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Kainai Nation Promotes Healthy, Active Living

“We are doing a lot of work to reach out to youth, families and Elders about healthy, active living,” reports Jason Fox, a Community Health Promoter for the Kainai Nation (or, Blood Tribe) in southwest Alberta.

The Kainai Nation has a membership of about 10,000 with approximately 8000 members living on Kainai lands, which cover more than 800 square kilometres in southwest Alberta.

Given the vast expanse of the territory and the diverse population, there are unique health challenges and related issues to deal with, explains Fox. Some of the concerns include:

  • lack of access to healthy food
  • poor food choices (e.g., too many starchy or sugary foods)
  • lack of recreation programs for adults and Elders
  • transportation issues
  • 80 to 85 percent unemployment

These are all contributing factors to high rates of obesity and diabetes, suggests Fox.

Positive Healthy Living Messages

One of the Kainai Nation’s most successful healthy living initiatives has been an annual Diabetes Walk, notes Fox. The 2009 event attracted more than 400 participants. Fox reports he was especially gratified to see that many of the participants were “kids paying attention [to the fitness information] and having fun.”

In addition to creating fun elements within such initiatives, one of Fox’s primary tactics is to get healthy, active living messages out to every age group. For example, Fox is organizing an upcoming “Diabetes Camp” that will teach some 30 to 45 youthful participants to eat differently and to exercise properly.

“The idea is that the kids will bring the information back to their families and help to teach them in turn,” explains Fox.

Fox notes that the 2010 Diabetes Walk promises to be even more special, partly because of plans to include a multi-media presentation on healthy living. “The multi-media presentation will be made up of submissions from all age groups.”

“We asked them to show what they think healthy living is all about; it could be anything, such as a drawing, a song, or a computer-generated project of some kind. It’s sort of like a community talent show, but on a topic that is relevant to everyone in the community.”

Fox adds that the multi-media presentation will be a way for “community members to teach each other” about aspects of healthy living. “For many people, just doing work and research for their submission will help them to better understand the issues.”

Tapping Sources of Inspiration and Wisdom

“One of the greatest challenges we have is to inspire more physical activity in young people living in our community,” notes Fox. He suggests that communicating to them about the past accomplishments of Blood Tribe members is one way to motivate them to be more physically active.

He notes, for example, that legendary Tom Three Persons was a member of the Blood Tribe and won the saddle bronc championship at the first Calgary Stampede in 1912. “For many of our tribal members, Tom Three Persons had almost a supernatural mystique about him,” suggests Fox, noting that he gained valuable insight into Three Persons when interviewing an Elder.

As part of his efforts to tap into various sources of wisdom and guidance, Fox has also been listening closely to the advice of his brothers and sisters from the Blackfeet Nation, a 4800 square kilometre territory located in northwest Montana, not far from the Kainai Nation’s lands, and just across the Canada-U.S. border.

Although separated by the border, members of the Kainai Nation and the Blackfeet Nation share the same traditional territory and many sacred sites. The Kainai Nation and the Blackfeet Nation are the two largest members of the Blackfoot Confederacy (or Niitsítapi, meaning "original people"), which also includes the Peigan (Piikani) Nation and Siksika First Nation, both located in southern Alberta.

“The Blackfeet Nation is more advanced in terms of healthy living initiatives,” says Fox, citing as an example, the 15-year history of testing for diabetes in Blackfeet Nation schools, plus a ten-year history of organizing diabetes-related activities.

With his background as a Blackfoot sports historian, Fox reports that Blackfoot peoples have a long and storied history as great athletes, which he suggests can bring pride and inspiration to members of the Blood Tribe who are aiming towards healthy, active living objectives.

“Feeling great about yourself is a huge factor in healthy, active living. Having this historical knowledge crosses all boundaries that people use to define themselves. It is an excellent way to get to the people and really create an inclusive community.”

As for the future, Fox reports that one of his underlying goals is to help create more unity within the community and get “some of that tribal feel” back. “I’m committed to bringing a holistic approach to everything I do, and to listening carefully to youth, parents, Elders and others in the community.”


 
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