Thunder Bay District Health Unit, Indigenous Food Circle, Lakehead University
“The food we eat is more than just fuel. It’s a part of our identities, cultures and it connects us to the natural world. When thinking about food, it is imperative that we also consider the social, political, economic, and spiritual contexts of land within our communities.”
Traditionally, the Anishinaabe/ Anishinaabeg/ Anishinabek of the Lake Nipigon and Lake Superior regions used the sun, moons, planets and stars to guide community practices around time, harvesting, gathering, storing and preparing food and medicines. Most common is the use of the thirteen moons to guide seasonal cycles and community practices.
In 2020, a partnership between the Indigenous Food Circle, Thunder Bay District Health Unit and the Sustainable Food Systems Lab at Lakehead University produced the Traditional Harvesting/ 13 Moons learning resources. The kit includes a poster, a video and an online interactive activity, and is designed to help people begin to understand and reclaim seasonal, traditional practices around food. The resources are specific to this area, developed in consultation with 14 First Nations around Lake Nipigon and Lake Superior, and offer insights into traditional foodways and a way of living that is shaped by the land.
Download the poster, watch the video and engage with the activity: understandingourfoodsystems.com.