Decolonial food security research and land-based practices from racialized and Indigenous perspectives
Our deepest gratitude to guest speakers Dr. Teena Starlight, Elder Daniel Craig Mistaken, Dr. Jebunnessa Chapola, and Dr. Ranjan Datta, for honouring us with their time and sharing their wisdom, journey and teachings with us on April 9, 2025 in amiskwaciy-wâskahikan, colonially known as Edmonton. We had over 50 curious and beautiful people join us for this hybrid learning and storytelling experience. With humble acknowledgement and the understanding that we have much yet to learn and unlearn, we have compiled the insights that came from this session in hopes of sharing these with you. May these themes and lessons inspire, heal and promote action to decolonize our ways of thinking and reconnect with the land in humility, connection and stewardship initiatives forward to care and protect these lands we call home and understand our responsibilities as Treaty people.
L-R: Dr. Ranjan Datta, Dr. Jebunnessa Chapola, Dr. Teena Starlight, Elder Daniel Craig Mistaken Chief.
Key Themes
Land Acknowledgement and Connection to Indigenous Identity
Land acknowledgements are most meaningful when they relate to an individual's lived experience and personal connection to the land, as well as our responsibility as Treaty People to care for and respect the land, air, water, and animals across Turtle Island and Mother Earth. Speakers emphasized that the land, water, and natural resources sustain their lives and are integral to their identity, especially acknowledging the Rocky Mountains, glaciers, and rivers that have sustained them for generations:
"I’ve learned to acknowledge places like the Rocky Mountains and the glaciers, the Bow River and the Elbow River that have sustained my life and my generations of my family." (Dr. Teena Starlight)
Bloodlines and Territories
One Speaker identified their Cree, Dene, and Blackfoot ancestry, outlining how different Indigenous groups historically occupied vast territories across what is now Canada and the U.S. The importance of recognizing interconnections between Indigenous communities is emphasized, particularly through bloodlines and shared histories:
"I have Cree bloodline, which is primarily from the Edmonton area and extends up to the Dene people. My family’s history and roots trace back to the regions around Treaty 6 territory, which is located in what is now central and northern Alberta. This area historically included the Cree people, known for their rich cultural traditions and deep connection to the land. As I move further north, Tsuut’ina have interacted and shared histories with the Dene people, who are historically spread across the northern regions of Canada and into the northern parts of Alberta, as well as parts of the Yukon and Northwest Territories. My children and grandchildren are part of the Kainai Nation. Tsuut’ina and the Blackfoot Confederacy have been allies before the signing of Treaty 7. This interconnectedness reflects a long history of migration, alliance, and trade among Indigenous peoples, shaped by their shared reliance on the land, water, and resources." (Dr. Teena Starlight)
Colonialism and Its Effects on Food and Sovereignty
Colonialism impacted Indigenous communities severely, particularly through practices like food deprivation in residential schools, which aimed to break the spirits of children and force assimilation. Food sovereignty is described as reclaiming the relationship with the land and regaining control over food practices that were disrupted by colonialism. It's about self-sustenance and restoring the cultural identity tied to land and food:
"Food was a tool they used against us. They used food deprivation as a means of control in the residential school system, where children were starved and subjected to freezing conditions as part of an ongoing effort to break their spirits and force them to assimilate into a foreign culture. The system deprived Indigenous children of the basic human dignity of being able to eat when they were hungry or feel safe in their environment. This abuse was not only physical but also psychological, as it stripped them of their cultural connection to food, land, and community. Food, which had always been a sacred and integral part of our lives, became a weapon used by colonizers to punish, control, and humiliate. By withholding food, the authorities sought to weaken our people, disconnect them from their heritage, and instill fear, trauma, and obedience. This physical and emotional harm has reverberated through generations, as the intergenerational effects of malnutrition, abuse, and trauma continue to affect Indigenous communities today." (Elder Daniel Mistaken Chief)
The Impact of Colonial Education:
Speakers reflected on how colonial education separated them from their roots, family, and deeper knowledge that comes from the land. This form of education sought to erase Indigenous ways of knowing and replace them with a system that values logic over emotion and the individual over the community:
"I was taught to be a scientist in a way that separated me from my roots, my family, and the deeper knowledge that comes from the land. In this way of thinking, science was presented as cold and detached, something that was all about numeric logic, data, and objectivity — without space for emotion, personal connection, or spiritual wisdom. I was told that to be a true scientist, I had to shut out the part of me that connects to my community, my culture, and the land. I was taught that I could not listen to my heart, my intuition, or the ancestral knowledge passed down through generations. This form of education disconnected me from everything that has always sustained my people: our relationship with the land, with the animals, and with each other. The colonial education taught by the colonial educators was that Western science was the only valid form of knowledge, and everything else — our traditions, our stories, and our spiritual connections to the land — was secondary, unimportant, or even irrational. In this way, colonial education sought to erase our land-based ways of knowing and replace them with a system that values the mind over the spirit, the individual over the community, and control over mutual respect with nature." (Dr. Ranjan Datta)
Food Sovereignty as a Means of Reconnection
Food sovereignty was presented as both a process of self-transformation and reconnection to land-based knowledge. It’s about sustainable practices that have been passed down through generations:
