Farming the Monsoon: A Return to Traditional Tohono O'odham Foods

Abstract

The Tohono O9odham Indians of southern Arizona used to wrestle enough food from the Sonora Desert to sustain themselves. In the last fifty years, however, there has been a near total abandonment of indigenous farming on the O9odham nation. As a result, diabetes rates have skyrocketed on the reservation and contemporary O9odam have lost touch with their culinary traditions. However, a new initiative by a group called Tohono O9odham Community Action, or TOCA, is now working to revitalize the O9odham agricultural systems and reintroduce traditional food into the community. The article introduces Noland Johnson, an O9odham farmer who tends the bean fields of Papago Farms, and Ivalee Pablo, chef at Desert Rain Cafe, who serves O9odham ingredients to today9s diners. The article also describes a unique cookbook published by TOCA, titled From I9itoi9s Garden: Tohono O9odham Food Traditions that includes recipes, ancient farming techniques, traditional O9odham songs, and stories related to food.