10th Native Women & Men's Wellness .pdf - American Indian Institute

Session 4 – Tuesday, March 29, 2011
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Alvarado B • Cooking with Ancestral Foods to Heal Diabetes *
Chef Lois Ellen Frank, Ph.D. Candidate (Kiowa/Sephardic)
Native Foods Culinary Historian, Author, and Chef - Red Mesa Cuisine
In this session, participants will learn about the history of Native American plant based ancestral foods. This
session will focus on how health can be restored with the use of these foods and steps that can be taken
to reclaim health and wellness preventing contemporary health problems, such as obesity and diabetes.
Traditional knowledge of these ancestral foods are an important component towards a healthy lifestyle.
Vegetables, fruits, legumes (beans, nuts, and seeds) and grains, both cultivated and wild harvested, have
always been a part of the traditional indigenous knowledge system and a part of the Native American diet.
With the revitalization of these foods, all of the cultural traditions associated with them including agricultural
practices, planting techniques, food preparation, recipes, stories, dance, and language to name a few
are also revitalized at the same time. Using knowledge from the past, Native communities can define and
practice a new Native American cuisine focused on traditional health for the future. Chef Lois Ellen Frank
will present several dishes, and provides samples and recipes.
*Limited to 70 participants
Alvarado C • Medicine Horse Therapy: It’s Different – It Works! *
Darla Delver
President – Medicine Horse Therapy
Ron Delver, B.Ed., B.A.
Program Development – Medicine Horse Therapy
Presenters will describe the Medicine Horse Therapy program (a results-oriented program), its underlying
theories and principles and also how its innovative techniques make it stand out and differ from other
programs. Delegates will see how Medicine Horse can be integrated into their existing equine and other
programs, to facilitate the work of Elders, social workers, psychologists and other professionals. Medicine
Horse is also extremely effective as a stand-alone program. Medicine Horse has been proven to be an
effective component in the healing process of both victims and perpetrators of: violence, bullying, gang
recruitment, aggression, substance abuse, sexual abuse and has succeeded in reducing suicides. It has
successfully reached and facilitated the treatment of persons where other programs have failed. Most
importantly, Medicine Horse connects with the disenfranchised and allows them to reconnect with their
culture and existing supportive agencies. At all times, participants, horses and facilitators are all treated
with the respect and dignity they deserve. The Department of Psychology at the University of Calgary has
just begun a study of Medicine Horse and hopes to have preliminary results published and presented at
international conferences by early next year. A discussion of this and other research, a sharing of case
histories and success of past programs will be provided.
This presentation consists of two 40-minute segments separated by a short break. Questions and comments
from the floor will be encouraged. *repeated: Session 6, Alvarado B
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