Join us for the second lecture in the weekly Proseminar Lecture Series hosted by the Department of Anthropology:

“A Community-Based Exploration of Hadzabe Nutrition Transition” 

Miriam Kopels, Dept. of Anthropology UNLV

Abstract:

Among contemporary foraging populations, rapid shifts from traditional, nutrient-dense diets to processed, calorie-dense foods are well documented, and the Hadzabe of northern Tanzania are no exception. Historically, anthropological literature characterized Hadzabe diets as based upon a foundation of wild plant foods (e.g., tubers, baobab, berries), with key contributions from wild honey and game. This talk presents a first look at longitudinal nutritional data over three dry-season study periods (2015, 2019, and 2025) using community-based participatory research methods. We highlight changes in nutrition and market integration while examining factors that may be accelerating dietary shifts, including economic pressures, land encroachment, political disenfranchisement, and climate change. Despite these challenges, foraging remains widespread: as of summer 2025, approximately 90% of participants reported active engagement in foraging and efforts to maintain access to wild foods. Taken together, these findings illustrate an ongoing nutrition transition alongside the persistence of a dual-managed food system—with one foot firmly rooted in Hadzabe foraging traditions.