By Lana Brandt, Nourish Leadership Communications Manager
Imagine a future where health care systems consider Indigenous wisdom, ways of doing and traditional foods as medicine for treating patients. A future where ingredients like wild rice, fiddleheads, and pemmican are considered sacred — bringing diversity and richness to hospital menus around the nation. Next, envision that Indigenous foodways are viewed as an integral solution for supporting Indigenous community well-being and seen as a key pathway to reconciliation.
At Nourish, we believe in the above vision which is why we offer Food is Our Medicine — an action learning series dedicated to providing resources, spaces to learn and share inspirational stories, in the hopes of sparking health care leaders to realize this shared future.
Generations of colonial policies and enforced dependence on Western diets containing sugars, fats, and carbohydrates have been linked to illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular disease that disproportionately impact Indigenous communities. June is National Indigenous History month and a timely opportunity to reflect, but also for the health care system to connect to centuries of wisdom from Elders, and plant seeds of healing and hope for generations to come. In response to this call, Nourish offers monthly virtual learning circles as part of the Food is Our Medicine offering to create a safe community and space for dialogue. Although these conversations are confidential as part of the participant's learning journey, some high-level takeaways from the inaugural learning circle provided valuable insights and an invitation for others to join us on this learning journey.
In the first virtual learning circle, the participants shared heartwarming stories about the power of traditional healing foods, slowing down to connect with Mother Earth, and confronting the dark history around colonial foods that are today linked to the injustices faced by Indigenous communities. Food and connection were identified as one of the best ways to heal Indigenous spirits. The group also discussed the importance of teaching food sovereignty to youth and that exposing younger generations to hunting, fishing, foraging, and other important rights to passage is invaluable.
One of the key takeaways from the discussion was about how we all can listen, learn, and in many cases unlearn during these sessions. The group committed to coming together monthly to this space and bring these learnings to our work where we can together further influence change in the health system.
We shared insightful solutions to common challenges faced including culture camps to inspire youth, three sister gardening to make connections, and finding creative solutions to honour traditional practices within Western policies. The idea of becoming the voice of change and shifting narratives to help mobilize front-line staff and patients to build momentum around the allies working in this space so that they are sustainable over time resonated with the participants and future sessions will be dedicated to these above themes.
We look forward to the next virtual learning circle on June 29 and we invite you to register for Food is Our Medicine to join us in this offering.