Exploring Indigenous Worldview through Traditional Foodways

• This is an in-person conversation event with audience Q&A. You can also register for the livestream.

• Books are available to add to your order at checkout.

Dr. Enrique Salmón, a scholar and expert in ethnobotany and ethnobiology, believes that foodways are connected to every element and process of sustainable bio-cultural diversity. In his latest book, Kincentricity, Dr. Salmón dives deep into American Indian culture, including related myths and narratives that reveal the rich lore and nutritional science behind traditional foods, and the practices of gathering them that ensure bountiful harvests every year.

Kincentricity is a deeply embedded Indigenous worldview where all living beings—plants, people, and animals—share the same breath, relating as “kin” in an extended ecological family. This philosophy guides an inherent responsibility to be good stewards of life. Dr. Salmón advocates “eating the landscape”—consuming the foods naturally cultivated by the environment. It is a time-tested, sustainable, and profoundly healthful approach that Indigenous peoples have used for thousands of years. When viewed through this lens, recipes are more than instructions; they are living cultural records.

Join Dr. Enrique Salmón for an insightful conversation on embracing kincentricty and the ancestral, traditional foods and hyperlocal culinary legacies of American Indian Tribes.

Dr. Enrique Salmón is a Rarámuri (Tarahumara) and teaches American Indian Studies in the Department of Ethnic Studies. He is a leading expert in ethnobotany, ethnobiology, agroecology, ancestral ecological knowledge and the connections between climate change and Indigenous traditional foodways and land management practices. It is Dr. Salmón’s belief that these foodways are connected to every element and process of sustainable bio-cultural diversity and that all facets including cultural expression, landscapes, education, leadership development, networking and policy should be understood and supported.

Dr. Salmón has contributed essays and chapters to numerous publications and books. He is the author of “Eating The Landscape,” a book focused on small-scale Native farmers of the Greater Southwest and their role in maintaining biocultural diversity. His most recent publication is “IWÍGARA: The Kinship of Plants and People” - an ethnobotany of 80 plants important to American Indians.

During his studies, he was a Scholar in Residence at the Heard Museum. He has been on the Board of Directors of the Society of Ethnobiology and has published several articles and chapters on Indigenous ethnobotany, agriculture, nutrition and traditional ecological knowledge.

We are grateful to our Bookstore Partner

Marcus Books is the nation’s oldest Black-owned independent bookstore celebrating its 60th year. Marcus Books’ mission is to provide opportunities for Black folks and their allies to celebrate and learn about Black people everywhere. Learn more about Marcus Books. 

Accessibility Information 
If you need to request accessibility accommodations, please email publicprograms@ciis.edu at least one week prior to the event. For more information, explore our Accessibility web page.

Recording Policy 
Ticket holders will have access to an ad-free replay of the event for one month after the live event, after which unlimited viewing with ads will be available. Portions of the audio will also be released on our podcast. Only registered ticket holders who choose to watch live can participate in the chat and Q&A.

Attending as a Prospective Student? 
Contact Admissions at admissions@ciis.edu to learn about complimentary tickets.

Refund Policy 
All tickets and add-ons purchased for this event are nonrefundable.