields andprovides us all with sustenance in its many forms.” JeffMetoxen, Director syunhehkwa

“It basically involved all of these things. It is difficultto say you have sovereignty when you have to rely onoutside sources for your food supply, so yes foodsovereignty did play a role. Te same can be said ofcultural preservation; as the saying goes “you are whatyou eat.” It is very important to us that the Oneida


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youth not only know of our traditional foods, but actually consume them as well. Tis leads us to the issuesof our modern industrialized food system. Not onlycan the present food system be directly related to ourhealth issues (of the 7,055 Oneidas living on or nearthe Oneida reservation 2158, 1 in 3, areparticipants in the Oneida Health Centers diabeticprogram, which does not include non-participants or

the undiagnosed). But it also leads to the destructionof our environment (fuel consumption, run offpollution and many others).” William (Bill) VerVoort

Q: How did the OCIFS get started? (And how long has

it taken to establish all the different programs: Oneida

Farm, Food Distribution Program, Farmers Market,

Orchard, Tsyunhehkwa, Falling Leaves 4-H, and Health

Promotions?)

A: “Our first step was getting community data onhealth issues on this reservation, diabetes rate andrelated health data on issues involving health in ourcommunity. If you have a health center, they arerequired to keep data on health in the community.However, getting data back out of the system can betricky. In our case, we used diagnostic codes to trackhealth related issues. We are also working with a localEpicenter and a report is generated every two years,roughly, on community health issues. We receive theSpecial Diabetes Grant and part of the

requirements is to look at the diabetes rate in ourcommunity on a yearly basis. Once we had a picture ofthe community health issues, education and awarenesskicked in.

We worked with a raditional Wellness person to geta cultural perspective on food and indigenous foodsfor this community. We started looking at some of thehealth issues in our community. We also startedlooking at the school and issues of medication andhealth within our school system. A program wascreated to work on policy development and process

improvement strategies of getting healthyfood into our school system.

We discovered with the averagetransportation of foods to our area, fresh foodis in transit possibly as long as two weeks ormore. Over time, fruits and vegetables beginto lose nutritional value. You think you areeating healthy but food is depleted by the timeit arrives here!

Tis got us thinking about integrating ourown food products and locally grown organicfarmers in our area, why not create a localfood economy for our meals programs, whichis the school, day care, child care and elderlymeals programs, because the food is createdby the same source for these programs.Laying hens roaming the Tsyunhehkw^ fields (Oneida word for ‘Life

Sustenance’). Photo courtesy of OCIFS.

Veggies from the OCIFS members on the Oneida Tribal HighSchool Lunch Menu. Farm To School Project.

Photo courtesy of OCIFS.

“It is very important to us that the Oneida youth not only know of our traditional foods, but actually consume

them as well.” William (Bill) VerVoort


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When OCIFS began in 1994, we did not have enoughproduction to provide enough ood or thecommunity. As our production increases, we arelooking at how to integrate our own ood products

back into the tribal organization. Tis led us to doinga Community Food Assessment in 2009. We considerthis document to be a continued work in progress andplan to update it every 3-4 years. From this we wouldlike to create an advisory team to change some o thetribal purchasing policies to integrate our own oodsback into the organization. Our goal is to integrate10% o ood purchases rom OCIFS back into the tribalorganization.

Oneida Farm started in 1978, Food DistributionProgram started in 1980, Farmers Market started in2001, Orchard started in 1994, syunhehkwa startedin 1995, Falling Leaves 4-H started in 2002.”


local food system?

A: “Te possibilities and how important they are. TeOneida ribe was way ahead o the curve when youthink o the importance o ood. In the past 5 years

more and more people understand the relationshipbetween ood and our health. Te projected healthcare costs o the U.S. in nutrition related diseases are$147 billion a year. But we are not just talking aboutmoney or even quality o lie. We are talking aboutthe security o this country. Presently, 27% o youngadults are too overweight to qualiy or military

service. My avorite thing about being involved in thelocal ood system is the importance and thedifference we can make in our community.”

Q: What traditional Oneida foods can be found in the

different OCIFS programs?

