The Nuu-chah-nulth nations are partnering with the Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities Indigenous Foods Network to host the 5thAnnual Traditional Foods Conference Sept. 28 and Sept. 29 in Port Alberni.
Tseshaht and Hupacasath will host the experts to the area, and the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council’s nursing and fisheries department will be involved in the event.
The conference promotes traditional foods and goals around health and food security. Those who might be interested in attending are food harvesters, people who prepare foods, traditional healers, medicine people, and nutritionists. Or, anybody in the community with a longing to learn more is surely invited to attend.
Norine Messer, Uu-a-thluk fisheries department capacity building coordinator, said this is an important and exciting partnership where community and science comes together with a multi-faceted focus on our foods from the land and sea. It will bring people together to celebrate food, share goals around access to food, and limitations to access, and successful advocacy.
The first day of the conference will be a day of presentations and workshops with academics and researchers sharing information about what they do, and the second day will be more interactive with lots of opportunity for community members and guests to be involved.
Tseshaht is donating the use of Maht Mahs gym for the event, which is extremely generous, said Messer. Vancouver Island Health Authority and the First Nations Health Council are funding the two days.
And there will be events leading up to the conference, so be sure to keep your eyes on Ha-Shilth-Sa for other information and progress on the planning of the conference.
