By Marina de Pina-Jenkins https://unaterra.ca/decolonizing-our-food-systems The first step to becoming engaged personally in decolonizing our food systems is to seek a broader understanding in order to align our food choices to support positive changes in our society. Radical right? Well here’s a quick trip around the topics of Indigenous food sovereignty and how we can begin decolonizing our cultural food practices.
Decolonizing the most recent Canadian food guide Canada is a country of many cultures dispersed throughout a wide geographic region with many outdated food systems that are perpetuating food insecurity, meaning that not all Canadians have equal access to fresh and healthy foods. The latest Canadian Food Guide, launched in January 2019 with a promise to be inclusive of multicultural diets and diverse perspectives on food, including the food systems of Indigenous communities. “Some scholars argue that federally designed standard food guides fails to address the myriad and complex issues of food security, well-being, and nutritional needs of Canadian Indigenous communities while imposing a dominant and westernized worldview of food and nutrition. In a parallel development, Indigenous food systems and associated knowledge and perspectives are being rediscovered as a way to improve current and future food security.” (U of Winnipeg News). Taylor Wilson of University of Winnipeg has recently published Decolonizing Diets through Indigenous-focused Food Guides, “Our research supports Indigenous-led and community-based resurgence and decolonization of food guides,” said Wilson. Her research will continue with a community-based case study “to design and pilot-test a personalized Indigenous food guide in the Fisher River Cree Nation, to demonstrate its impact,” she said. The Indigenous food sovereignty movement The Indigenous food sovereignty movement has been present since colonial times before Canada became a Nation, but it’s only in the last 15 years that this topic has been brought into public conversations alongside the growth of the food security movement. Indigenous food sovereignty is a specific policy approach within the Food Security Movement, to address the underlying issues impacting Indigenous peoples and our ability to respond to our own needs for healthy, culturally adapted Indigenous foods. So how can we begin to engage with the decolonization movement as non-Indigenous Canadians? Personally, I think learning and volunteering are the 2 best ways people can start making a positive change. In 2020, one of the most impactful books I read was Braiding Sweetgrass. I highly recommend this as a way to see deeper meanings behind Indigenous Teachings and to see how we are personally impacted by these systems. Here are a few of my favourite quotes from Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmer to inspire you on your journey: “I’ve heard it said that sometimes, in return for the gifts of the Earth, gratitude is enough… But I think we are called to go beyond cultures of gratitude, to once again become cultures of reciprocity.” “Cultural survival depends on healthy land and a healthy, responsible relationship between humans and the land… Ecological restoration is inseparable from cultural and spiritual restoration, and is inseparable from the spiritual responsibilities of care-giving and world-renewal” Sources: Canada’s Food Guide: https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/hc-sc/documents/services/canada-food-guide/resources/stakeholder-toolkit/canada-food-guide-presentation-eng.pdf Quotes & Information on Taylor Wilson’s paper: https://news.uwinnipeg.ca/community-based-study-aims-to-decolonize-canadian-food-guide/ Wilson, T., & Shukla, S. (2020). Pathways to Revitalization of Indigenous Food Systems: Decolonizing Diets through Indigenous-focused Food Guides. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 9(4), 201–208. https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2020.094.003 https://www.indigenousfoodsystems.org/ Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmer https://storestock.massybooks.com/item/YoqefBrscwlZoRaDtILPvg
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By Marina de Pina-Jenkins (@unaterra.ca) https://unaterra.ca/5-easy-ways-to-be-a-responsible-canadian-consumer Creating a positive impact in our communities becomes a habit that is a pleasure to maintain and not a challenge as many people seem to think. It can be very fulfilling to live in a way that uplifts our communities, connects us to the land and brings health to ourselves and others. Food choices are one of the most important ways we can make a positive change in our ecological impact because it is usually one of the greatest sources of emissions in our country (including land use, water use and waste). Here are 5 easy ways to help you to become a more responsible consumer as an urban Canadian. Buy Small Scale Local Buying local is less about the carbon emissions from transportation as some people may think and more about bringing economic sustainability to our communities. Local businesses are more likely to donate to local causes, employ local people, shop and give their business to other local businesses and more. The manner in which food is produced has a way larger impact than how far it travels, so if you have the option, try to choose organic or regenerative farming (even if it’s imported from abroad) than conventional industrially produced foods made locally. The best food options to support are small scale, local farmers using organic or regenerative farming practices. Buy Direct From Farmers For urban Canadians, this is a great way to support local agriculture systems that don’t get enough support from government funding. If it’s in your means some options include a farmers market, purchase from a co-op or consider joining a CSA program this year. A CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is a food distribution system that enables food lovers to support local agriculture, give farmers job security, take care of the environment and guarantee themselves a share of fresh, healthy local produce at a fair price. Grow Your Own Food The energy it takes to grow a single tomato is honestly astounding if you’ve never done it before. Growing your own food often leads to an immense change in perspective, values and ideas. There are almost too many benefits to mention here so I will list a few; being connected with the earth, the contact between our hands and soil increases our immune system health, the satisfaction of caring for something other than yourself, are just a few. Start with local herbs on your window sill, or a patio or if you rent, ask if you can grow from containers in the yard or outdoor space of your building. Reduce Overconsumption Seeking out locally seasonal foods (i.e. produced in the natural production season and consumed within the same climatic zone) does have ecological, economic and environmental benefits, however it should not take priority over habits that could have greater environmental and health benefits to our society such as reducing waste. Overconsumption leads to more food waste, more Donate If You Aren’t Ready To Change Your Habits If you can afford the time or finances, volunteering or donating is a seriously impactful way to be a responsible member of our community. If you aren’t quite ready to take the leap on changing your habits, or perhaps you’ve done all of the above, please consider supporting a charity that works on food security, urban gardening or perhaps a community garden project. Sources: https://eatlocal.org/programs/csa-box-program/ Macdiarmid, J. (2014). Seasonality and dietary requirements: Will eating seasonal food contribute to health and environmental sustainability? Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 73(3), 368-375. doi:10.1017/S0029665113003753 |