A: “Te syunhehkwa program is the cultural ood

arm o OCIFS. Tey provide most o thetraditional Oneida oods like the Oneida white corn,beans, squash and medicinal herbs. Tey also have a“Pick Your Own” berry batch. In addition they haveree range poultry, eggs, and grass ed bee. Tey

also provide a vast array o garden produce. Te AppleOrchard grows strawberries, raspberries, blackberries,squash, pumpkins and 26 varieties o apples. TeOneida Nation Farm produce Black Angus bee andgrass ed bison.”

Q: Te OCIFS has taken great strides to produce natural

beef and buffalo (free of steroids, antibiotics, and

hormones) and organically-grown produce whenever

possible. How have these practices affected the

sustainability of OCIFS?

A: “o be honest, in the short term they havesomewhat adversely affected the sustainability oOCIFS. Tis is because to arm in the natural and

Tsyunhehkwa Greenhouse, Seed & Plant Distribution Project.Photo courtesy o OCIFS.

Oneida Farmers’ Market. Photo courtesy o OCIFS.


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OCIFS gif basket o local products. Photo courtesy oOCIFS.

organic method it is much more labor intensive andthus more costly. Although our products are superiorin nutritional value it is a difficult or people tounderstand the necessary higher costs. However, webelieve that as people continue to be better educatedabout the ood system, they will be more willing to paya higher price or a premium/healthy product.”



A: “As anything worth doing, it does come withbarriers that need to be addressed in a pro-activemanner.• Cooks: We discovered that the cooks or our meals

programs were very good at opening cans andsimplistic heating o prepared ood items. It tooka lot o work and education to get them cookingagain. Tey are now creating wonderul homecooked meals, on some days, with our own beeand buffalo. Te support o the School System

Food Service Director was important in makingthis work.

• Our meat is State Certified but not USDACertified. Food or our meals programs comesrom the USDA/Wisconsin Department o PublicInstruction (DPI). Currently our traditional whitecorn is processed with a USDA certification so it

was easier to integrate that product into the mealsprograms. Aer several months o negotiation withthe UDSA regional office, we are now allowed tosell our meat to the school and serve it alongsidethe DPI eeding programs. Our meat is considerednatural, with no added hormones, antibiotics andhealthy meals.

• Internal Food Policies: In the past, we were told we

couldn’t get our oods into our own organization.We asked questions and now we are working toget our own oods into our organization. I wouldsay never take “no” as an answer. Ask questionsand talk directly to those that can make thingshappen or you. You may be surprised at thepositive answers you get. I know we were.

• Community awareness and education are key toany community initiative. Te community neededto know the current diabetes rate, the health

problems in the community, nutritional inadequacies o our current ood sources, and theextensive distances ood travels to our community.

We continue to do things that bring this to theattention o the community and continue to urthereducate the community.

• Don’t give up. You may lose the little battlesbut think o new and better ways to overcomeobstacles. A lot o times “no” means we needmore inormation. We haven’t stated our casethoroughly or in the right way or people to

understand. Celebrate the small successes!!”

Special thanks to Mr. Jeff Metoxen and Mr. Bill VerVoort

for sharing their time and stories. o learn more about

this project, please find contact information on page 43.

“ Don’t give up. You may lose the little battles, but think of new and better ways to overcome obstacles.

A lot of times “no” means we need more information.”


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Seven Arrows Garden and beautiful New Mexico sky. Photo courtesy of Kori Marmon.

seven Arrows gArden

PuebloofLaguna

NewMexico

Te Seven Arrows Garden is a collective project

located in the Pueblo of Laguna in west central NewMexico. Te Pueblo of Laguna’s 500,000-acrereservation is surrounded by beautiful mesas andmountains, covering four counties. As of 2012, LagunaPueblo has approximately 8,524 enrolled members,and consists of six villages, which include Laguna,Mesita, Paguate, Seama, Paraje, and Encinal.

Te following is an interview with Kori Marmon(Laguna) from April 2013. Kori is Executive Director

of the Seven Arrows Garden.

