Healthy Roots: Building capacity through shared stories rooted in Haudenosaunee knowledge to promote Indigenous foodways and well-being

Abstract

Urban and reserve-based First Nation families in southern Ontario frequently experience food insecurity as well as more limited access to traditional, more nutrient dense foods from the local environment. Healthy Roots was initiated in the community of Six Nations to promote traditional food consumption. A small number of participants eating only locally available foods reported better-controlled blood glucose, positive weight change and increased traditional food knowledge. New relationships and partnerships were also developed. Our Sustenance, a community organization that was responsible for the local farmers market, community gardens, good food box program, and other community programs, joined the Healthy Roots Committee to continue advancing the knowledge and activation of the community-based initiatives such as the development of a Haudenosaunee Food Guide. Healthy Roots may serve as a model and inspiration to other Indigenous communities looking to reconnect to their local environments and Indigenous lifeways to promote Indigenous foodways and well-being.

Exploring the Perceptions of and Experiences with Traditional Foods among First Nations Female Youth: A Participatory Photovoice Study

“…This portion of the research took place in a Haudenosaunee community in southern Ontario, and resulted from a research partnership with the local health centre. In recent years there had been a growing interest among community members in reconnecting to traditional Haudenosaunee culture and foodways (Haudenosaunee refers to "The People of the Longhouse", comprised of Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida, Seneca and Onondaga Nations, and Tuscarora Nations) [5]. This growing interest in traditional food systems has been supported and enhanced by the recent introduction of several community food initiatives, aimed at increasing local access to fresh foods and traditional foods.…”

“…Four participants included strawberries or strawberry juice and 'mush.' (Wild game and harvested plants such as corn and strawberries have been recognized by local health authorities as traditional foods to the community, as they are known to have existed within Haudenosaunee Territories prior to first contact [5]; mush is a traditional Haudenosaunee dish prepared by boiling ground white corn [27]). Less commonly identified traditional foods included scones and other baked goods.…”

“…Three participants identified, for example, Indian cookies, Indian donuts, and scones as traditional foods. (These types of baked goods described by participants are not generally classified as traditional foods, due to their use of ingredients commonly referred to as the "five white gifts" (flour, salt, sugar, milk, and lard), which were initially introduced to Indigenous Peoples in the form of government-issued rations [5]). Finally, cornbread was identified by two participants.…”

“…Land and food are integral to the health and well-being of Indigenous Peoples and are important proponents of physical, cultural, nutritional, and spiritual well-being [1][2][3][4][5]. The word 'traditional', used throughout this article, varies in meaning to different people.…”

Entsisewata’karí:teke (You Will Be Healthy Again): Clinical Outcomes of Returning to a Traditional Haudenosaunee Diet

“…Healthy Roots is a community-based dietary intervention, originally developed by the community, which aims to return Haudenosaunee Peoples to a traditional diet in order to become healthy again (Gordon et al, 2018). The impetus for this study was that participants in the Healthy Roots challenge on Six Nations of the Grand River territory saw such remarkable results from returning to a traditional Haudenosaunee diet that they called for a formal scientific investigation.…”