"An anthology of essays, written from the perspective of practitioners from around the nation, that both identifies the challenges facing Indigenous communities in revitalizing and maintaining traditional food systems, as well as highlights the inspiring and successful food and health initiatives in Indian country"-- "Centuries of colonization and other factors have disrupted indigenous communities/ ability to control their own food systems. This volume explores the meaning and importance of food sovereignty for Native peoples in the United States, and asks whether and how it might be achieved and sustained. The contributors include scholar-activists in the fields of ethnobotany, history, anthropology, nutrition, insect ecology, biology, marine environmentalism, and federal Indian law, as well as indigenous seed savers and keepers, cooks, farmers, spearfishers, and community activists." -- Provided by publisher. From back cover.

Foreword:In praise of seeds and hope / Winona LaDuke -- Introduction / Elizabeth Hoover and Devon A. Mihesuah -- Voices from the Indigenous food movement / Steven Bond-Hikatubbi, Carrie Calisay Cannon, Elizabeth Hoover, Laticia McNaughton, Devon A. Mihesuah, Brit Reed, Martin Reinhardt, Valerie Segrest, Sean Sherman, Chip Taylor, Elizabeth Kronk Warner, and Brain Yazzie -- "You can't say you're sovereign if you can't feed yourself": defining and enacting food sovereignty in American Indian community gardening / Elizabeth Hoover -- Searching for haknip achukma (good health): challenges to food sovereignty initiatives in Oklahoma / Devon A. Mihesuah -- Kua'åaina ulu 'auamo: grassroots growing through shared responsibility / Kevin K.J. Chang, Charles K.H. Young, Brenda F. Asuncion. Wallace K. Ito, Kawika B. Winter, and Wayne C. Tanaka -- Alaska Native perceptions of food, health, and community well-being: challenging nutritional colonialism / Melaine M. Lindholm -- Health Diné Nation initiatives: empowering our communities / Denisa Livingston -- Planting sacred seeds in a modern world: restoring indigenous seed sovereignty / Rowen White -- What if the seeds do not sprout? The Cherokee Nation SeedBank & native plant site / Pat Gwin -- People of the corn: teachings in Hopi traditional agriculture, spirituality, and sustainability / Dennis Wall and Virgil Masayesva -- Comanche traditional foodways and the decline of health / Devon A. Mihesuah -- Bringing the past to the present: traditional indigenous farming in southern California / Gerald Clarke -- On intimacy with soils: Indigenous agroecology and biodynamics / Devon G. Peña -- Nephi Craig: life in second sight / Devon A. Mihesuah -- Indigenous climate justice and food sovereignty: food, climate, continuance / Kyle Powys Whyte -- Conclusion: Food for thought / Elizabeth Hoover and Devon A. Mihesuah.