Presentation Abstract
First Foods are traditional foods eaten by indigenous communities since pre-contact and are particularly important for the Makah Tribe due to the remote location of the Makah Reservation and associated reliance on subsistence foods. Climate change is already affecting the quality, access, and abundance of Makah First Foods, with cascading effects on Makah livelihoods, harvesting practices, subsistence economy, knowledge transfer, and health. As part of a broader climate resilience strategy, the Makah Office of Marine Affairs/Port of Neah Bay, Sophie Trettevick Indian Health Center (STIHC), and the Makah Cultural and Research Center (MCRC) are assessing climate risk to key First Foods and planning for projected climate impacts to ensure the long-term sustainability of Makah culture, traditions, and health. Using a First Foods framework and in collaboration with community members, we identified a pilot list of key First Foods. We then conducted a literature review to characterize climate impacts for each First Food resource’s habitat, distribution, abundance, and quality. We then hosted First Foods-focused community events (e.g., clam chowder lunch) and administered a community survey to identify at-risk activities, traditions, and roles as well as barriers to accessing First Foods and priorities for resilience strategies. These sources of data were ultimately used to develop a First Foods Climate Action Plan, which includes strategies for advancing climate resilience in First Food resource continuity and accessibility. In our presentation, we share elements of our plan and lessons learned that can be used to support similar projects in other regions. We also share some of the challenges, opportunities, and workarounds we encountered for conducting a community engagement-focused project during COVID-19.
Session Title
Collaboration, Communication, & Planning
Conference Track
SSE2: How We Protect the Salish Sea
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2022 : Online)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE-traditionals-312
Start Date
28-4-2022 10:15 AM
End Date
28-4-2022 11:45 AM
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Makah Indians--Food; Climate change mitigation; Crops--Effect of global warming on; Crops--Climatic factors; Resilience (Ecology)
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Type
Moving Image
Language
English
Format
Video
Included in
Fresh Water Studies Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons
Makah First Foods Climate Action Plan
First Foods are traditional foods eaten by indigenous communities since pre-contact and are particularly important for the Makah Tribe due to the remote location of the Makah Reservation and associated reliance on subsistence foods. Climate change is already affecting the quality, access, and abundance of Makah First Foods, with cascading effects on Makah livelihoods, harvesting practices, subsistence economy, knowledge transfer, and health. As part of a broader climate resilience strategy, the Makah Office of Marine Affairs/Port of Neah Bay, Sophie Trettevick Indian Health Center (STIHC), and the Makah Cultural and Research Center (MCRC) are assessing climate risk to key First Foods and planning for projected climate impacts to ensure the long-term sustainability of Makah culture, traditions, and health. Using a First Foods framework and in collaboration with community members, we identified a pilot list of key First Foods. We then conducted a literature review to characterize climate impacts for each First Food resource’s habitat, distribution, abundance, and quality. We then hosted First Foods-focused community events (e.g., clam chowder lunch) and administered a community survey to identify at-risk activities, traditions, and roles as well as barriers to accessing First Foods and priorities for resilience strategies. These sources of data were ultimately used to develop a First Foods Climate Action Plan, which includes strategies for advancing climate resilience in First Food resource continuity and accessibility. In our presentation, we share elements of our plan and lessons learned that can be used to support similar projects in other regions. We also share some of the challenges, opportunities, and workarounds we encountered for conducting a community engagement-focused project during COVID-19.
