Concentration Questions
Descriptive:
What are the consequences of changing diets for Indigenous Peoples?
What complicates the Westernization of Indigenous diets?
Explanatory:
Why has the Indigenous diet transitioned from traditional food practices to a widely accepted contemporary diet? Why is there a desire to change the current diet of Indigenous Peoples globally?
Evaluative:
What are the Indigenous perspectives on their changing food practices?
Instrumental:
What initiatives can be put forth to inspire and enable healthy eating amongst Indigenous populations to better address food inequities? How can we incorporate Indigenous perspectives into these initiatives?
What are the consequences of changing diets for Indigenous Peoples?
What complicates the Westernization of Indigenous diets?
Explanatory:
Why has the Indigenous diet transitioned from traditional food practices to a widely accepted contemporary diet? Why is there a desire to change the current diet of Indigenous Peoples globally?
Evaluative:
What are the Indigenous perspectives on their changing food practices?
Instrumental:
What initiatives can be put forth to inspire and enable healthy eating amongst Indigenous populations to better address food inequities? How can we incorporate Indigenous perspectives into these initiatives?
Concentration courses
SOAN 249 (The Political Economy of Food, 4 credits), Taken Fall 2018. This class situates food as a nexus between society, culture, and political economy. This course will help me better understand the interconnectedness between politics and the food system.
SOAN 349 (Indigenous People: Identities and Politics, 4 credits), Fall 2019. This course will help me gain a better understanding of Indigenous peoples, Indigenous identities, and social movements for Indigenous rights.
SOAN 350 (Global Inequality, 4 credits), Offered Alternate Years, Spring Semester. Through this course, I hope to learn about the relationships and issues between First and Third world societies including colonialism and food and hunger, as well as solutions for overcoming global inequality.
Hist 388 (What’s for Dinner, 4 credits), Alternate years, spring semester. This course will give me a better understanding of expressing identity through food, and longing for food of the past and ideas about the future of food.
SOAN 349 (Indigenous People: Identities and Politics, 4 credits), Fall 2019. This course will help me gain a better understanding of Indigenous peoples, Indigenous identities, and social movements for Indigenous rights.
SOAN 350 (Global Inequality, 4 credits), Offered Alternate Years, Spring Semester. Through this course, I hope to learn about the relationships and issues between First and Third world societies including colonialism and food and hunger, as well as solutions for overcoming global inequality.
Hist 388 (What’s for Dinner, 4 credits), Alternate years, spring semester. This course will give me a better understanding of expressing identity through food, and longing for food of the past and ideas about the future of food.
COncentration summary
Indigenous Peoples are apart of culturally distinct communities and societies. Their land and the natural resources they depend on are linked to their cultures, identities, livelihoods, and spiritual well-being (The World Bank 2018). Historically, Indigenous Peoples have been confronted with the denial of their rights, fallen victim to ancestral knowledge theft, and endured the destruction of livelihoods (Kuhnlein et al 2013). Indigenous Peoples are often expected to adapt to larger mainstream societies, and many have accepted elements of colonizing culture, notably changes in diet (Kuhnlein et al 2013). Food practices arise from historical and social structures which represent features of identity and social relation. As a whole, food serves as a nexus between culture, society, and the political economy. Through the examination of different situated contexts of changing Indigenous diets, I intend to analyze the determinants of diet within Indigenous populations, their change over time, effects on health and lifestyle, and possible solutions for improving health and food security among these populations. Most importantly, I will look to some of the cultural indicators of food security, food sovereignty, and sustainable development according to Indigenous Peoples, which are integral to understanding the critical connections between traditional knowledge and traditional foods.
