Contemporary Use of Wild Fruits by the Lakota in South Dakota and Implications for Cultural Identity

Kant, Joanita M.; Larson, Gary E.; Burckhard, Suzette R.; Berdanier, Bruce W.; Meyers, Richard

doi:10.1353/gpr.2015.0011

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Chokecherry is a popular berry within the study area, found within a diversity of edible products. It has also been used as a medicine by the Anishinaabe and Lakota people (Densmore, 1974; Kant et al., 2015).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant blindness represents the loss of generational knowledge and cultural identity

Blue

Hargiss

Norland

et al. 2023

Natural Sciences Education

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Plant blindness, the inability of people to notice plants, is of current interest in the natural sciences community. It has been hypothesized that communities of varying cultures may have improved plant sight. Researchers used an online survey to assess citizens ability to identify plants. The survey also intended to address the concern of elders from the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (TMBCI) who have seen reduced abundance of traditional plant species. The survey assessed knowledge of local wetland, grassland, and forest habitats; names of plants; and how citizens use plant features in identification. The survey gathered demographic data to determine trends across different demographic groups including age and ethnicity. A total of 216 participants took the survey, the majority classified themselves as female and Native American or Alaska Native. Our findings indicated that participants were able to identify forest and wetland plants the best, but struggled with grassland plants. Older individuals were more able to identify plants when compared to younger individuals. Ecologically, increasing plant knowledge is vital to rebuilding and maintaining the diversity of local habitats, but culturally the impacts are just as important. The practice of using traditional plants in medicine and ceremony is an integral part of the TMBCI culture. As both the knowledge and the plants disappear in younger generations, so does their unique cultural identity.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant blindness represents the loss of generational knowledge and cultural identity

Blue

Hargiss

Norland

et al. 2023

Natural Sciences Education

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“…By comparison, slightly more than half (54%) of the non‐domesticated herbaceous plants included in the calendars are consumed. Of all herbaceous plants, the most frequently mentioned (included in all seven calendars) was prairie turnip ( thíŋpsiŋla or thípsiŋna , Psoralea esculenta ), a non‐domesticated native legume that produces nutritious root nodules used in Dakota and Lakota foodways (Kant et al., 2015 ; Ruelle & Kassam, 2011 ; Stahnke et al., 2008 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological Calendars, Food Sovereignty, and Climate Adaptation in Standing Rock

Ruelle

Skye²,

Collins

et al. 2022

GeoHealth

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Indigenous food sovereignty relies on ecological knowledge of plants and animals, including knowledge related to their development and behavior through the seasons. In the context of anthropogenic climate change, ecological calendars based on Indigenous knowledge may enable communities to anticipate seasonal phenomena. We conducted research with communities in the Standing Rock Nation (North and South Dakota, USA) to develop ecological calendars based on their ecological knowledge. We present ecological calendars developed in seven communities through a series of workshops and interviews. These calendars are rich with knowledge about temporal relations within each community's ecosystem, including the use of plants and animals as seasonal indicators and cues for food system activities. However, the calendars also reveal the impacts of cultural genocide wrought by the United States government in its efforts to colonize the lands and minds of Indigenous communities. Given the diversity of knowledge among Standing Rock communities, we identify opportunities for knowledge exchange to revitalize ecological relations at the heart of food sovereignty. We highlight the potential for ecological calendars to facilitate climate adaptation by enabling communities to synchronize their food systems with an increasingly variable climate.

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“…We hope the results described in this manuscript provide enhanced motivation for continued progress toward food sovereignty. Traditional food and foodways foster a sense of connection to the community, the past, and the land for many Indigenous Peoples (Kant et al, 2015;Pufall et al, 2011;Samson & Pretty, 2006;Willows, 2005). They are also ways of restoring and maintaining traditional knowledge about food and the land that is being lost.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Bilodeau

Gordon

Davis

et al. 2021

IJIH

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Haudenosaunee Peoples of eastern North America have a strong agricultural tradition and culture associated with maize horticulture. Traditional foodways and diet were disrupted after the people were dispossessed from traditional lands maintained prior to colonization. As a result, Haudenosaunee have been disconnected from their traditional diet and lifestyle, and chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity are increasing. Healthy Roots was developed in Six Nations of the Grand River territory by Haudenosaunee community members. It started as a 90-day challenge, in which participants adhere to a diet of traditional foods found in Haudenosaunee territories pre-European contact. The community decided to formally evaluate the impact of the diet in a pilot pre–post intervention study of 22 participants in 2016/17. We investigated the effects of the 3-month dietary intervention on physical measurements, ectopic fat (including visceral and liver adipose tissue), serum lipids, and hemoglobin A1c among Haudenosaunee participants in Six Nations. We provided biweekly Haudenosaunee food boxes, and offered workshops, cooking classes, and individual support from a dietitian. The intervention reduced body weight, body circumferences including waist circumference, hemoglobin A1c, and MRI-detected hepatic fat fraction. There were no adverse events. Engagement in the program was high and trends favoured improved well-being. The intervention shows great potential as a mechanism for improving physical health and restoring cultural connectedness and identity. The implications for improving mental health and community cohesion are also important areas to consider in future research.

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Contemporary Use of Wild Fruits by the Lakota in South Dakota and Implications for Cultural Identity

Cited by 7 publications

References 10 publications

Plant blindness represents the loss of generational knowledge and cultural identity

Plant blindness represents the loss of generational knowledge and cultural identity

Ecological Calendars, Food Sovereignty, and Climate Adaptation in Standing Rock

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

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