Q: What were the primary or original goals for starting

the Seven Arrows Garden? Did they involve food

sovereignty, identity, cultural preservation, improving

health, or another issue?

A: “I hope this reaches you in good spirits and in good

health. My name is Kori Marmon from the Pueblo ofLaguna, New Mexico. I am a wife, a mother of threeand a passionate community member. I began the ideaof the Seven Arrow Garden several years ago. WhenI lost my father to diabetes and other health related

issues, I began to change the way I looked at healthand then began the spark of ideas for the Seven ArrowsGarden. I knew there were many needs that our peopleneeded help with, I was just now sure how and whatI could go to continue with my healing and help healmy community at the same time. Ten my husbandgave me my first plant that I took care of and helpedme grow out of the depression I was in from the loss ofmy father. I began to see how blessed I am with a greatsupport system of friends and family that all cametogether in using what helped me to heal and pull

myself out of my depression. “Tings” just started tohappen, one being the resources to build the SevenArrows Garden. My mother, who is the best advocateI know, has been my light that never fails to shine,guides me and encourages me to never give up. I alsothink it was all her praise for my efforts that has givenme this opportunity to talk about what I have been


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doingormycommunityandwhatIwillcontinuetodoormycommunitythroughtheSevenArrowsGarden.MyAuntNatalieTomas,whoworksorthe“HealthyHeartProgram”orthePueblooLaguna,hasbeenpivotaltoalltheconnectionsthatbegantohappen.Shebeganintroducingmetodifferentprogramsthataredoingvariousjobsthatinvolvegardening,traditionalarmingtechniques,savingand

preservingtraditionalseeds,orchardsandorchardmaintenance,soilcompositionandaboutbuildingcommunity.ShealsotookmetodifferentworkshopsthathelpedbuildmyknowledgeandmyownrelationshipswiththeprogramsthathavehelpedtheSevenArrowsGardenideagrow.IwasamazedwhenIbegantorealizethatbuildingacommunitygardencouldbeagreatcontributiontotheoverallhappinessomycommunity.Iknewthatgrowingsomethinghelpedchangemylieandwantedotherstobeable

tohealalso.Ibegantoloseweight,beabetterparent,becamemoreactiveinmycommunityandinourlocalschools.

ItalkedtoanyonethatwouldlistentothisbigideaIhad.Ididn’talwaysgetlisteningearstohearmebuttheonesthatheardmebegantalkingtoothersaboutwhatIwastalkingabout.AwomanbythenameoDarleneWasetaromtheVillageoMesitawasemployedattheLagunaDepartmentoEducationthatreceivesundingromtheKelloggFoundationthat

unds“CommunityLearningExchanges”incommunitiesacrossthecountry.Shegraciouslyinvitedmetoattendtwoothesegatheringsthatbecamethedrivingorcebehindgettingthefirstcommunitygardenbuilt.Ilearnedabout“GraciousSpace”andwantedeveryonetoexperienceit.Tislearningexperiencehasbecomeoneomybesttools.

WhenIhadthetoolsthatweregoingtohelpormmyideasintorealachievements,IbegantoocusmyeffortstobuildingtheSevenArrowsGarden.IbeganwithHankBruceandomiFolkrom“HungerGrowAway.”Teyprovidedmewithmyfirstraisedgardenbed,seedsandclippingstoexpandmyknowledgeonhorticulture.TeyearIplantedmysecondlargergardeninmybackyard,Iuseddryarmingtechniques,crosspollinationtechniquesandplantedonlynon-geneticallymodifiedseeds.Myyoungestchild’sHead

Startclasscameonaclassfieldtriptoourgardenandmademewanttoplantoralargergroup.Teyhavenoorgottenthatfieldtripandcontinuetobesomeomygreatestsupporters.

OnceagainmyAuntNatalieTomasintroducedmetomorepeoplethathavetaughtmeevenmoreskillstoimprovemyefforts.TenImetSarahMontgomeryrom“TeGarden’sEdge”thatintroducedmetoMagdalena,EdsonandJulian.FromthemIlearnedabouthowgenetically-modifiedseedscancompromisetheintegrityoheirloomseeds.Ihavesinceappliedtheknowledgeohowtopreventcrosspollination,seedsavingtechniquesandgrassrootseffortstoteachabouttheseissuesthathaveaidedthesuccessotheSevenArrowsGarden.IamdeeplygrateultoSarahorherworkinGuatemalaandherbeingabletobringherconnectionswiththeMayanstothePueblooLaguna.