"Food sovereignty is not just about providing food and fulfilling a need — it's about reclaiming our relationship with the land. It’s about reconnecting with the earth and learning how to live in balance with it, as our ancestors did for thousands of years. Food sovereignty, for us, is much deeper than just access to food; it's about a sustainable, respectful relationship to the land that nourishes us. In this sense, it’s not just about receiving food or a handout — it's about empowering ourselves to grow, harvest, and cultivate food that is both culturally significant and environmentally sustainable. We are learning, once again, to respect the cycles of nature, and to work with the land rather than exploiting it for short-term gain”. (Elder Daniel Mistaken Chief)
We have been disconnected from this sacred relationship for generations, due to colonial practices that sought to dominate the land and its resources. For example, the destruction of Buffalo populations wasn’t just an attack on a food source; it was an attack on a way of life, one that valued mutual respect between humans and animals. The Buffalo, for instance, didn't just provide meat — they were integral to our ceremonies, our culture, and our understanding of the world. Each part of the Buffalo was used with great care and respect, ensuring that no part of it went to waste”. (Dr. Teena Starlight)
In many ways, food sovereignty is about restoring these teachings and reviving the sacred practices of our ancestors. It is about understanding that the land provides all that we need, and that we must approach the land and its creatures with reverence and gratitude. When we reclaim our food systems, we also reclaim our cultural identity, our community strength, and our spiritual connection to the land. It's not about just having enough food to survive — it’s about having the ability to thrive by living with responsibility and ensuring that our children and grandchildren will also have the opportunity to live in balance with the earth, as we once did." (Elder Daniel Mistaken Chief)
The Impact of Colonialism on the Beaver
The beaver is a key animal in Indigenous cultures, considered a "water being," and plays a critical ecological role. The colonizers, who exploited the beaver for the fur trade, failed to understand its vital role in maintaining water systems. Beavers are ecological engineers, building dams that alter water flow and create habitats. Their actions maintain ecosystem balance. There was reflection on how colonial practices reduced the beaver to a commodity, ignoring its spiritual and ecological importance:
"The very first thing that they noticed in this land was the beaver... They took that without even realizing and thinking that those beavers are our water beings." (Dr. Teena Starlight)
Colonization’s exploitation of the beaver led to its near extinction, disrupting the ecosystems that Indigenous communities depended on. The beaver symbolizes food sovereignty, where human and animal relationships are in harmony with nature.
Use of Land Markers
Land markers and traditional boundaries, such as rivers, have cultural, spiritual, and ecological significance in Indigenous territories. Blackfoot and Cree territories were historically divided by landmarks such as rivers. For example, south the North Saskatchewan river is Blackfoot territory, while north of it is Cree territory:
"So south of this river is Blackfoot territory, north of this river is considered Cree territory." (Dr. Teena Starlight)
These landmarks represent ecological and cultural boundaries that were acknowledged and respected through ceremonial practices and protocols that protected one's spirit when traveling to new territories:
"We have our own protocols when you go to a new place that's outside of your territory... offering tobacco to a new place outside of your territory so that your spirit... is protected."
(Dr. Teena Starlight)
Community Gardening
Community Gardening and land-based practices were highlighted as vital aspects of food sovereignty, reconnecting Indigenous communities with their traditional knowledge and ecosystems. Gardens are spaces to revitalize traditional food systems, reduce reliance on external sources, and respect natural cycles. The speaker reflected on the importance of growing food with respect for the land and integrating traditional teachings to reconnect with the spiritual and ceremonial aspects of food sovereignty:
"We have to start looking at different ways of growing food rather than just mining the earth all the time... and growing food is a way of reconnecting." (Dr. Jebunnessa Chapola)
Settler's Perspective on Land Acknowledgement and Decolonization
One guest speaker, who identified as a settler of colour, shared their understanding of land acknowledgements and their connection to food sovereignty. The speaker views land acknowledgements as interconnected with food sovereignty, advocating for the recognition of Indigenous peoples' millennia-long relationship with the land and their sustainable practices:
"We need to understand the history of the land that we are standing on, not by colonial history, but by the millions of years of successful stories of Indigenous people." (Dr. Ranjan Datta)
“I learned about The Land Back Movement while participating in community gardening, anti-racist, and decolonial events. In North America, it is an Indigenous-led movement that seeks to reclaim Indigenous sovereignty over ancestral regions taken over by colonization, treaties, and forced relocation. It aims to restore Indigenous communities' land management while also acknowledging their rights, governance, and ecological practices. More than just physical land, the movement aims to restore Indigenous culture, language, and knowledge systems, as well as eliminate colonial forces that continue to oppress Indigenous Peoples till today” (Dr. Jebunnessa Chapola)
The speaker also argued that Indigenous knowledge is a form of scientific knowledge, contrasting it with colonial science that often exploits resources for profit:
"Indigenous Elders, Knowledge-keepers are the scientists for the community they are coming from... they are not claiming that I am a scientist for all over the world the way colonial researchers claim for it. They know what is good for their community than the outsider." (Dr. Ranjan Datta)
“Leading the USask community garden meant more to me than simply eating fresh, organic produce. It helped me to understand the Indigenous meaning of Land, food sovereignty, food growing stories, and passing them down to future generations. Our collaborative effort for the community garden enabled me to re-learn, un-learn the meaning of decolonization, reconciliation, and my role as a settler of color academic mother” (Dr. Jebunnessa Chapola)
As we wrapped up the evening, Dr. Jebunnessa Chapola asked us to join hands in a circle, and led us into a closing circle with gentle movements to celebrate our time together and the solidarity that comes from such beautiful spaces of sharing and learning together. Attendees left with new perspectives and teachings to reflect upon, inspiration to channel innovative solutions forward, and hearts full of deep gratitude!