Teaches Courses in American Indian Studies on Food Movements and Environmental Health, as well as Intro to American IndianStudies and Intro to Ethnic Studies

She has been working with a group out of the Mohawk community of Akwesasne known as Kanenhi:io Ionkwaienthon:hakie

(Mohawk for “We Are Planting Good Seeds”)

She has been advocating for people to be growing more gardens and saving more seeds.

Dr. Hoover discusses how she uses Anthropology and SocialScience skills and tools to help document cultural stories and people’s movements.

In the Summer of 2014, undertook a road trip across Indian Country w Native Filmmaker Angelo Baca.

They did 63 Interviews w Native Farmers and Gardeners, drove 20,000 miles over 3 1/2 months while visiting 41 reservations and garden communities

She has documented stories and advice from across Native communities and how they define “food sovereignty”.

Compiled in the blog : www.gardenwarriorsgoodseeds.com

Native People have tended the land around them to cultivate certain foods for generations,

therefore, tribal people have intimately influenced what has been known as “wilderness” and “wild” lands to others.

She shares some examples: Muckleshoot Tribe and Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Reservation.

Her response when asked to define “Food Sovereignty”

“Different levels of Food Sovereignty that people have described.”

“Its many things, its many levels”

Personal/Individual Sovereignty

our daily choices
what to eat
what to wear
who we hang out with

Community/Family Level

access to land
access to gardens
ability to learn and share skills
tools to share for those who do not have their own

Tribal Government Level

healthy food codes/policies
zoning land to ensure good land for farming/gardening
land protection to ensure future crops of traditional foods
provide tools to empower their people to produce their own food and assert their personal sovereignty.

How can we provide for those who cannot provide for themselves?

What rights do your foods have to have access to their people?

Many different tribes talk about the reciprocal nature of the relationship of humans and their foods.

People have responsibilities to Plants and Plants in turn, have responsibilities to People.

How can we rethink these relationships? Think of plants as communities and families.

Industrial vs. Traditionally harvested foods..”those GMO corn are not my relatives!”

Parting Message:

“Eat your Veggies!”

Interview w Grace Ann Bird, Nisqually gardener, weaver and fisher(wo)man. (10 min)

In this interview, we talk to Grace about her reflections of the Food Summit and a favorite takeaway.

She also discusses her love for the salmon, for language and culture, for the garden and her relationship to the land.

Tribal Canoe Journey has played an important role in her sobriety, and she shares her story of recovery.

Interview with Bernice Stevens, Oneida Nation Youth (14 min)

In our interview, Bernice shares her summer experience with Oneida Youth Food Group Program and her experiences working in the tribe’s food production facilities.

Product creation. Making trail mix and branding it.

“We’re not eating right and no one cares about it” “teach em young”

Importance of maintaining tribal identity, culture, growing and eating traditional foods, learning and speaking language.

“snap out of it!” “get out there and learn your culture.” “go to your elders!”