TroughthispartnershipIwasabletohaveMagdalenaandEdson(Mayans)cometoLagunaandpresentatCuberoElementarySchool,LagunaMiddleSchool,LagunaAcomaHighSchoolandatthe

Openingirrigationline.PhotocourtesyofKoriMarmon.

“With each new training, more of my people came, learning from our guests and sharing their knowledge. It was

nice to see everyone having the opportunity to share, be valued and heal.” Kori Marmon (Laguna)


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PueblooLaguna’sSeniorCenter.Teymodifiedtheirpresentationorallthedifferentagesandspokeabouttheissueswithgenetically-modifiedseedsandhowitdirectlyaffectstheirwayolieinGuatemala. Itwasamazingtoseethestrongconnectionbetweenourtwocultures.Iamverythankultosaythatwearegoingtobeabletohavethemcometovisitourcommunityagainlaterthisyearandpresentwhattheyaredoingin

theircommunityandhowwecanworktodothesameorLaguna.

TroughouttheplantingseasonwewereabletobringotherpresentersromHopi.ClaytonBrascoupeandAmigillioicametoLagunaandtaughtusdryarmingtechniquesandwhatwecanplanttoimprovethequalityoourpoorsoil.TeywerealsoverygraciousandprovideduswithdryarmedseedsromHopithatcangrowinourharshdesertclimate.Teother

wonderulpeoplewewereblessedtowelcomewereKoboandMaryalsoromHopithathavebeendoingamazingworkwithintheirownamilylands.TeycameandtaughtusthedryarmingtechniquestheyusetoplantruitandnutorchardsinthedesertareaoHopi.Teyalsoansweredquestionsabouttreepruning,trimmingandabouthowtomaintainanorchard.SarahandIarecurrentlyworkingtogethertobringthembacktoLagunaandpresentagain.SarahalsointroducedmetoagentlemanbythenameoBardEdingtonthatshowedushowtolandscapeourgarden,

howtousegreywatertowaterourtenruittreesinourbackyardandinormedusaboutothermethodsheusestoimprovethequalityooursoil.Witheachnewtraining,moreomypeoplecame,learningromourguestsandsharingtheirknowledge.Itwasnicetoseeeveryonehavingtheopportunitytoshare,bevaluedandheal.

IhavelearnedsomuchromallthepeopleinmyliethatIwantedtosharetheknowledgeinaspacethatwelcomeseveryone,whereeveryoneeelssaetobethemselvesandisopentolearningwhatisaninheritknowledgeormanyindigenousnations.Ieelthattheconnectionsthatwehavetoeachotherandtotheearthareveryimportantandneedtobenurturedinordertohealourselves.Myphysical,behavioral,mental,emotionalandspiritualhealth,haveallimprovedsinceIbeganonthisjourneytobuild

PhotocourtesyofKoriMarmon.

somethingormybelovedcommunityoLaguna.TisiswhythemissionstatementortheSevenArrowsGardenisstatedas:“Troughillumination,introspectionandinnocence;wewanttocreatebalance,teachearnestcommunicationandshareknowledgethroughgardeningsothatwemayallprosperinharmonicresonance”.”


local food system?