Indigenous Peoples globally are experiencing a nutritional transition. The pattern of dietary intake for Indigenous Peoples is changing from a traditional diet to a store-bought diet, which contains more manufactured and processed foods. The traditional diet of Indigenous Peoples contains animal and plants sourced from the local environment, and comprises the full spectrum of life in ways the modern food system does not (Whiting and Mackenzie 1998). The transition from a traditional diet to more market foods poses both risks and benefits for Indigenous Peoples (Whiting and Mackenzie 1998). Positive impacts of using less food from the land have been seen in areas where contaminants have been introduced into the local ecosystem, putting individuals who consume locally gathered animal and plant products at greater risk of toxicity (Whiting and Mackenzie 1998, 248). Waziyatawin Angela Wilson, a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples in the Indigenous Governance Program at the University of Victoria, asserts “As a consequence of colonization, health conditions among Indigenous populations have dramatically deteriorated… loss of land base and destruction of ecosystems, combined with the imposition of the colonizer's diet and lifestyle… have left Indigenous populations debilitated with what scholars have termed ‘Western diseases’” (WA Wilson 2004).
Indigenous Peoples encounter inequalities within mainstream societies, where threats to cultural heritage and land heavily impact their identities. Such circumstances create health challenges that are specific to Indigenous Peoples (King, Smith and Gacey 2009). Indigenous Peoples in Canada experience higher rates than the national average of diabetes, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, and various other diseases (Bodirsky and Johnson 2008). Numerous colonial measures have damaged the powerful links between Indigenous culture, foodways, and the land (Bodirsky and Johnson 2008). The cessation of ancestral land through reserves and treaties has severely diminished Indigenous People’s ability to participate in traditional means of nourishment, such as hunting and fishing. Additionally, the geographical, economical, political, and agricultural location of many reserves has forced their dependence on imported Westernized foods, diminishing their access to fruits, vegetables, and important micronutrients, relative to traditional diets (Conti 2006). Indigenous Peoples’ separation from the land has been further aggravated by industrialization and resource extraction on many reserves, leading to damaged ecologies unfit for supporting healthy game, fish, and plants (Bodirsky and Johnson 2008). Such activities, including manufacturing, logging, and mining, have led to environmental degradation, negatively impacting the integrity of traditional diets. According to Bodirsky and Johnson (2008), “Social practice is recognized as a driving force in dietary strategies, so there is need for new, innovative and transformative intervention strategies and policies that use traditional food systems to make long-term improvements in the health of Indigenous Peoples”.
Comparison between the major determinants of health described by the Public Health Agency of Canada and the cultural knowledge of First Nations peoples articulated by the Four Worlds International Institute for Human and Community Development reveals important discrepancies in philosophies (Nesdole et al 2014). The philosophy of the Four Worlds is centered on the interconnected and interdependent nature of humanity with the natural world (Rose-Alma 1999). The Public Health Agency of Canada’s major determinants of health begin to touch on this interaction, but do not fully endorse, “the importance of life based in stewardship of the land in harmony with the earth,” (Nesdole et al 2014). Considering the disparities between the Agency’s key determinants of health and those expressed by the Four Worlds, it appears that several factors including colonization, marginalization, and underfunding of Indigenous programs contribute to the food injustices faced by Indigenous Peoples globally.
Developing a framework for health promotion strategies that can address the various dimensions of health as defined by Indigenous Peoples must carefully incorporate their unique narratives, needs, and concerns. Among other governing bodies and initiatives, the United Nations promotes the right to food security and sovereignty for Indigenous Peoples (Kuhnlein et al 2013). An initiative that could provide the necessary promotion of Indigenous Peoples’ priorities could create the social and political conditions necessary for their own self-determination and potential for prosperity. An institution such as this would develop groundwork for building better health and nutrition within these communities, but has yet to be identified (Bodirsky and Johnson 2008).
