An extremely enlightening and in-depth discussion with researcher and university professor Dr. Alyssa Crittenden about the Hadza, an indigenous, modern hunter-gatherer society living in Tanzania, Africa. In this interview we talk about Dr. Crittenden’s time among the Hadza (about 16 months accumulatively since 2004), conducting research in the field of human evolutionary biology, particularly in the area of food and how we, as a species, evolved in relation to the available foods in our environment. We also discuss the objective realities of the idea of “rewilding” ourselves based on field research among modern-day hunter-gatherers. We talk about what we, in post-modern society, can learn from modern hunter-gatherer cultures, and how we can support those cultures in their stated desires to maintain their cultural lifeways, especially in light of the colonialism that has eradicated the cultures of so many indigenous peoples and put so much pressure on those who remain. If you are interested in the Hadza, a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, food science, indigenous rights, or human evolutionary biology, this is the episode for you.
Contact:
Dr. Alyssa Crittenden Twitter Account
Dr. Crittenden UNLV Profile Page
Ways you can help the Hadza and other indigenous peoples in Tanzania
Ujamaa Community Resource Team (UCRT) of Tanzania – A non-profit aiding and empowering the indigenous communities of Tanzania in maintaining their lands and desires to thrive within their culture.
Carbon Tanzania – A program where individuals and organizations can offset their carbon footprint by purchasing certified carbon offsets, the money of which goes towards protecting the wild lands on which the Hadza, and others, live and forage.
Book/Media Recommendations:
Hadza: Last of the First – Documentary about the Hadza
What Place for Hunter-gatherers in Millennium Three?
Why Forage? Hunters and Gatherers in the 21st Century
Ancestral Appetites: Food in Prehistory
The Great Courses: Food Science and the Human Body (especially the first 4 or 5 episodes)
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