“Aboriginal isn't just about what was before, it's what's happening now:” Perspectives of Indigenous peoples on the foods in their contemporary diets

Abstract

Health promotion materials for Indigenous peoples generally recommend that Indigenous people incorporate more "traditional" foods into their diets, referring to foods that are hunted, fished or gathered from the local environment. Little scholarly attention has focused on which foods Indigenous peoples themselves consider to be traditional, or the socio-cultural significance of their contemporary food patterns. The purpose of this project was to hear the voices of Indigenous peoples about the significance, meanings, and values of foods they eat, and what they consider to be traditional foods. Participants self-identified as Aboriginal people living in or near Terrace, BC were asked to photograph everyday foods, which were then used in semi-structured interviews. Themes identified in preliminary analysis were shared with seven of the original participants in a focus group. Key issues included barriers to access and use of locally gathered foods, and concerns about environmental contaminants in wild food. Participants spontaneously spoke of food in terms of health, but had to be prompted to discuss traditional food. While locally gathered, fished and hunted foods were clearly seen as traditional, the status of other foods was more contested. Case studies of specific foods revealed how participants imagined traditional foods, and also how these were combined with store-bought foods in inventive ways to produce culturally-significant fusion or hybrid foods. Our findings reflect the vibrancy and resilience of Indigenous cultures, and suggest that we reconsider some of the dominant assumptions that inform research and health promotion activities targetting Indigenous peoples.Keywords: Indigenous; qualitative research; traditional foods; fusion foods; cultural change; Northwestern British Columbia CFS/RCÉA Luppens & Power Vol. 5 No. 2, May 2018 143 IntroductionOne of the ongoing effects of settler colonialism on Indigenous peoples in Canada is disproportionately higher rates of chronic diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Adelson, 2005;Reading & Wien, 2009). As a result, the diets of Indigenous peoples have come under increased scrutiny in efforts to find ways to decrease disease rates and increase longevity. Health promotion guidelines to treat and prevent chronic disease among Indigenous people generally recommend the inclusion of more traditional foods-foods that are available from local natural resources and possessing cultural significance (Earle, 2013;Willows, 2005). Traditional foods have been shown to be healthier and more nutrient-dense than store-bought, market alternatives, and an antidote to acculturative forces that are undermining Indigenous health, cultures, and foodways (Dietitians of Canada, 2012;Egeland & Harrison, 2013;Kuhnlein & Receveur, 1996). While health promotion recommendations urge Indigenous people to incorporate more traditional foods into their diets, we wondered what counts as traditional. This research began with the first author's observations as a dietitian...

Exploring the Perceptions of and Experiences with Traditional Foods among First Nations Female Youth: A Participatory Photovoice Study

“…The limited consumption of traditional foods among participants in the present study also aligns with the general recognition that traditional food consumption has declined over time, and that Indigenous Peoples living in more southern areas tend to consume less traditional foods [3,7,9]. In addition, the low consumption of traditional foods among youth participating in this study is congruent with the common finding that traditional food intake increases with age [1,9,17,20]. As has been identified in numerous studies, there are many barriers to accessing traditional foods [2][3][4]7,20].…”

“…In the literature, there has also been some contention with regards to how traditional foods are defined. For example, some participating Indigenous adults in a recent food Photovoice study considered traditional foods to be only those that existed pre-settler contact, while others classified foods as traditional if they had been served in their family for generations [1]. It could be the case that the traditional food understandings among First Nations youth have been shaped by the foods that have been served by their homes, thus resulting in unique perceptions of traditional foods.…”

“…Of note, the foods that were less often classified as traditional among participating youth were those that feature Western ingredients. However, other researchers, such as Luppens and Power [1], have argued that the creation of new cultural dishes using Western ingredients demonstrates the adaptability and resilience of traditional food systems to respond to a rapidly changing food environment. It was evident that participants had different viewpoints on what "traditional food" meant as well.…”

“…Most existing studies investigating traditional food consumption have classified traditional foods as only those available pre-settler contact, which is, at least, in part due to the nutritional superiority of these foods acquired from the land [4,6,[15][16][17]. Some authors, such as Luppens and Power [1], advocate for the recognition of the cultural value foods can hold, regardless of their nutritional quality. It is likely also the case that the participants in the present study who did view more recent inventions as traditional foods had experienced the value of these items for their culture and community.…”

“…Land and food are integral to the health and well-being of Indigenous Peoples and are important proponents of physical, cultural, nutritional, and spiritual well-being [1][2][3][4][5]. The word 'traditional', used throughout this article, varies in meaning to different people.…”