The direction that our modern food system has headed reveals many values which are often overlooked or denied. The forced assimilation (removal?) of Native Americans off of their land and retraction of their indigenous food sources define how we believe our land and resources should be utilized. In a brighter light, local and organic food movements are beginning to shed the harsh consequences that we are imposing upon the Native Americans. This offers an opportunity for dietitians and policymakers to instill change and a hopeful future for those Native Americans who have been racially discriminated and swept aside.
Norgaard articulates the extreme racism that whites have displayed towards Native Americans since the 1800s. One main consequence the people suffer from is food insecurity. By displacing the Indians, we denied them of vital land that they needed to acquire food from. “…outright genocide, lack of recognition of land occupancy and title, and forced assimilation. Each of these actions damaged the ecosystem and disrupted Karuk cultural management, and in so doing denied Karuk people access to food,” (Norgaard, 3). We intentionally valued our own land management system and diets over the Native Americans and have damaged entire populations as a result. There is hope for restructuring their diets and food system with help from policymakers and dietitians.
Land ownership is vital to the maintenance of the Native American cultural food heritage. Specifically speaking about the tribes in the Northwest region of the US, rivers are an important food source to provide salmon to their people. “Karuk people are currently denied access to foods that represented upward of 50 percent of their traditional diet,” (Norgaard, 1). Ideally, granting these people the right to gain access to their fishing rights and restore the health of the rivers would solve this problem. However, the politics behind these issues can be extremely overwhelming and complicated. Many of the Karuk people are forced to resort to cheap and unhealthy foods from stores or assistance programs. This deprives them of many nutrients and their traditional healthier alternatives because they are left with no other choice. As a policymaker, we could determine families which are living near or under the poverty line and who are struggling to provide sufficient meals for their family. If they are not aware of where to receive proper food assistance or food stamps, we could provide a program which would lead them through the process and help them along the way. Further, these food assistance programs could alter their structure and become community oriented. This would benefit the Karuk people so that they would feel more empowered and have a greater opportunity to help each other. By encouraging participation in these programs in order to compensate for the lack of sufficient land to achieve their native foods, the Karuk people would be able to regain some connection back with their roots while improving their diets and health as well.
Dietitians would research the nutritional benefits of the native Karuk diet and determine what types of foods they could get access to which would be similar. The foods that they are forced to eat are not providing them with adequate nutrition and they are causing health implications. As a result, proper healthy foods such as fish alternatives, nut alternatives and game alternatives should be investigated . If they cannot afford and are unable to achieve their traditional food and diets they should not be further denied the ability to healthy food.
One way this could be implemented is through the establishment of community gardens to cultivate their native food. Reinhabitation would be necessary in achieving this goal and would help establish a sense of community within the people. “The long-term goal of reinhabitation in a given region is vibrant local communities and regional culture coexisting with healthy ecosystems,” (Burke,13). Consequently, if local gardens and community food aid programs are established, the Karuk people can once again have the opportunity to eat a healthy diet reflective of their culture. Through changes in policy and with the help of dietitians, small steps can be made in reinforcing a healthy future which envelops their cultural heritage and pride.