A:“IlovebeinginvolvedinourlocaloodsystembecauseIhavelearnedsomuchaboutouragrarianculture,howourancestorssurvivedadversityandhowthoselessonscanhelpusthriveeventoday.Iwanttohelpbuildsustainableeconomicdevelopmentthatwillbenefitourentirecommunity.Iwouldliketoseereshruitandvegetablesbeinggrownandsoldinourownsupermarketromourowncommunity,orustohaveourownarmer/artisansmarketandcommunityorchards.SinceIbeganthisendeavorIhavehadthe

honorolisteningtothestoriesooureldersthattellushowwehadfieldsandorchards,howweworkedtohelponeanotherandhowittookavillagetoraiseourchildren.Iwantmycontributiontomycommunitytobeonethatcanchangewithtimeandhelpbuildtheoundationtoastrongcommunitythatcantrulybeasovereignnation.IneverthoughtthatIwouldfindcontentmentonmyreservation,butnowIcannot


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AllthedonationsandproceedsweregiventoboththePueblooLagunaandthePueblooAcoma’sSocialServicesorDomesticViolenceAwareness.Itwassosuccessulthatwesoldoutandhavepeopleaskingwhenwewillbesellingtheseedsagain.Ieelthatitisimportantortheyouthtolearnaboutprovidingservicetotheircommunitythroughactivitiesthattheycanapplytotheirownsuccessinlie.TeSeven

ArrowsGardenwillcontinuetogrowandthriveorthecommunityoLagunabyworkingtoprovideworkshops,activities,somedayemploymentopportunitiesandalwaysreshruitandvegetables.Iknowthatthroughtheseactivitiesthelivesinourcommunitycanchange,hopecanberestored,trustcanbebuilt,connectionscanbemadeandtheoverallhealthoourcommunitycanbeimprovedthroughprevention,andthehealingothemind,body,andspirit,willbeongoing,alwayschangingwithtimeand

theelements.”

Q: What advice would you offer tribes that are

interested in starting their own community food system?

A:“TeadvicethatIwouldgivetoothertribesthatwouldbeinterestedinstartingtheirowncommunityoodsystemistolookatwhatisalreadyworkingintheircommunity,makeuseotheresourcesthatarealreadyinyourcommunityandinyourstate(tothebestoyourability),lookattheneedsthataren’tbeingmet,

andtalkwithparents,eldersandcommunitymembers.

Beinvolved.UsetheprinciplesotheSpiritRootedActivism;stillness,envision,interpersonalhealing,havedepthoinsight,doradicalgoodandcreateasacredplace.alktolocalarmers,becomeactivereadersotheFarmer’sAlmanac,learnaboutyourenvironmentandplaywiththeyouth.WhenItakethetimetoplaywiththeyouth,ithelpsmebetterunderstandtheneedsoourentire

community.Teyouthareinsighttowhatisgoingoninourhomesandwhattheneedsoacommunityare.Haveabeliethatcanbeyourguidetowhatisgoingtobesuccessulinyourcommunity.IcannotsaytherearestepsyoutakethataregoingtoworkoreverycommunitybutwhatIcansayisthatallindigenouspeopleareconnectedtoourMotherEarth,soprayandaskorguidance.

Tankyouortheopportunitytotellyoutheshort

versionomystory.Mayallyourheartsbeopentothepossibilitiesohappiness,youramiliesbegoodinallaspectsotheirhealthandalwaysremembertoshowappreciation…ohh…andsmile.It’sthereegifthatkeepsongiving.”

Special thanks to Ms. Kori Marmon of the Seven Arrows

Garden for sharing her time and stories. To learn more

about this project, please find contact information on

page 43.

Sunflowersandamaranth.PhotocourtesyofKoriMarmon.


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Tribalelder,MarilynWandrey,hardatworkinthetraditionalplantsgarden.PhotocourtesyofSuquamishCommunityHealthProgram.

suquAmish community

heAlth ProgrAm

SuquamishTribe

Washington

TeSuquamishCommunityHealthProgramisapartotheSuquamishribeinWashingtonStatejustnorthoSeattle.TePortMadisonIndianReservationspansnearly7,500acresotheKitsapPeninsula,andishometotheSuquamishribe.Withabout1,061enrolledmembers,theSuquamishribeissurroundedbyaplentiulsupplyoseaood,traditionalplantsandgame.

TeollowingisaninterviewwithBarbaraHoffmanandFranMillerotheSuquamishCommunityHealthProgramromMay2013.BarbaraisaCommunityHealthNurse&SupervisorandFranistheCommunityNutritionist.

