A Land Not Forgotten

Indigenous Food Security and Land-Based Practices in Northern Ontario

Michael A. Robidoux (Editor), Courtney W. Mason (Editor)

Food insecurity takes a disproportionate toll on the health of Canada’s Indigenous people. A Land Not Forgotten examines the disruptions in local food practices as a result of colonization and the cultural, educational, and health consequences of those disruptions. This multidisciplinary work demonstrates how some Indigenous communities in northern Ontario are addressing challenges to food security through the restoration of land-based cultural practices.

Improving Indigenous health, food security, and sovereignty means reinforcing practices that build resiliency in ecosystems and communities. As this book contends, this includes facilitating productive collaborations and establishing networks of Indigenous communities and allies to work together in promotion and protection of Indigenous food systems. This will influence diverse groups and encourage them to recognize the complexity of colonial histories and the destructive health impacts in Indigenous communities.

In addition to its multidisciplinary lens, the authors employ a community-based participatory approach that privileges Indigenous interests and perspectives. A Land Not Forgotten provides a comprehensive picture of the food security and health issues Indigenous peoples are encountering in Canada’s rural north.

Reviews

“Without glossing over the terrible costs of the colonial legacy that Indigenous people are still paying, A Land Not Forgotten offers hope for a healthier, more food secure future for all of us.”

– Elaine Power, Associate Professor, School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University

“For a slender volume, the work is rich in examples and reiterations of the value of the work that has been undertaken in these communities.”

– Tonia L. Payne, SUNY Nassau Community College, The Goose

“A poignant collection of essays about the cultural and spiritual importance of Indigenous land-based practices. It is written with great compassion and care by ten contributors who have a deep understanding of what it means to live on the land and to have a connection with it.”

– Noreen Willow, University of Alberta, The Canadian Journal of Native Studies

“A fascinating volume profiling complex, community-based inter-disciplinary scholarship. The book is unique in focusing on work in different specific communities and taking diverse interdisciplinary approaches, yet all of the contributors are united in their participation in the larger collaboration of the Indigenous Health Research Group (IHRG) and its partnerships.”

– Sarah King, Grand Valley State University, American Indian Culture and Research Journal

“A Land Not Forgotten does an admirable job highlighting both the vulnerability and the resiliency of remote Indigenous communities. It would be useful in college courses in public health or research methods; for health professionals, especially those working in Indigenous communities; and for Indigenous communities seeking to establish relationships with university researchers or even looking for examples of food sovereignty projects to implement on their own.”

– Elizabeth Hoover, Brown University, Native American and Indigenous Studies

About the Authors

Michael A. Robidoux is a professor in the School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa. He is part of the Indigenous Health Research Group.

Courtney W. Mason is Canada Research Chair, Rural Livelihoods and Sustainable Communities at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia.

Other contributors: Kristin Burnett, Bénédicte Fontaine-Bisson, Simon Frogg, Janice Cindy Gaudet, François Haman, Benoît Lamarche, Joseph LeBlanc, Courtney W. Mason, Shinjini Pilon, Michael A. Robidoux, Desirée Streit.

Book Details

Purchase Online

Related Titles

University of Manitoba Press
301 St. John’s College
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB   R3T 2M5   Canada

Privacy Policy | Top of page

University of Manitoba BNC Certified Silver