Indigenous Peoples globally are experiencing a nutritional transition. The pattern of dietary intake for Indigenous Peoples is changing from a traditional diet to a store-bought diet, which contains more manufactured and processed foods. The traditional diet of Indigenous Peoples contains animal and plants sourced from the local environment, and comprises the full spectrum of life in ways the modern food system does not (Whiting and Mackenzie 1998). The transition from a traditional diet to more market foods poses both risks and benefits for Indigenous Peoples (Whiting and Mackenzie 1998). Positive impacts of using less food from the land have been seen in areas where contaminants have been introduced into the local ecosystem, putting individuals who consume locally gathered animal and plant products at greater risk of toxicity (Whiting and Mackenzie 1998, 248). Waziyatawin Angela Wilson, a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples in the Indigenous Governance Program at the University of Victoria, asserts “As a consequence of colonization, health conditions among Indigenous populations have dramatically deteriorated… loss of land base and destruction of ecosystems, combined with the imposition of the colonizer's diet and lifestyle… have left Indigenous populations debilitated with what scholars have termed ‘Western diseases’” (WA Wilson 2004).
Indigenous Peoples encounter inequalities within mainstream societies, where threats to cultural heritage and land heavily impact their identities. Such circumstances create health challenges that are specific to Indigenous Peoples (King, Smith and Gacey 2009). Indigenous Peoples in Canada experience higher rates than the national average of diabetes, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, and various other diseases (Bodirsky and Johnson 2008). Numerous colonial measures have damaged the powerful links between Indigenous culture, foodways, and the land (Bodirsky and Johnson 2008). The cessation of ancestral land through reserves and treaties has severely diminished Indigenous People’s ability to participate in traditional means of nourishment, such as hunting and fishing. Additionally, the geographical, economical, political, and agricultural location of many reserves has forced their dependence on imported Westernized foods, diminishing their access to fruits, vegetables, and important micronutrients, relative to traditional diets (Conti 2006). Indigenous Peoples’ separation from the land has been further aggravated by industrialization and resource extraction on many reserves, leading to damaged ecologies unfit for supporting healthy game, fish, and plants (Bodirsky and Johnson 2008). Such activities, including manufacturing, logging, and mining, have led to environmental degradation, negatively impacting the integrity of traditional diets. According to Bodirsky and Johnson (2008), “Social practice is recognized as a driving force in dietary strategies, so there is need for new, innovative and transformative intervention strategies and policies that use traditional food systems to make long-term improvements in the health of Indigenous Peoples”.
Comparison between the major determinants of health described by the Public Health Agency of Canada and the cultural knowledge of First Nations peoples articulated by the Four Worlds International Institute for Human and Community Development reveals important discrepancies in philosophies (Nesdole et al 2014). The philosophy of the Four Worlds is centered on the interconnected and interdependent nature of humanity with the natural world (Rose-Alma 1999). The Public Health Agency of Canada’s major determinants of health begin to touch on this interaction, but do not fully endorse, “the importance of life based in stewardship of the land in harmony with the earth,” (Nesdole et al 2014). Considering the disparities between the Agency’s key determinants of health and those expressed by the Four Worlds, it appears that several factors including colonization, marginalization, and underfunding of Indigenous programs contribute to the food injustices faced by Indigenous Peoples globally.
Developing a framework for health promotion strategies that can address the various dimensions of health as defined by Indigenous Peoples must carefully incorporate their unique narratives, needs, and concerns. Among other governing bodies and initiatives, the United Nations promotes the right to food security and sovereignty for Indigenous Peoples (Kuhnlein et al 2013). An initiative that could provide the necessary promotion of Indigenous Peoples’ priorities could create the social and political conditions necessary for their own self-determination and potential for prosperity. An institution such as this would develop groundwork for building better health and nutrition within these communities, but has yet to be identified (Bodirsky and Johnson 2008).
Works cited
Bodirsky, Monica, Johnson, Jon "Decolonizing Diet: Healing by Reclaiming Traditional Indigenous Foodways". Cuizine 1, no. 1 (2008): 0–0. doi:10.7202/019373ar
Canada, Public Health Agency of, and Public Health Agency of Canada. “What Makes Canadians Healthy or Unhealthy?” Policies. aem, November 25, 2001. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/what-determines-health/what-makes-canadians-healthy-unhealthy.html#unhealthy.