Q: What were the primary (or original) goals for starting

the Suquamish Community Health Program’s Traditional

Foods Project? Did they involve food sovereignty,

identity, cultural preservation, improving health, or

another issue?

A:“Teprojectevolvedwiththegoaloimprovinghealthbyencouragingconsumptionotraditionaloodsaswellascontemporaryoodsthathavenutrientprofilessimilartothetraditionaloodsthatcurrentlyhavelimitedavailability.Terehasbeenaculturalresurgencewiththeannualcanoejourney.raditionaloodsareanessentialpartothisculturalresurgence,andcanhelpwithbothrenewedculturalidentityandareturntothegoodhealththattribalmembersenjoyedpriortointroductionoastoods,commodityoods,andothernon-traditionaloods.”


local food system?

A:“Wespendalototimelearningandthenpassingonthatknowledge.Seeingothersgetexcitedastheprogramdevelopedromjustanideahasbeenvery


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gratiying.Spendingtimeinterviewingtheeldersabout programdoes.Someothespecificprojectsthatweareworkingoninclude:oodtraditionsthattheiramiliespracticedduring

theiryoungeryearswaseye-opening.Wewereabletousewhatwelearnedromthoseinterviewsasweplannedourprogramandeducationaltools.”

Q: What traditional Suquamish foods are found in the

Suquamish Community Health Program’s initiatives?

Is there a particular approach you take when restoringtraditional foods and methods?

A:“Tetraditionoseaoodharvestingandconsumptionwasalreadyverystronginthecommunity;wehaveanactiveseaoodprogram,andanumberotribalmembersareinvolvedinfishing,clamming,anddivingorgeoduck.Forthatreason,wechosetoocusontraditionalplantswithourprogram.

Someotheoodsthatwehaveocusedoninclude mushrooms,nettle,traditionalteaplants(marshtea, horsetail,redclover,berriesandtheirleaves, fireweed,devil’sclub,yarrow,plantain,wildrose), berries(huckleberry, salmonberry,soapberry, thimbleberry,wildcoastal strawberry,elderberry, oval-leavedblueberry, cranberry,wildtrailing blackberry,salalberry),skunk

cabbage(alsocalledIndianwax paper,notusedasood,butasa wrapincooking),Indianplum, fiddleheads,fireweedshoots, thimbleberryandsalmonberry shoots,edibleflowers,hazelnuts, and evergreentreetips.”

Q: In what ways has the

Suquamish Tribe’s Traditional

Foods Program been a champion

for improving health in your tribal

community?

A:“Wetrytoinusetraditionaloodsprinciplesintoeverythingthatthecommunityhealth

• Promotinghealthybeveragessuchaswater,andunsweetenedteasasthedrinkochoice.WeareconductingprogramssuchasWaterWednesdaysanda5weekhealthybeveragechallengetopromotetraditionalbeveragesinplaceosugarsweeteneddrinks.

• Promotingtheuseotraditionalplantsandtheuseomoderndayequivalents.

• raditionaloodstastingattheearlylearningcenter.

• raditionaloodsandorganicgardenproduceortheElder’slunchprogram

• Promotingtheuseotraditionaloodsandbeveragesatcommunityevents.

• raditionalmedicinalteasandsalves.• Regularlyscheduledharvestingtripsandclasses.•

Classesplannedorthecomingyearincludegardeningclassesinthespringwithraisedbedkitsandseedstoparticipants,women’sherbalwellness,herbsorsummertimewellnessandfirstaid,men’s

TribalyouthAshleyBouregatheringseaweed.PhotocourtesyofSuquamishCommunityHealthProgra


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Gatheringseaweed.PhotocourtesyofSuquamishCommunityHealthProgram.

herbalwellness,makingherbalinusedoils,salveandbalms,gardengoodness,preservingruitsandberries,canningsalmon,salmonfiletandood

saety,traditionalcookingtechniques,traditionaloodsortheholidays,herbsorwinterwellness.

• Harvestingtripsincludenettles,berries,seaweedandmushrooms.

• Generalraisingoawarenessabouttraditionaloodsandorganicgardening.

• Harvestingtripshavealsobeenusedtopromotetraditionalphysicalactivity.

