As a member of the Blackfeet Nation, Mariah Gladstone shares the importance of an Indigenous based diet. For Native people, strengthening the spiritual tie enables us to see the wisdom of our ancestors and the inherent values of our identities. For non-Native people, adopting an indigenous diet encourages consideration of the gifts of the earth and how it nourishes us, while also reminding us to care for it. Gladstone poses the question of whether a nation can truly be soverign if they are unable to provide for themselves.
Mariah Gladstone grew up in Northwest Montana with one moccasin in the the Flathead Valley and one in the Blackfeet Reservation. She began developing her own recipes at the age of two and gradually started incorporating indigenous foods. She graduated from Columbia University last May with a degree in Environmental Engineering. During her time there, she was an instrumental part of the university’s Native American Council where she implemented programming around indigenous issues including environmental activism, Native humor, and physical and nutritional wellness. She has returned to Kalispell where she continues to work on Native issues, specifically developing a pre-colonial cooking show called Indigikitchen. Mariah has been recognized as one of the top 25 Under 25 leaders in Indian Country and as a Champion for Change by the Aspen Institute.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx