Wisconsin Tribal Nations Highlight the Importance of Food Sovereignty

In partnership with: Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

In centuries past, tribal nations looked to the land for nourishment, growing their own produce, hunting and fishing. As times changed, so did food. Families became dependent on grocery stores and other sources of food, and home gardens became a thing of the past. Two tribes in Wisconsin are working to reinvigorate the ancestral traditions and bring food sovereignty to the forefront.

See more: Wisconsin Tribal Nations Increase Access to Healthy, Traditional Food

Focus on Food Sovereignty

“Food sovereignty is becoming more self-sufficient in food and respecting the land,” says Kellie Zahn, agriculture agent for the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians. “Every community can define that in a way that makes the most sense for them, but we focus on hands-on education of growing and preserving food and using community farms to increase access to food and knowledge.” 

Zahn says that, as a whole, Native Americans are at a higher risk to develop health issues, and the community is located in a food desert, making access to fresh, healthy food difficult. In addition, food has a significant cultural aspect within the tribe, so introducing youth to the traditional crops and seeds of their ancestors is important. 

“About five years ago, we updated our strategic plan to include programs that empower our communities to start growing their own food and gaining food security,” Zahn says. “We have community gardens where we’ve held beautiful planting and harvesting ceremonies that cross generations. You can see the connection with the elders, parents and youth surrounding this native tradition.” 

Teaching the Youth

Loretta Livingston, director of food sovereignty for the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa tribe, says that teaching younger generations about living in the natural world is a no-brainer. 

“When I took over the program, my vision was to reconnect our community with the land and the bounty it can and has provided for us,” Livingston says. “A lot of those traditions have been replaced by the local supermarket and commodity programs, which leads to a myriad of health problems. You have to start with teaching the youth because that leads to lasting change.” 

Joy Schelble, 4-H youth development coordinator, works with Livingston to engage 4-H youth in ways that are fun and relatable. 

“Young people learning how to grow food is really a starting point,” Schelble says. “We help children have experiences to learn skills like harvesting, preparing food and making nutritious choices. The garden is a beautiful classroom that holds lots of ‘kid’ energy. Everyone is engaged in a way that feels kid friendly.”

Zahn says that the connection of where food comes from is important for kids, but so is teaching them that food is more than just calories. 

“Growing your own food can be really healing for your soul,” Zahn says. “That connection is really valuable, and by carrying it into the next generation, more people can get excited about growing food.” 

The New Normal

Both tribes said the COVID-19 pandemic created challenges but also presented opportunities to emphasize the importance of food and education. Schelble says a lot of people wanted to start gardening while they were at home, so the Bad River tribe put together a burlap bag program that contained soil and seeds to make it easier for them. 

“Through virtual meetings, I was able to help families learn and offer kids some fun activities with the burlap bag program,” Schelble says. “At the end, we harvested the plants and did programming around cooking. It was scaled appropriately for what was happening during the pandemic and created space for the conversation around why it’s important to have these skills.” 

See more: Indigenous Communities Work to Reclaim Their Food Sovereignty

Zahn echoes the statement, saying that when grocery store shelves were bare during COVID-19, it brought to light that many of us take for granted that we have what we need. 

“Any small step to empower people to grow their own food is important. The pandemic really shifted that focus,” she says.

Looking toward the future, Livingston says that reconnecting to the land has changed her life, and she hopes to bring that same feeling to the next generation. 

“Building food sovereignty into your life by reconnecting with the land is what it’s all about,” Livingston says. “It’s so rewarding to me to be able to provide those opportunities and allow youth to experience food as their ancestors did.”