• Highschoollanguageclass:connectingtheLushootseedlanguagewithplantsandintroducing

studentstotraditionaloods.• Classessuchastraditionalteamakingand

raditionalFoodsBingoorparticipantsintheWellnessprogramandlunch&learnsortribalelders,staff,andcommunity.”



A:“Tefirststepistopartnerwithothersinyourareawhoisknowledgeableabouttraditionaloods.

• Inourcase,webeganattendingclassesheldbyNorthwestIndianCollege’sraditionalPlantsProgramtolearnallthatwecouldbeoretryingtobeginourownprogram.

• alktotheelderstolearnaboutoodtraditionsinyourcommunity.

• Findcommunitymembers(elders,orothertribal

members)whocanbechampionsorthework.• Wealsoconductedacommunityood

assessment,whichconsistedodatagathering,keystakeholderinterviews,ocusgroups,andacommunitymeetingtosetcommunitygoalsorimprovingthenutritionalhealth.OurlongtermgoalistomakeiteasierorpeoplelivingonthePortMadisonIndianReservationtochoosehealthy

oods,inotherwordsmakingthehealthychoicetheeasychoice.

• Resourcesthatothersmaywanttousetoconducttheirowncommunityoodassessmentinclude:

• FirstNationsDevelopmentInstitute’sFoodSovereigntyAssessmentool.Availableatwww.indigenousoodsystems.org/sites/deault/ files/tools/FNDIFSAFinal.pd

• CentersorDiseaseControlandPrevention,Recommendedcommunitystrategiesand

measurementstopreventobesityintheUnitedStates.Availableatwww.cdc.gov/mmwr/pd/rr/rr5807.pd

• MovingtotheFuture,acommunitynutritionandphysicalactivityassessmenttoolkit.Availableatwww.movingtotheuture.org/”

Special thanks to Ms. Barbara Hoffman, Fran Miller, and

the Suquamish Community Health Program for sharing

their time and stories. To learn more about this project,

please find contact information on page 43.

JuliaBennettgatheringnettles.PhotocourtesyofSuquamishCommunityHealthProgram.

http://www.indigenousfoodsystems.org/sites/default/files/tools/FNDIFSATFinal.pdfhttp://www.indigenousfoodsystems.org/sites/default/files/tools/FNDIFSATFinal.pdfhttp://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr5807.pdfhttp://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr5807.pdfhttp://www.movingtothefuture.org/http://www.movingtothefuture.org/http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr5807.pdfhttp://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr5807.pdfhttp://www.indigenousfoodsystems.org/sites/default/files/tools/FNDIFSATFinal.pdfhttp://www.indigenousfoodsystems.org/sites/default/files/tools/FNDIFSATFinal.pdf


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PhotocourtesyofNWICTraditionalPlants&FoodsProgram.

trAditionAl PlAnts& foods ProgrAm

NorthwestIndianCollege(NWIC) Washington

TeraditionalPlants&FoodsProgramisapartotheNorthwestIndianCollege(NWIC)ExtensionOffice.NWICisanaccreditedtribalcollegelocatedontheLummiIndianReservationinWashington,just20milesromtheCanadianborder,andserves

approximately1,400studentsrommorethan100uniquetribesandFirstNationsbands.TeraditionalPlantsandFoodsProgramandthegreaterNWICExtensionOfficeprovidesignificantoutreachservices,offeringhundredsocommunityeducationprogramstothousandsoattendeeseachyear.

TeollowingisaninterviewwithVanessaCooper(Lummi)andEliseKrohnotheraditionalPlants&FoodProgramromApril2013.VanessaistheLummiraditionalPlantsEducatorandEliseisaraditional

PlantsEducator.

Q: What were the primary (or original) goals for

starting the Traditional Plants & Food Program? Did

they involve food sovereignty, identity, cultural

preservation, improving health, or another issue?

