Tohono O’odham: Walking Path to Better Health

Terrol Dew Johnson, is the co-founder of Tohono O'odham Community Action – a nonprofit grass-roots organization that supports traditional farming, healthy foods and tribal culture.  In 1996, he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes – an epidemic among tribal members.   This article describes a 3000 mile healing walk on which he embarked. 

Last week, the National Diabetes Education Program noted that "16 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives aged 20 and older have diagnosed diabetes, compared to a national average of seven percent.".  

People of all races, take care of yourself!

Seed Saving and School Gardens

Seed saving is one topic that gets short shrift, in our consumerist surroundings where seeds are readily available to purchase.  We miss the reverence for life in saving seeds in knowing that they will return life in the following or near future years.   So we're happy to see that "OAEC's School Garden Program announces the release of "A Handful of Seeds"- a new publication on seed saving and seed study for educators." to help support community resilience and bring children into the effort.

The guide is available at their website, and "inside you will find lessons linked to California Educational Standards, practical information on seed saving in the school garden and seed history and lore."

Water Cycles and CA Water Conservation Act of 2009

California law is directing us toward respect for the earth, and understanding of our water cycle.  Much of the state south of Sacramento and Santa Cruz is technically desert, and in that area, we must respect those natural water limits, while working to enhance our ability to retain, cleanse, and use the ambient rainwater and runoff that runs through our area(s)

For example:

Senate Bill x7-7 enacted in 2009 (Chapter 4, Statutes of 2009 Seventh Extraordinary Session) requires the state to achieve a 20% reduction in urban per capita water use by December 31, 2020. The law establishes that the measure of increased efficiency is on a per capita basis. The law also requires the state to make incremental progress towards this goal by reducing per capita water use by at least 10% on or before December 31, 2015." (18 March 2010)

http://www.water.ca.gov/wateruseefficiency/sb7

http://ipecology.blogspot.com

     

Food Aid <--> Local Agriculture

"Food aid has hurt local agriculture" - former USDA sec Ann Veneman on KQED's Forum today. Time to restore and reclaim those traditional farming practices . . .

The program showed the bipartisan nature of international food/health issue. Although a Bush appointee, virtually everything she mentioned were things all people could agree on. And, given the polarized conversation that passes for politics, she most certainly did not sound Republican.

Multimedia: Advancing the Cause of Justice

Tomorrow (or today, depending on your time zone) the National Congress of American Indians will deliver the State of the Nations address to highlight the collective successes and challenges of communities across the land.  

http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=65512

And Native America Calling has had several good call topics recently, on indigenous advocates for climate change action, indigenous beliefs and rights among world religions,  women entrepreneurs on the reservation, and even safe places for Native youth from our friends at Native Movement

And for real motivation to keep working on all these community struggles, try the music of Blackfire! 

Rebuilding Haiti from the Roots Up

Check this Living On Earth podcast about Haiti and environmental regeneration.  We have seen a lot of aid that has been hindered to getting to people.  We think our real task is to build capacity and infrastructure, share information and low-impact technology, to help empower Haitians to help themselves. 

Traditional Knowledge and Appropriate Technology Roundup

You can listen to Luis Macas Ambuludi, discussing Latin American indigenous issues here .  This podcast is provided by Seventh Generation, among many others in their Native Pulse media offerings .

And check out the Appropedia for an array of information on low-footprint, high impact technologies. 

NTEC sums up why traditional knowledge and appropriate technology is important in our current reality: 

    "[For Natives] culture, history, identity, spirituality and governance are inextricably intertwined with their lands, waters and living beings to whom they are related and with whom they maintain right relationships. Climate change is affecting ecosystems, the distribution of culturally-important species, and the scarcity of water.  . . .  Maintaining and using traditional knowledge is essential for successful tribal adaptation to climate change. Traditional knowledge is linked to ecosystems and central to their identity and existence. It must be used on a basis of equal standing with science in alleviating adverse climate impacts on tribal trust resources."