Tribal Community Health

Tribal community health resources

Michigan is home to the Anishinaabeg, also called the “Three Fires Confederacy” of Odawa, Ojibwe, and Potawatomi peoples. This resource page shares examples of ways to work with the 12 federally recognized Tribes in the state, urban Indian groups, inter-Tribal organizations and communities to support access to healthy, culturally relevant food and physical activity opportunities.

Examples of tribal community change

K-12 school wellness

With funding from the Building Healthy Communities grant and coaching from an MSU Extension instructor, Hannahville Nah Tah Wahsh School introduced Indigenous food taste testing, creative menu names and murals of traditional foods to the school cafeteria.

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Caption: Art students painted “Three Sisters” and sunflower murals in the school cafeteria. Photo Amber Hayward

Food access at farmers markets

Example 1: Tribal health centers can participate in produce prescription programs as health care providers. As the largest Tribe in the Upper Peninsula with health clinics across seven counties, the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians (Sault Tribe) improved healthy food access for its citizens by referring patients to the Upper Peninsula Food as Medicine Program. Participants received coupons to spend on fresh produce at local farmers markets. They got extra incentives if they completed a nutrition course taught by MSU Extension.

Example 2: The Sault Tribe and MSU Extension worked to encourage physical activity and improve fresh food access by starting the Sault Tribe Market Walk program. Participants earned a $1 token for every mile they walked at the Tribal Health Center’s indoor track. They could redeem the tokens to purchase fresh produce at the summer farmers market.

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Caption: Recruitment flyer for the Sault Tribe Market Walk program.

Food access

Example 1: In Michigan, local traditional foods like wild rice or maple syrup can be hard to find or expensive. Tribal food box distribution programs can directly connect traditional foods with community members. Sourcing foods from Indigenous producers has an added benefit of supporting local Indigenous food systems and availability of traditional foods in the long-term. As a collaboration of the Michigan Inter-Tribal Land Grant Extension System (MILES), MSU Extension and Michigan’s three Tribal Colleges partnered to distribute traditional foods to elders and families through a tribal food box program. Learn more about the program at [MILES/Tribal Extension page link tbd]

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Caption: MILES partners packed boxes with local and traditional foods such as squash, wild rice, honey, tea and corn. Photo Erin Tigue

Example 2: Tribal members who need food assistance can participate in the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) instead of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Partnering with a distribution site to switch to a client-choice pantry model highlighting healthy Indigenous foods or growing a garden at the pantry can enhance recipients’ access to healthy foods. The Little River Band of Odawa Indians (LRBOI) FDPIR site in Manistee partnered with MSU Extension to build onsite garden beds for cooking classes and food for clients.

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Caption: Newly constructed raised garden beds at LRBOI FDPIR distribution site. Photo Caitlin Lorenc

For more resources on gardening in tribal communities, check out these Gitigaan (Garden) Kits from the MSU Federally Recognized Tribal Extension Program.

Physical activity

Example 1: MSU Extension and the Sault Tribe partnered to paint physical activity stencils in outdoor community spaces, such as this sidewalk at the Tribal Housing Community Center. Including Ojibwe words with the stencils helped encourage traditional language learning alongside physical activity.

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Caption: Stencils in Ojibwe at Sault Tribe Housing Community Center in Wetmore. Photo Vicki Ballas

Example 2: The Little River Band of Odawa Indians Aki Community Center in Benzie County improved physical activity access by purchasing small exercise equipment for Elders’ use. Equipment included hand weights, stabilizer balls, resistance bands and a storage cart.

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Caption: Small exercise equipment purchased for Aki Community Center Elders. Photo Caitlin Lorenc

Cooking with indigenous foods

Using or adapting cooking class recipes to include Indigenous foods is a simple way to improve access to and knowledge of Indigenous food ways. The Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan, MSU Extension and four Tribes collaborated to adapt a hands-on cooking class and include more Indigenous foods. Try these adapted recipes.