A:“TefirstprogramimplementedwascalledDiabetesPreventionthroughraditionalPlants.Tiswasatwo-yeartrainingaimedtoeducatetribalhealthproessionalsandinterestedcommunitymembersintheusesoplantsoroodandmedicinessothattheycouldincorporatewhattheylearnedintotheirexistingprogramsorserveasvaluableresourceswithintheircommunities.Temaingoalothisothiswastocreatemoreteachersintribalcommunitiestocarryandsharetheknowledge.”VanessaCooper,LummiraditionalPlantsEducator

“Ourhopewastostartatraditionaloodsandmedicinesrevolutionwheretribalcommunitiesrecovertheirknowledgeoandaccesstothenativeoodsandmedicinesthatsustainedtheirancestorsorgenerations.Somuchhasbeenlostbutthereisstillalotintact.PeopletravelromalloverWesternWashingtontoattendgatheringswheretheycanlearnandshare.Aswemakeoodandpreparemedicinestogether,peoplelightup,storiesareremembered,nativelanguagesarespoken,andpeopleareunitedby

whatisimportanttothem.Weknowthatnativeoodsandmedicinespromotehealth,buttheyalsoeedpeoplesspirits,bringdifferentgenerationstogether,cultivaterelationshipswiththeland,andbuildculturalidentity.”EliseKrohn,raditionalPlantsEducator

“As we make food and prepare medicines together, people light up, stories are remembered, native languages are

spoken, and people are united by what is important to them.” Elise Krohn


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local food system?

A:“Ihavemany‘avorites’aboutbeinginvolvedinalocaloodsystembutIwouldhavetosaywhatexcitesmemostisnotonlybeingapartocreatingaccesstogoodhealthyoodbutbeingapartobringingpeopletogetheraroundthetabletosharethatood.Tatis

whereintergenerationalknowledgeisshared.TatisagiftomeandIdon’tclaimtoownthatgif,Iconsideritaresponsibilitytosharethatgifwithothersbecauseitisnotminealone.Teknowledgeneedstobesharedandpasseddowninordertokeepitalive.”VanessaCooper

“Myavoritethingaboutbeinginvolvedinthelocaloodsystemistastingmywaythroughtheseasons.Igetsoexcitedasnewplantslikenettle,camas,

thimbleberries,androsehipsarereadytoharvest.MybodyhastunedwithwhatisripeninginthenaturalworldandIeelhealthierphysically,mentally,andspirituallyorthat.Troughouttheyearsourprogramhasbuiltanenthusiasticcommunityopeoplewhoharvestandusenativeoods.Weshareplaces,harvesttechniques,andrecipeswitheachother.”EliseKrohn

Q: What traditional Muckleshoot, Lummi (or other

nearby tribal communities) foods are found in the

program? Is there a particular approach you take when

restoring traditional foods and methods?

A:“Historically,ourpeopleatemanydifferentoods.Eachseasonoffersavarietyodifferentoodsbasedonwhatisavailablethattimeoyear.Forexample:spring

offerswildspringgreenssuchasnettles;summeroffersavarietyoberriesulloantioxidantsandflavanoids;alloffersrootslikedandelions;andwinterofferspreservedoods,driedmeatsandberries.Eachseasonisfilledwithallthenutrientsandvitaminsnecessaryorahealthyliestyle.Whencreatingrestorationprojectsitisimportanttoaddressthebarrierstoaccessingtraditionaloodsandhowtoovercomethem.

TeollowingexamplesarecurrentprojectsthattheraditionalPlantsandFoodsProgramisdoingtoaddressthis.”VanessaCooper

Q: In what ways has the Traditional Plants & Food

Program been a champion for improving health in your

tribal community?

• A:“TeLummiraditionalFoodprogramapproachedthisbyconductingcommunitybased

participatoryresearchthatpromoteshealthyeatinghabits.Familyparticipantsreceiveweeklyboxesoreshproduce(CommunitySupportedAgriculture)andtheyparticipateinregularcookingclassestolearnhowtoutilizetheoodstheyreceive.TismodelhasbeensuccessulandthehopeisthatitwillbeemulatedthroughoutIndianCountry.TisprogramiscoordinatedbyVanessaCooper,Lummitribalmember.

• TeraditionalFoods&MedicinesProgramattheNorthwestIn

traditional foods in native america

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