--- Dori Zook <[log in to unmask]>

>Whoa frickin' Nelly!  Did anyone watch Nightline last night?  It was on the
>Indian diabetes epidemic.  The story was shot on the Pine Ridge reservation
>in South Dakota.

>What follows is a rundown of the story.  Should make some sense.  Note the
>"expert's" reference to genetics.  I wonder what she would say if informed
>of a hunter-gatherer's documented downfall of general health, including
>rapid weight gain, after switching to the modern diet.  But then, she works
>for the federal gubment; what, you expect her to admit she's wrong?

Some Indians groups within the United States have returned to traditional diets in an effort to further disassimilate, as opposed to for health reasons. I guarantee you that the results are the same, however.

>SHOW RUNDOWN
>
>Tim Gallego, editor of the Lakota Journal, largely blames the federal
>government, referring to the 'conspiracy theory' of herding Indians onto
>reservations, making hunting difficult, then giving Native Americans
>unhealthy foods

>Acton also cited the role of poverty in diabetes, but only by saying that
>minorities and those with a lower than average income have a higher rate of
>diabetes.  I have no idea WHY in light of those soundbites.

And if you know anything about commodity food distributed to Indian people (and therefore I assume all poor people in the United States), all your questions would be answered. There's an old joke Indians used to tell on the reservation, at least when I was there, but I won't repeat it, because it is not funny any longer, but in short, Indians had four food groups, all provided as commodity (free) food: cheese, flour, sugar, and peanut butter. Add to this commodity margarine and you have a pretty good representaion of the majority of the food Indians have eaten since the USDA program started; I believe in the 1940s.


Michael

_____________________________________________________________
Get Your Free Email at www.NativeWeb.net, Resources for Indigenous Cultures around the World