2

California Foodway

Dried Corn Mint Salmon Acorns Mushrooms Deer

Wild Grapes Rabbit Walnuts Hips Wild Onions Water

NORTH

SOUTH

EA

ST

WE

ST

3

From birth to the final ceremonies of death,baskets were the most common materialitems in the lives of native Californians. Thecoiled basket is well suited as a symbol forthis food model recognizing its multiple usesin cooking, storing and carrying nativefoods. The orientation of the four seasonsand the four directions was brought into thebasket, representing the seasonal variationof food availability and use.

Acorn is at the center of the food model basket as it is highly valued as a nutritiousstaple food, providing a balance of protein,carbohydrate, fat and other nutrients. Theacorn harvest and rituals are a commonactivity among the diverse California tribes.For some tribes, acorn composed more thanhalf the diet, eaten every day as mush, breador soup.

WEST:The Western sky brings the Thunder Cloudsand the life giving rains that nourish all liv-ing things. The Western quadrant includeshealthy drinks used in traditional times.

NORTH:The North represents the important contri-bution of the Fish and the Four legged to thediets of Native Californians. Important

- Traditional Times -sources of protein and essential fats includ-ed: Salmon, trout, shellfish, deer, elk andbear, small game, insects and nuts.

EAST:The Eastern direction represents springtime.A time of renewed plant life and the beginning of the gathering season for foodsand medicine. In the East we recognize theimportant contribution of the gatheredplants in nourishing the people with vitamins, minerals and medicinal plant compounds.

SOUTH:The warm southern wind brings the summergrowing season. Although few Californiantribes actively cultivated, some cultivatedcrops were traded such as corn and beans.Native grains and starchy roots/ bulbs suchas brodiaea, tule potatoes and cammus, richin carbohydrate are represented by theSouth quadrant.

Water surrounds the boarder of the basketrepresenting the clean spring waters thatonce nourished the people.

Together these four food components sustained the people by providing a balanceof nutrients.

4

California Foodway

Eggs Melons Coffee Beef Citrus Fruits Wheat Bread

Chicken Sheep Alcohol Macaroni Milk Sugar

NORTH

SOUTH

EA

ST

WE

ST

5

On a spring day in 1769, a small Spanishvessel sailed into the bay of San Diego, anddropped anchor. Over the next sixty fouryears Spanish missionaries would establish21 missions and several forts that wouldultimately transform the lives of CalifornianIndians and lead to their near extinction.Under the supervision of the Franciscans,tribesmen were asked to renounce many oftheir old beliefs and activities. Rather thanharvesting acorns, hunting deer, or gathering shellfish, they were expected tocultivate grains and vegetables, work invineyards and tend horses, cattle, sheep,pigs and goats. The missions devastated theNative population, through outbreaks of newinfectious diseases, forced labor with inadequate food, and brutal conditions, allto weaken the spirit of the people. Deathsfar outnumbers births as few children bornat the missions survived infancy.

The missions often held the richest, mostfertile lands, controlling eventually 1/5 of allland in California. The rapid loss of triballands, loss of language and cultural

practices, and new introduced foods, transformed the food patterns of the people.The introduced foods eventually becamemore available than traditional foods. Thefood pattern from this “Contact Era” blendsboth traditional and introduced foods.

By the 1820’s, Mexico was independent ofSpain, and California became a MexicanProvince. In 1834, Mexico officially secularized all mission lands. Soon afterthis, many of the mission Indian’s werelandless, forced to take any kind of work.

The year 1848, saw the transfer of Californiafrom a Mexico Province to a Territory of theUnited States under the Treaty ofGuadalupe Hidalgo. Also in 1848 the “discovery” of gold at Sutter’s sawmill, set offa rush to California that would end the oldworld of Californian Indians and changetheir lives forever. These 49’ers hunger forland and natural resources, devastated whatlittle remained of Tribal lands and populations.

- Loss of Traditional Foodway -

6

Loss of Traditional Food Systems

NORTH

SOUTH

EA

ST

WE

ST

7

Loss of our Food ResourcesToday Californian TribesNatives occupy onlyone ( percent %) of their original land holdings. With the loss of the naturalresources on land and in the rivers andocean, the people are more dependant thanever on the cash economy. No longer ableto live a good life fishing and gathering fromthe land, the people depend on market foodsand food program foods to nourish theirfamilies. With market foods replacing traditional foods results in less dietary protein, essential fatty acids, iron and otherminerals. Further, with fewer opportunitiesto harvest the foods, the people became lessphysically active.

This rather dramatic change in diet andlifestyle has resulted in a decline in thehealth of the people. “The loss of traditionalfood sources is now being recognized asbeing directly responsible for a host of dietrelated illnesses among Native Americanincluding diabetes, obesity, heart disease,tuberculosis, hypertension, kidney disease,and strokes”. (Jennie Joe, 1993)

“The years during relocation and establish-ment of the reservation system were very difficult ones for many reasons. Tribes hadgreat difficulty adapting to the new lifethrust upon them. Demoralized and disillusioned, the Indians suffered from mal-nutrition, disease and despair. Family lifechanged dramatically, as did the types offoods eaten and the ways of procuring andpreparing foods”.

Yvonne Jackson, RD, in Diabetes as aDisease of Civilization, 1993.

8

Broken Basket

“Our basket has come apart from misuse and neglect”.Quote from California Native

9

Loss of Balanced Foodway

We depend on market foods that are moreenergy dense while may have fewer nutrientsthan our traditional foods. Sometimes ourfoods are processed in a way that removesimportant nutrients.

Many of our foods now require no effort fromus to gather or prepare them. Foods find usat every turn, rather than us actively seeking our supply of food and its preparation.Our food choices often reflect our new tastepreference for foods rich in fat and sugar.

The plants and animals that nourish us arenot always respected by the food growers.Such as plants and organisms that aregenetically altered in ways that could nothappen naturally in order to produce a traitthat is desirable for the marketplace.

Our modern eating pattern is in sharp contrast with the four components of a traditional meal pattern.

Modern Times – 1950’s to Today

• Our drinks became sweetened or contained alcohol.

∑• Our meats became processed with

more fat and less protein. ∑• We consume fewer varieties of fruits

and vegetables.∑• We eat processed grains and starchy

foods in large quantities, often fried.

Alcohol No Nutritional Value Caffeine Fat, Starches Sugar Fried Foods

Candy Convience Foods Sodas Starches Cookies Sugar

Today we don’t always eat in balance.

At the same time,the health of ourNations suffered.

10

Restoring Nutritional Balance

NORTH

SOUTH

EA

ST

WE

ST

11

with Healthier Food Choices

Is there text to go here or should I come up with a graphic?