Community Voices Supporting a Community-Academic Partnership to Revitalize Traditional Food Ecology

INTRODUCTION

The academic-community partnership between the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health (JHCAIH) and the indigenous communities of Santo Domingo Pueblo, White Mountain Apache, and Navajo (Tuba City) led to the development and implementation of the Feast for the Future program (FFF).  Local community members comprise a Community Visioning (CV) advisory board that works in partnership with JHCAIH to improve nutrition and revitalize traditional food ecology in their communities through a youth gardening/farming program, farmers markets, and local food related activities. 

APPROACH

To assess the impact of the FFF, in depth interviews were conducted with farmers, elders, and active CV board members in each community.  Each semi-structured interview was conducted by a member of the local community employed by JHCAIH, in the local language if appropriate.  Content analysis of qualitative data from the in depth interviews was completed using thematic descriptions based on open coding.

RESULTS

Forty-four interviews were conducted, including 15 with CV board members, 14 with elders, and 15 with farmers.  Sixteen men and 28 women were interviewed, including 42 who self-identified as American Indian (Navajo, Hopi, Apache, or Santo Domingo Pueblo).  Common themes will be shared, including interviewees perspectives on traditional farming/gardening, diet/nutrition habits of their community, and their experiences with the FFF program. 

DISCUSSION

Qualitative data from the in-depth interviews of elders, CV board members, and farmers demonstrates support of the academic-community partnership to revitalize traditional food ecology with community-based strategies.