Decolonizing Recovery through Native Foodways
Chef Nephi Craig leveraged his twin passions—cooking and Native American food "sovereignty"—to heal from substance abuse. Now he's using his experience, and his kitchen, to help others in recovery.
“Even if we’re able to blend into society, there’s still a void in our identity,” Craig says. “So when we’re able to connect with food, we’re literally connecting with and embodying our Indigenous identity.”
Dear Friends,
Today is Native American Heritage Day, closing the month of November as Native American Heritage Month. In our effort to honor the moment, we’re republishing a wonderful short profile of Chef Nephi Craig (White Mountain Apache), a passionate advocate for Native American food.
By reconnecting with traditional foodways, Craig says, Native communities can reclaim agency over their own health, and forge a new path toward cultural healing. This can lead to Native Americans’ gaining greater sovereignty over what they eat, how their food is grown, and where they can buy it. Having healed from addiction himself, Craig has also helped develop rehabilitation programs that weave traditional practices and belief systems into the process of healing. His focus is badly needed. Native Americans continue to experience disproportionately high rates of substance use disorder, as well as higher rates of recidivism during recovery.
We hope you’ll enjoy reading ”Chef Nephi Craig: Decolonizing Recovery through Native Foodways,” written by Carrie A. Back.
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Sincerely,
Todd Oppenheimer
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, Craftsmanship Magazine
ICYMI…
🎙️“Hunt, Gather, Cook,” with Hank Shaw
Chef
, author of five cookbooks and a James Beard Award-winning chef, has spent 25 years learning to hunt wild game—and then transforming his kills into haute cuisine. Tune in to our latest episode of The Secrets of Mastery to hear more about his passion for “nose-to-tail” cooking.
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