Resiliency through Food & Culture - Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe Resiliency through Food & Culture Program Project Abstract Summary The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe is a non-reservation-based Tribe located on the northern continental tip of the Olympic Peninsula in Clallam County, with the primary government services located in Sequim, Washington. Currently the Tribe has 520 enrolled Citizens. Problem: Four years ago, our total population was 560. Our population is aging with 252 considered Elders (age 55 and older), 246 adults (ages 18-54), and 22 youth (ages 17 and younger). The Jamestown S’Klallam Family Health Clinic administers the Healthy Planet Patient Scorecard. The scorecard is a tool used to help close health care-gaps for Tribal citizens. Purpose: To address identified health care gaps and promote positive health behaviors and improved health outcomes, the Resiliency through Food & Culture Program will provide Tribal citizens and their families an increased sense of cultural connection, social connection, and increased opportunities to learn about and consume healthy traditional foods, while incorporating increased physical activity into their routines. Our program will adhere to the following (3) Strategies in the CDC’s Traditional Practices for Wellness Logic Model. Strategy 1: Family and community activities that connect cultural teachings to health and wellness. Strategy 2: Seasonal cultural and traditional practices that support health and wellness. Strategy 5: Cultural teachings and practices about traditional healthy foods to promote, health, sustenance, and sustainability. The Tribal Council strongly supports developing programs to increase holistic health of our people. The yəhúməct Traditional Foods program has established a solid foundation over the past four (4) years and will continue to provide activities to meet our three (3) identified strategies. Activities will include three (3) ceremonial events (Canoe Journey, First Foods Ceremony, and Tribal Re-Recognition). In addition, delivering health and wellness activities while incorporating the Klallam language into activities to learn about native plants and their cultural, food and medicinal uses, seasonal plant walks utilizing Plant Teachings: For Growing Social-Emotional Skills Curriculum, our Gather and Cook classes, Harvesting -Multi-day Feast events, and our food preservation classes. Intermediate Outcomes: By June 29, 2027, our program will strive to achieve the following: 1). Increased sense of cultural and social connectedness from 0% to 70% in citizens and their family members participating in ceremonies and cultural events that create personal connections, pride, and a greater sense of belonging. 2). Increased sense of cultural and social connectedness from 0% to 25% in citizens and their family members independently participating in seasonal walks to promote health and wellness. 3). Increased sense of cultural and social connectedness from 0% to 25% by citizens and their family members gaining an increased knowledge of traditional plants, their usages, along with an exposure to the Klallam language in a natural environmental setting that promotes casual and applicable learning that is less intimidating than the traditional classroom. 4). Increased consumption of healthy traditional foods and increased physical activity from 13% to 38% by citizens and their family members coming together in culturally meaningful ways to increase cultural knowledge as it relates to overall health, wellbeing, and self-efficacy.
