Many communities offer collective kitchen initiatives, food banks, home food services for seniors, community meals as well as training workshops and radio spots on nutrition and physical activity.

In addition, since First Nations communities are concerned about the health of their seniors and wish to facilitate their access to food from the land, some of them offer activities that are specially intended for them. These activities can include the following, for example: walks in the forest, picking berries, and hunting and fishing trips. Social events, seasonal celebrations and cultural events are also an opportunity to access food from the land.

To add to these initiatives, some First Nations and Inuit people have produced cookbooks to share with other nations and the general public their knowledge of cooking using products from the land. Here are a few examples:

Awegonen Ke-Midjiyeng Onàgoshig?, from the community of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg
This book of 35 traditional recipes is available in English.

Nd’adbokwa – Je cuisine, from the community of Odanak
This book, available in French, includes around thirty recipes for everyday use or for special occasions.

Gastronomie des Premières Nations, by Martin Gagné
his book, available in French, pays tribute to the culture of the First Nations and their culinary traditions. 

PachaMama: cuisine des Premières Nations, by Manuel Kak’wa Kurtness
This book is available in French. Each chapter includes a short history of a community, an overview of its eating habits, as well as three recipes that revisit its culinary traditions.

Nunavik Family Cookbook
A book where culinary cultures of the North and the South come together. The book is available in both French and English.

Northern Flavours, by Stéphane Modat
This book is inspired by traditional Cree cuisine as experienced by Chef Stéphane Modat during his stay in the community of Chisasibi in the summer of 2019.

These cookbooks can help you keep food and culinary traditions alive, as can the following suggestions:

• Preserve and pass on the recipes of your loved ones and the people around you; food traditions are part of your history.
• Cook, harvest, fish, hunt and prepare food in the traditional way when possible.
• Involve young people in the preparation of traditional foods and meals: go picking cloudberries, red seeds, blueberries and other types of berries with the children and show them, for example, techniques for butchering game, drying and smoking fish and cooking game meat.
• Take the time to talk with those around you about what these dishes or foods might represent and enjoy the resulting discussions!
• Offer a traditional dish to a member of your entourage or share one with them when you have the opportunity. You will make people happy while participating in community life.

Be proud of the wealth of your food and culinary traditions!

References:

First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission. (2011). Scan on diabetes in First Nations Communities of Quebec. Wendake, Quebec: FNQLHSSC.

Pigford, A. A., Willows, N. D. et al. (2012). Using First Nations Children’s Perceptions of Food and Activity to Inform an Obesity Prevention Strategy. Qualitative Health Research, 22(7): 986- 996.

First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission. (2010). Final report – Living Conditions of the Elders of the First Nations of Quebec. Final Report. Wendake, Quebec: FNQLHSSC.