Activity 1.5 | Democratic Leadership

Celebrating different foods and talking about where our food comes from is a common topic with young children. It is one way of demonstrating inclusivity; children know that everyone has to eat! Different cultures have different food preferences, often because of their geography and climate and what is available close by. If there are Indigenous children in your program you can demonstrate the kinds of food eaten by the First Peoples. If you are not able to obtain and share the actual foods use photos. 

Take some time to review this resource about traditional foods in British Columbia First Nations from the First Nations Health Authority.

Watch the YouTube videos:

(1) The Power of Indigenous Foods(Jared Qwustenuxun Williams, 2022), and

(2) Healing from trauma through traditional foodways (Mariah Gladstone, 2017) to enhance your knowledge about Indigenous food sovereignty.

Reflective Journal Activity:

After watching the videos and reviewing the FNHA resource, write a reflection and action points in your journal. 

Use the provided prompts to guide your thinking:

• What did you learn about Indigenous food sovereignty that was new or surprising to you?

• How do these perspectives deepen your understanding of food, culture, and community healing?

• What messages about leadership stood out to you in the videos?

• What questions do you still have, and where might you go to learn more?

• What small but meaningful action could you take to honor Indigenous food knowledge in your centre?