Eat Indigenously
Regional Tribes Reclaim Roots Through Food Sovereignty Summit
Article and Photos by Megan Snodgrass, U of I Coeur d’Alene
The Northwest Intertribal Food Sovereignty Summit brings Indigenous people from across the United States back to their roots — literally.
The four-day conference witnessed the gathering of more than 300 attendees to celebrate Indigenous food, share knowledge and foster relationships across generations. The event grew from a local event put on by the Nez Perce Tribe and the ÐÒÔË¿ìÈý’s Extension Nez Perce Reservation Office to a multi-cultural celebration of Indigenous food for people from across the country.
The event focused on food sovereignty as the core of Native American resilience. Danielle Scott, Extension Educator for U of I’s Nimiipuu Reservation Extension Office whose work with the local effort grew into the regional summit, said the ability of communities and tribal governments to “feed our own people on our own” is vital to the health of Native communities and cultures. Much of the conference involved being inclusive of traditional and Indigenous foods – such as salmon, elk, venison, roots and berries of the local land – for better health outcomes.