This guide was produced by the Feed BC Program to support public institutions to incorporate Indigenous foods in a good way. It contains valuable learnings that can be applied in K-12 schools in BC and across the country.
We are raising our hands for this guide in relationship building, reciprocity, and humility in acknowledging where we set our tables and plant our feet. This resource from Feed BC provides us with tools to help navigate the complexities that can arise when creating culturally safe spaces in public institutions and focusing that into the realm of schools and their food programs.
This guide was created as a result of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), which establishes the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as the Province’s framework for reconciliation.
This process must acknowledge and honour the incredible diversity of Indigenous food systems, languages, protocols, and cultures, and set aside any concepts of pan-Indigeneity. Relationships with Indigenous people and Nations must be the primary driving force in this work. Working with Indigenous foods is not a set of procedures or a checklist. Working with Indigenous foods means working with, and learning alongside, Indigenous Peoples.
In the journey shared through this guide we are reminded to slow down and take the time to understand the importance of the connections and relationships we build the trust needed to ensure cultural safety, embrace the humility of those involved, and eliminate the barriers faced in practicing Indigenous foodways and serving Indigenous foods.
