Strengthening Community through a Traditional Haudenosaunee Diet

Abstract

The Haudenosaunee Peoples of Eastern North America share a strong pastoral tradition and culture associated with maize agriculture. Traditional dietary practices were severely disrupted by colonial practices, and over time this has led to increased burdens of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. To lead meaningful Traditional dietary practices, Haudenosaunee community members mobilized to develop and promote a 90-day challenge called ‘Healthy Roots.’ The Healthy Roots Program prioritizes Traditional Haudenosaunee foods found in territories during pre-contact times. The community decided to officially evaluate the impact of the dietary program using a pilot pre–post evaluation study (International Journal of Indigenous Health, 2021). We created the following digital story to capture the experiences and perspectives of the first cohort of community members to enroll in the Six Nations Healthy Roots Research Study. The film team attended six community meetings between February 2017 and October 2017 to capture the stories of participants before, during, and after the completion of the Healthy Roots Program. *Private Media Link for Video: https://bit.ly/3EJnsJO