Grant: Project Grant

Traditional foods harvested locally contribute to the wellbeing of Indigenous peoples. Store-bought foods tend to be processed, while foods harvested from the land are more nutritious. In Canada, research on traditional foods has mainly taken place in the north. Southern communities also experience limited food and land access. In southwestern Ontario, Indigenous communities have expressed an interest in eating more local foods. An organization in the community of Six Nations offers programming to increase food access on reserve. Urban Indigenous families and youth who frequently relocate to cities for work or school are also in need of support to reinforce these important relationships. To build on local initiatives and investigate barriers identified in this region, a participatory research project is proposed. Study objectives are to address traditional food access and knowledge barriers by profiling community examples, while exploring innovative land-based education and practices across generations. Working with a diverse set of partners on reserve, in cities, and campus, the study will be community-based and use Photovoice methodology to capture sources and stories of traditional foods in the community of Six Nations, and the nearby urban environments. Participants will take pictures where foods are harvested, hunted, or shared. Photographs will become the objects of interviews to collect stories behind the images. Distributing study results will involve Elders, parents and youth in sharing circles and the development of workshops in urban centres and out on the land. The photographs and digital stories will be displayed at local events to advocate for the continued building of relationships in support of land-based initiatives and knowledge transfer. Sharing practices, increasing food knowledge and access through increased social supports will contribute towards the health and wellbeing of individuals, Nations and Territories.