LAND-BASED FOOD PROGRAMS AS A RESPONSE TO

INDIGENOUS FOOD SECURITY ISSUES IN FORT PROVIDENCE, NWT

Dr. Courtney Mason, Thompson Rivers UniversityMeagan Ann O’Hare- Gordon, University of Ottawa

Disruption to a Way of Life Fur trade economies abruptly altered the relationship between people and the land and initiated a more sedentary and dependent way of life.

Permanent settlements and stores which altered semi-nomadic lifestyles.

Impacting culture, diet, physical activity and overall community health.

Lifestyle Transitions

Identifying Barriers to Local Food Procurement for Aboriginal Communities: Viability and Risks

Fort Providence, NWT“Zhahti Hue”

Northeast bank of Mackenzie River, 233km Southwest of Yellowknife

Population: 759

Dene & Metis

Deh Gah Elementary & Secondary School

Increase Local Food Procurement and Formalize Food Distribution Methods Supporting Cultural and Linguistic Continuities

Program Evolution

Program SpecificsObjective to get wild food in the school as meals/snacks

Programs:• Summer/Fall (fish,

medicines)6-8 weeks

• Winter (fish, small game trapping

4-5 weeks• Spring (fish, waterfowl)

6-10 weeks

Teachers, parents, community members, resource providers, elders.

Students: K-12

20-30 youth/day

Successes• Full freezers of

wild foods• Community

champions• Wild food

procurement skill development

• Intergenerational knowledge exchange/ dialogue

• Connecting to traditional families

Challenges • Environmental

issues• Sustainable,

long-term funding

• Human resources

Development of Community Gardens

Collaborative Action: Communities, Researchers and Policy Makers■ Responding to this requires collaborative

interdisciplinary action with multiple stake holders: communities, researchers, NGOs, government and policy makers.

■ Researchers play a central role in this process.

What this means:

1.Approaches must align themselves with local cultural practices and be community driven from the start.

2.Research must move beyond scientific results, reporting and evaluations.

Acknowledgments

■ Communities:

Fort Providence Hamlet: Chief, band council and community members for their support and involvement in projects.

■ Funders:

Global Centre for Community Engagement; Canadian Partnership Against Cancer; Aurora Research Institute; University of Ottawa; Thompson Rivers University.