Native Notes

The Biosafety Unit of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology has launched its new Biosafety Website. The site has been completely overhauled to provide a more “user friendly” interface, as well as updated links to the latest relevant developments and documents while maintaining those providing a valuable historical perspective.

The website provides access to a broad range of information specifically relevant to biosafety and biotechnology via links to the webpages of the principal international organizations, national competent authorities, publishing houses and scientists, etc. involved in or associated with  these activities.

Background

In a September 25, 2007 AP article, Sara Skidmore reports that Nike unveiled what it said is the first shoe designed specifically for American Indians, an effort aiming at promoting physical fitness in a population with high obesity rates.

The report states that Nike designed the Air Native N7 with a larger fit for the distinct foot shape of American Indians, and has a culturally specific look.  It will be distributed solely to American Indians; tribal wellness programs and tribal schools nationwide will be able to purchase the shoe at wholesale price and then pass it along to individuals, often at no cost.

Nike said it is the first time it has designed a shoe for a specific race or ethnicity. It said all profits from the sale of the shoe will be reinvested in health programs for tribal lands, where problems with obesity, diabetes and related conditions are near epidemic levels in some tribes.

Nike designers and researchers looked at the feet of more than 200 people from more than 70 tribes nationwide and found that in general, American Indians have a much wider and taller foot than the average shoe accommodates. The average shoe width of men and women measured was three width sizes larger than the standard Nike shoe.  As a result, the Air Native is wider with a larger toe box. The shoe has fewer seams for irritation and a thicker sock liner for comfort.

Some ELSI Concerns

1. The news reports say nothing about the researchers from Beaverton getting tribal Institutional Review Board approval for this research from the 70 involved tribes.  We assume such IRB approvals were received and that Nike also received the requisite approvals by the tribal councils.
2. Has Nike demonstrated that the distinct foot shape of American Indians is genetically based and not caused by certain behaviors such as Indian kids running around in their bare feet?
3. Will the research results remain confidential?  Or will we shortly see Seventh Generation footware from Justin, Tony Lama and Crocs?
4. Were the tribes and individual Indians informed of the dangers of stigmatization of the tribe, of individual families, or of native peoples in general?  What will be the effects on an Indian child’s self-esteem when he or she is greeted with a round of Fat Foot Floogie with the Floy Floy when wearing their Air Native N7s. Conversely, will children with atypical feet be ostracized as non-Indian?
5. How will the Nike research project affect the sovereignty of the participating tribes?
6. And lastly, do the Nike research results have the potential to be used for human migration or human evolution studies.  For example, will repatriation of human remains under NAGPRA now be based on the presence or absence of the distinct foot shape of American Indians?