Fourteenth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

While previous work has established that the Indigenous nutrition transition (INT) is occurring at a widely varied rate among different populations, pathways of cultural resilience to INT are less well understood. The purpose of this study was to explore the utility of an Indigenous food systems map in delineating cultural resilience as an interpretive conceptual framework to outline pathways of resilience and risk regarding Indigenous diets among a sample of rural, horticultural Kichwas of the Highland Andes in Ecuador. Primary ethnographic data collection methodologies consisted of semi-structured interviews with women; informal intercept interviews with community members; and participant observation. Findings indicate that rural Kichwas display cultural resilience to INT through maintaining traditional diets that include nutrient-dense soups, daily incorporation of fruits and vegetables into household menus, cultivation of huertos/home gardens, strong adherence to the belief that soda should be avoided and is permissible only on special occasions. These findings provide the preliminary basis of an Indigenous Food Systems Map that serves as an interpretive framework to assess, describe, and explore Indigenous food systems along with relevant pathways of risk and resilience regarding INT. This study contributes to a conceptual lens through which Indigenous food systems can be explored in the context of the biodiverse, socio-economic, and geo-cultural contexts that can contribute to Indigenous cultural resilience to dietary Westernization.