TOCA's Principles
TOCA has adopted four principles
that guide our decisions about program goals and strategies:
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O'odham
Himdag: Wisdom from our past creating solutions for our
future - The O'odham Himdag (Desert People's Way) guides us
as we seek to develop culturally appropriate solutions to the
challenges that confront our community. By drawing upon our
heritage and cultural traditions, we create lasting solutions
and a stronger community. |
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Community
Assets: See our resources, not just our needs - Our community
already possesses many of the assets that are necessary to create
a healthy and sustainable community. TOCA encourages people
to take stock of our various community assets in order to develop
indigenous solutions, rather than focus on the problems while
importing "solutions" from the outside. The wisdom
of our elders, the enthusiasm of our young people, the richness
of our land, the centrality of our extended families, our desire
to create a healthier community - even large numbers of people
looking for meaningful work due to unemployment - all lead to
the capacity to create solutions that will be culturally-based
and sustainable. |
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Context
is crucial: Strengthening the material roots of O'odham
culture - It is not enough to simply preserve cultural activities,
such as ceremonies, songs and stories. The material basis out
of which these cultural practices grew must also be maintained.
A ground blessing dance looses much of its power when only ever
performed for an audience in an auditorium rather than in the
fields were the O'odham have planted for generations. TOCA works
to redevelop the material foundation of the O'odham culture. |
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Encourage community
self-sufficiency: Social programs on the Tohono O'odham
Nation have too often created dependent relationships which
destroy the sustainable structures that have previously supported
the people. For example, although well-intentioned, the introduction
of federal food programs helped devastate the traditional local
food system, which has led directly to a high incidence of diabetes
on the Tohono O'odham Nation and has created dependency where
self-sufficiency had previously existed. In response, TOCA continues
to work toward community self-sufficiency in all of its programs. |
Principles| Staff
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