Presentation by Kristina Baines, Ph.D. at the 2nd Belize National Research Conference, 2019

Abstract:

Change among indigenous communities has long been a focus of anthropological inquiry. This paper takes a phenomenological approach to explore ways in which traditional practices are linked to wellness through bodily practice at multiple levels of change- from economic and climate changes to those related to immigration and identity. Using ethnographic research in indigenous Maya and Garifuna communities in Belize and New York City, it considers how heritage can move across spatial and temporal boundaries through embodied experiences, and how this is linked to food security and health. In the context of changing environments, and changing conversations around what it means to be indigenous, the paper discusses how community members maintain healthy bodies and healthy lives through practice, and examines the relationships between food security, well-being and what they define as heritage practices as they incorporate them into the lived experiences of their daily lives.

Key words: Belizean culture, embodied culture, ethnography, visual anthropology