food sovereignty, Native American, Knutson, Peiser, Black Elk, plants, tea,
May 3, 2023
Luke and Linda Black Elk, food sovereignty activists and teachers of traditional plant uses, gardening, food preservation and foraging, will share their knowledge at Oakland University during the weekend of May 13-14.
Luke and Linda Black Elk |
Food sovereignty in its most basic definition is the idea that people have the right to culturally-appropriate and traditional foods and food practices. The Black Elks will host a series of events centered on food sovereignty, including a tea-making workshop, a plant walk and medicinal food presentations.
The idea that food is medicine is a culturally important concept, says Dr. Andrea Knutson, associate professor of English and co-chair of the Native American Advisory Committee (NAAC) at Oakland University.
“Food is medicine because of its nutrition, but it's also medicine for all the ways that traditional foods restore ancient moral and spiritual relationships with the land,” Knutson explained. “There is no ‘medicine’ in the western sense at these workshops. Focusing on food sovereignty means teaching these moral relationships through storytelling, but also learning about how to identify plants, prepare and cook traditional foods and how to preserve them. Food sovereignty is, therefore, important to recovering and strengthening Native cultures and ensuring that these cultures thrive – along with the planet – into the future.”