The Traditional Foods of Puget Sound Project

Almost every tribal community in Western Washington has stories of relatives who lived to be over 100 years old. Often they are remembered for gathering and growing their own food. This practice has been passed down for countless generations. It was a way of life that both sustained people and created a rich culture.Through this community-based research project, the research team worked with scores of tribal service providers and cooks to address this research question: How do we utilize research about traditional foods of Puget Sound Indians to create a healthier diet and lifestyle for Indian people today? Throughout the project the research team attempted to identify barriers and solutions that will ultimately help improve the health of Northwest Coastal Indian people by increasing their access to traditional foods and healthy local foods.