AUNDECK OMNI KANING—You are what you eat is an old saying that holds particular meaning for the Anishinaabek, whose traditional diet has been upended by today’s plethora of processed foods. Noojmowin Teg Health Services, which provides services to Anishinaabe communities across the region, has implemented a number of programs that aim to bring healthier food options, including traditional diet.
Over the past year, Noojmowin Teg has implemented a program that aims to “nourish hearts and souls as well as the bodies of patients at both the Island sites of the Manitoulin Health Centre.”
“We have served up more than 1,800 meals over the past year,” said Noojmowin Teg Executive Director Debbie Francis. “The program has been very successful in providing eight Indigenous meal options over the course of a month.”
The meals follow the traditional Indigenous concept of meals as medicine but are not limited to those of Indigenous ancestry, explains Ms. Francis. “The meals are not just for the Indigenous patients but are offered to non-Indigenous patients as well.” She notes that the meals provide an innovative way to spread cultural understanding and knowledge.
The meals provided by Wiikwemkoong caterer Hiawatha Osawamick consist of a healthy combination of wild game, fish, corn, berries and other seasonal produce, Ms. Francis said. Ms. Osawamick, being a trained chef who specializes in traditional foods ensures the foods prepared are not just healthy, but also appealing and appetizing. For many Indigenous hospital patients, the foods bring with them a sense of spirituality and memories of their childhood.
“We’re introducing some of these foods to individuals who have never had wild rice, or moose meat stir fry,” she said. “So, we’re able to offer the food and share about the food as well.”
Processed foods are one of the key culprits when it comes to the underlying causes of diabetes among Indigenous populations, notes Ms. Francis—a factor the food program aims to address. “It’s about healthier dietary options—wild rice instead of white rice, fish, which is such a natural food item and lean, these foods help promote better health outcomes.”
Ms. Francis supplied that patients receiving the traditional food offerings are “very grateful.”
The program expands the Manitoulin Health Centre’s focus on its Maamwewziwining—Moving forward together program, which seeks to provide a more culturally appropriate and engaging hospital experience for Indigenous patients who make up a significant portion of the hospital clients at both its Mindemoya and Little Current sites.
