On May 23rd 2023, Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) leadership gathered at Effie Kokrine Charter School with tribal communities and local stakeholders in TCC’s first ever Food Security Summit, which resulted from the request of TCC’s Full Board of Directors per resolution 2022-11. The goal of the summit is to work towards identifying and improving access to healthy foods in rural Alaska. The panels addressed access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food; protections for the traditional ways of gathering and harvesting local resources; land stewardship, and brainstormed solutions with local State and Federal partners for the current food crisis in Tribal communities.
The summit opened with a traditional meal provided by Flora Deacon from the National Resource Center for Alaska Native Elders and an Alaska Native traditional foods chef. The summit also included informational sessions on raising ducks and quail; birch tapping and syrups; preparation of pike; hydroponic and container gardening; cooking traditional foods, and a demonstration of pickling salmon.
Representing the Intertribal Agriculture Council, Tikaan Galbreath reminded attendees of the importance of traditional foods to our culture. “We understand how we fit into the landscape,” he said, “Through a collaborative and intentional approach, we can establish a strong foundation that is informed by our values and for the next generation to continue to build from.” He added that there are numerous resources available to Indigenous land stewards who are seeking to establish community-driven agriculture, start food production and processing businesses, and to support conservation and regenerative agriculture. “There is the opportunity to reclaim and nurture the food systems that exist in our tribal communities across the state,” he asserted.
Amber Vaska, TCC’s Executive Director of Tribal Government and Client Services, shares the mission and the sentiment. “The heart of the Food Security Summit was for tribal and community members to convene, learn, and make connections on opportunities to fund, grow, access, harvest, preserve and cook healthy and traditional foods,” she said, “In a world where tribal members face many food security threats, such as airline shortages, supply chain issues, hunting pressures, complex regulations, and climate change, it is important that tribal members have the knowledge to grow, gather, harvest, hunt or barter to access traditional, nutritious foods.”
Other panelists included Heidi Rader from the University of Alaska (UAF) Cooperative Extension, Samantha Castle Kirstein from the Fairbanks Community Food Bank, Charlie Wright from TCC’s Executive Board, Kiah “Mikkiah” Goessel, a traditional plant specialist, and Kevin Illingsworth from UAF’s Tribal Government program. The summit seeks to continue to find ways to successfully collaborate with other entities in securing tribal food sovereignty and improving access to nutritionally sound foods in rural communities.
“I’d like to thank everyone who made our Food Security Summit a success,” said Jennifer Probert, TCC’s Diabetes Program Community Outreach Coordinator and organizer of the Food Security Summit, “There was plenty of networking, learning, supporting, sharing of stories, and amazing food throughout the day, and I’m looking forward to continuing this conference in the future.”
If you’d like more information about food security, please visit https://www.tananachiefs.org/food-resources/
