This blog post explores Ashley Thompson's presentation on Anishinaabe foodways, emphasizing their significance in nourishing culture, kinship, and community wellbeing. Through storytelling, research, and interviews with elders, the post highlights the importance of traditional food practices in maintaining health, cultural identity, and intergenerational knowledge transfer within the Anishinaabe community.
Good afternoon everyone, I’m Bill Doy, the president and CEO of Archaeology Southwest. Today, we gather at The Loft Cinema to continue our tradition of Archaeology Cafe sessions. I want to acknowledge that we are on the land of the Tohono O’odham Nation and encourage everyone to reflect on the original peoples of the lands they occupy.
Tonight, I am honored to introduce Ashley Thompson, the Director of Tribal Collaboration and Research at Archaeology Southwest. Ashley will present her research on Anishinaabe traditional foodways and their role in nourishing culture, kinship, and community wellbeing.
Hello everyone, I’m Ashley Thompson, a member of the Red Lake Ojibway Tribe. I received my Master’s degree from the University of Arizona in the School of Anthropology. I want to start by sharing a traditional Anishinaabe story, as winter is our storytelling season.
A long time ago, the Anishinaabe people faced starvation when their hoofed clan relatives, including deer and moose, left their lands. In response, Anishinaabe leaders sent runners in all directions to find them. While the runners from the east, south, and west returned empty-handed, the runner from the north found the hoofed clan relatives, who were being guarded by crows.
The hoofed clan relatives expressed their feelings of disrespect towards the Anishinaabe, citing the abandonment of cultural ceremonial protocols during hunting, greed in sharing food, and wastefulness. The elders acknowledged these issues and entered into a treaty with the hoofed clan relatives, promising to restore respect and proper practices. This story illustrates the values of ceremony, generosity, and respect for all beings in Anishinaabe culture.
Using the values from the hoof clan story, I formed the theoretical framework for my research project. I will discuss my background, the Red Lake Ojibway Nation, the methods of my food sovereignty project, and the teachings I learned through this research.
Historical trauma has significantly impacted Indigenous communities, leading to a loss of collective identity and community disorganization. The boarding school system, for example, disrupted the transfer of cultural knowledge and food practices across generations. However, I believe my generation is breaking this cycle of trauma.
Raised away from my community, I lacked knowledge of our traditional foodways. After graduating, I moved to Tucson and sought to conduct research that would benefit my tribe. I collaborated with the Red Lake Ojibway Nation to document elders' knowledge about our foodways before it was lost.
The Anishinaabe people originally lived in the western part of North America and migrated eastward, eventually settling in the Great Lakes region, where they cultivated wild rice, known as manomen. Today, the Red Lake Ojibway Nation is unique in that it refused allotment, maintaining communal land ownership.
Through interviews with elders, I identified seven major foodways:
Elders emphasized that traditional foodways contribute to better health and wellbeing. Colonization disrupted access to traditional foods, leading to diet-related health disparities. Revitalizing these practices is seen as a remedy for health issues within the community.
Foodways are vital for maintaining cultural identity and language. Elders noted that modern conveniences have disconnected youth from traditional practices, which are essential for cultural transmission.
The management of natural resources is crucial. For instance, the collapse of the walleye population in Red Lake highlighted the need for respectful and sustainable practices in harvesting.
In summary, historical trauma has greatly impacted Indigenous foodways, but the Anishinaabe community is actively working to revitalize these traditions. The values of generosity, respect, and reciprocity are essential in maintaining relationships with our more-than-human relatives. Practicing traditional foodways not only enhances health but also strengthens cultural identity and intergenerational knowledge transfer.
Thank you for your attention, and I look forward to your questions.