Dr. Rose-Alma J. McDonald, Dr. Peter Ladd, et. al. Assembly of First Nations: Sharing Solutions First Nation Social Security Reform. Aboriginal Strategic Initiatives, 1999.
Conti, Kibbe. “Diabetes Prevention in Indian Country: Developing Nutrition Models to Tell the Story of Food-System Change,” Journal of Transcultural Nursing 17, no. 3 (2006): 237.
"Indigenous Peoples." World Bank. Accessed October 26, 2018. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/indigenouspeoples#1.
King, Malcolm, Smith, Alexandra and Gracey, Michael. "Indigenous Health Part 2: The Underlying Causes of the Health Gap." The Lancet 374, no. 9683 (2009): 76-85. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(09)60827-8.
Kuhnlein, Harriet V., Erasmus, Bill, Spigelski, Dina and B. A. Burlingame. Indigenous Peoples Food Systems & Well-being: Interventions & Policies for Healthy Communities. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2013).
Nesdole, Robert, Voigts, Debora, Lepnurm, Rein and Roberts, Rose. “Reconceptualizing Determinants of Health: Barriers to Improving the Health Status of First Nations Peoples.” Canadian Journal of Public Health / Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique 105, no. 3 (2014): e209–13.
Whiting, Susan J., Mackenzie, Michelle L.; Assessing the Changing Diet of Indigenous Peoples, Nutrition Reviews, Volume 56, Issue 8 (1998).
Willows, Noreen D. “Determinants of Healthy Eating in Aboriginal Peoples in Canada: The Current State of Knowledge and Research Gaps.” Canadian Journal of Public Health (2005)
Wilson, Waziyatawin Angela. “Introduction: Indigenous Knowledge Recovery Is Indigenous Empowerment.” American Indian Quarterly 28, no. 3/4 (2004)
Canada, Public Health Agency of, and Public Health Agency of Canada. “What Makes Canadians Healthy or Unhealthy?” Policies. aem, November 25, 2001. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/what-determines-health/what-makes-canadians-healthy-unhealthy.html#unhealthy.
Dr. Rose-Alma J. McDonald, Dr. Peter Ladd, et. al. Assembly of First Nations: Sharing Solutions First Nation Social Security Reform. Aboriginal Strategic Initiatives, 1999.
Conti, Kibbe. “Diabetes Prevention in Indian Country: Developing Nutrition Models to Tell the Story of Food-System Change,” Journal of Transcultural Nursing 17, no. 3 (2006): 237.
"Indigenous Peoples." World Bank. Accessed October 26, 2018. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/indigenouspeoples#1.
King, Malcolm, Smith, Alexandra and Gracey, Michael. "Indigenous Health Part 2: The Underlying Causes of the Health Gap." The Lancet 374, no. 9683 (2009): 76-85. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(09)60827-8.
Kuhnlein, Harriet V., Erasmus, Bill, Spigelski, Dina and B. A. Burlingame. Indigenous Peoples Food Systems & Well-being: Interventions & Policies for Healthy Communities. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2013).
Nesdole, Robert, Voigts, Debora, Lepnurm, Rein and Roberts, Rose. “Reconceptualizing Determinants of Health: Barriers to Improving the Health Status of First Nations Peoples.” Canadian Journal of Public Health / Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique 105, no. 3 (2014): e209–13.
Whiting, Susan J., Mackenzie, Michelle L.; Assessing the Changing Diet of Indigenous Peoples, Nutrition Reviews, Volume 56, Issue 8 (1998).
Willows, Noreen D. “Determinants of Healthy Eating in Aboriginal Peoples in Canada: The Current State of Knowledge and Research Gaps.” Canadian Journal of Public Health (2005)
Wilson, Waziyatawin Angela. “Introduction: Indigenous Knowledge Recovery Is Indigenous Empowerment.” American Indian Quarterly 28, no. 3/4 (2004)