Exploring the Traditional Foodways for Nutritional Well-Being Amongst Vulnerable Communities: Insights from Ho Indigenous Community of Jharkhand, India

Abstract

Nutritional well-being of Indigenous Peoples is shaped by foodways through their relationship with culturally vital indigenous foods. An exploratory mixed-methods study was conducted among Ho community of Jharkhand to get an insight into their traditional foodways. Study sites included ten randomly selected villages from three geographically distant blocks of West Singhbhum, including Sonua, Khuntpani and Chakradharpur. Qualitative enquiries included focus group discussions and village transect walk interviews which captured diverse information including food access from natural sources, market access, livelihood sources, social and cultural norms around foods, environmental factors, hygiene and sanitation conditions, and community health. Seasonal market surveys (monsoon and winter) in ten local markets provided information on food diversity and local prices. The findings revealed that foodways of Ho community are based on foraging, hunting, and traditional farming through use of available ecosystem resources. However, their traditional foodways are under threats due to livelihood and nutrition transitions. They have unique food traditions and cultures, yet their meals lack variety in terms of the foods consumed. Their smallholder farming systems are not profitable, pushing them towards rural-to-urban migration. Thus, it is crucial to promote traditional foodways of Hos to support bio-cultural knowledge, food justice and nutrition in this community. Keywords: foodways, Indigenous Populations, food beliefs, lifeways, smallholder farmers