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This article is from Today's
Native Father, issue #133, May/June, 2004. Related articles from this issue: |
Growing Plants for Healthier Families and Communities |
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Eleazor Anderson’s Cree people traditionally supported themselves by hunting and fishing. But he remembers the time when he, his parents and his grandparents “farmed” near Big Trout Lake, Ontario. During the short summers they grew potatoes, lots of potatoes. They stored these in a root cellar dug into the ground. This kept them from freezing and spoiling. Then during the long winters they would hunt and fish. Their diet consisted mostly of wild game, fish and potatoes. “We never got sick,” says Anderson. “No diabetes. We were always strong and had lots of energy for hard work." Then the family was told that they had to put their children in school. So they left the farm and moved into the village. Since then, sickness has increased and diabetes has become almost epidemic among the people. The good news is that some northern communities are now working to restore the health of their people by bringing back gardening skills. Future Farmers: Children’s garden club blooms in Inuvik Inuvik (July 4, 2003)-A group of Inuvik children are learning that vegetables are more than just a side dish Mom is always trying to get them to eat. The SAMs garden club was started by teachers at the school two years ago, but when teachers left for the summer, the club fizzled until school volunteer Ruth Wright revived the club this spring. “I looked next door to my plot and I thought, ‘It’s not going to be vacant again this year,’” Wright said. She sought the help of others at the school to get the club going again, but most were busy with their curriculum and other events so she started on her own. “It took me about a week or two to get started, writing notes home for parents’ signatures on permission slips,” she said. The interest was overwhelming at first, she said, with 48 kids joining in the first week. The children have their own plot at the Inuvik community greenhouse, but they also help with tending other plots while people are out of town. “We started by sifting all the soil. That was hard work, so a few of them dropped off, but they’ve started coming back now that things are growing,” she said. Once their garden plot was seeded, Wright brought some starter plants from her home. The club learned about transplanting, making cuttings and how to divide root systems. One part of the club’s mission is to grow all their own vegetables for stew, zucchini for bread, cucumbers and nasturtiums for salads, and an herb garden. The club is also compiling a herbarium, a collection of plants, flowers and herbs native to the area. They dry and press the plants into a book, with each plant’s name written underneath. “If we do this every year, every child should be able to identify plants around here,” Wright said. Wright says the children have an enthusiasm for gardening that she hopes will stay with them into adulthood. By Terry Halifax. Reprinted from the Inuvik Drum with permission from Northern News Services. Returning to traditional vegetables on Shoal Lake Children in the Ojibway community of Iskatewizaagegan (Shoal Lake in northwestern Ontario, Canada) are excited about learning traditional gardening skills. The goal of the project is to promote healthy eating by encouraging people to include more vege-tables in their diets. Shopping for fresh vegetables is difficult in this semi-isolated community. Research shows that food was once a renowned trading commodity in this region. Excellent soil conditions produced crops that were sought even by tribes that lived at a distance. Community members are now trying to re-establish some of the original vegetables, such as corn, tomatoes, squash and potatoes. Reported by Rick Garrick in Kii nii caa nihsi naanik, a joint project of Mennonite Central Committee and Wawatay News, August, 2003. |
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