May 18, 2018
On April 23 and 24 a Dietitians Gathering was held at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre. The Gathering was blessed with the presence of Virginia Peters, FNHDA Elder Advisor, who shared her knowledge and wisdom generously with the group. The key themes and focus of the two-day gathering included topics around cultural safety, resource sharing and food demonstrations, impacts of colonization on Indigenous food systems and ways of understanding nutrition, food insecurity, trauma-informed practice in relation to food programs and dietetic practice, and food systems change and mobilization.
We had Dr. Cheryl Currie, Professor of Public Health and the Alberta Innovates Health Solutions (AIHS) Translational Chair in Aboriginal Health & Well-being, who shared research by Richard T Oster, Angela Grier, Rick Lightning, Maria J Mayan and Ellen L Toth, on the importance of cultural continuity in relation to overall Indigenous health and wellness (i.e. figure below), as well as the long term adverse impacts of racial discrimination and complex trauma on Indigenous health, including the linkages between adverse childhood experiences and risk of type two diabetes. Melanie Kurrein, PHSA’s Food Security Manager, shared with the group the overall provincial strategy and approach to food insecurity, as well as Margo Greenwoods Web of Being (Social Determinants and Aboriginal Health), creating space for an important discussion around the root causes of food insecurity in First Nations communities in BC.
Vina Robinson and Margaret Bird from Nuu Chah Nulth Mental Health Services provided more insight into complex trauma, historical and intergenerational trauma related to food and nutrition, the importance of cultural knowledge, and the integrated approach NTC’s health team takes around creating safe and culturally appropriate environments. To wrap up the gathering, we had Dawn Morrison and Suzanne Johnson share with us their first hand leadership and experience on effective community-based advocacy and mobilization with regards to supporting holistic food systems.
