Kimeechiminan - Food Security

Kimeechiminan means "Our Food"

Island lake people in wellness together

"It is more than just food, it includes everything; Spirit, Language, Land, Elders, Women, Youth, celebrating life and death. It is everything that is taught in our ancestral way of teaching."

Four Arrows Regional Health Authority (FARHA) has become a leader with issues surrounding all of Manitoba’s First Nations Food Security. FARHA has become the first point in contact because of their work and will continue to work towards increasing food security for First Nations communities in Manitoba towards restoring our food sovereignty.

Our Motto: "Food is Medicine"

what is food security?

With Kimeechiminan’s work, we want to reignite the fire within our people to reconnect with their food systems and incorporate historic and cultural food practices.

Vision

It is the vision of FARHA’s Kimeechiminan that for food security to be resolved, it is First Peoples who must take the lead in the development of a First Nations Food Security Strategy.

Indigenous food sovereignty is a timely and important response to food insecurity and the loss of language, ceremony, and other impacts related to colonialism. It goes beyond food to ensure that people and the land are connected and that cultural and traditional teachings can guide and protect our food systems.

Byron Beardy, Kimeechiminan Program Manager, understands his connections of land-based language in the context of food from an indigenous lens. “I no longer see myself torn between two worlds, but rather as a lifeline between them”.

What Is Food Security?

At the most basic level, food security refers to the ability of an individual or household to access nutritious food. At the 1996 World Food Summit, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations defined food security as:

“All people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy lifestyle.”

Food Security Means

Being able to get the food you need
Being able to eat safe and healthy foods
Being able to get the foods you like and want to eat
Protecting the water, land, air and people

Video: What is Food Security

Food Goals for our Communities

Have access to healthy food
Have foods that are culturally appropriate
Grow, gather, hunt, and fish in ways that are sustainable over the long-term
Distribute foods in ways so people get what they need to stay healthy
Adequately compensate the people who provide the food
Utilize our treaty rights that ensure continued access to traditional foods

Our Goals

The goals of the First Nations Food Security Program is to increase food security for our First Nation communities.

Our Objectives

Promote and increase awareness about food security through a variety of media.
Empower our people and communities to produce food locally.
Promote the development, sharing, and distribution of learning resources.
Promote the continuation of traditional food sharing networks.
Encourage eating of traditional foods.
Advocate for changes in existing programs and policies to improve food security.
Support promotion of healthy eating.
Explore measures to increase healthy food options and choices in stores.
Develop a First Nations Food Security Strategy for Manitoba.

Understanding

Food Security vs Food Insecurity

Watch Now

Why What You Eat is So Important For Good Health

Nutrition North and FARHA Teach Nutrition To the Island Lake Community – filmed in 2012

Projects

Food Security Projects supported through our program include:

Gardening

Traditional Foods

Raising Backyard Chickens

Food Skills Workshops

Support promotion of healthy eating

Community composing initiatives

Watch Now

Island Lake Chicken Project

Watch Our Chickens of the North video! Raising Chickens Empowering Youth

Twelve year old Logan Mason is from St. Theresa Point First Nation and has been raising chickens with his family since 2011. In their first year of raising meat birds, Logan, with help from his sister, successfully raised 10 birds for their family. This past February, Logan presented alongside Byron Beardy, the Food Security Coordinator for Four Arrows Regional Health Authority, at Sharing Our Food Stories, discussing with participants the successes and challenges of backyard poultry production.

Logan’s lighthearted approach and willingness to share his knowledge and experience make him a wonderful role model for youth and older generations alike!

Watch Now

Meechim

Creating a social enterprise in Garden Hill First Nation

The project aims to grow healthy, locally grown food for the community and provides education and training opportunities for Indigenous youth. Projects like ‘The Meechim Project’ work to find solutions to alleviate poverty and food insecurity while creating long term employment and sustainable economic development in the community.

Aki Energy

Aki Energy is currently piloting a project with Garden Hill First Nation to develop a local food hub, which would bring together local market gardening and small scale agriculture, traditional foods harvesting and a ‘good food box’ program to offer healthy, affordable locally produced foods in the community.

This project is a partnership between Garden Hill First Nation, Aki Energy, the University of Manitoba and Four Arrows Regional Health Authority.

More information can be found at:
http://www.akienergy.com/

Contact Our Team

Byron Beardy – Program Manager Kimeechiminan

Byron Beardy is the Program Manager for Four Arrows Regional Health Authority Inc.’s Kimeechiminan (Our Food) – Food Security department and is of Anishininiw ancestry originally from Garden Hil First Nation and was raised in Wasagamack First Nation of the Island Lake region in Manitoba.

Heading into his 14th season, he sits on various food security committees locally, regionally, provincially, nationally and he is frequently requested to speak, plan and/or presents at schools, universities/colleges and gatherings/workshops etc. related to indigenous food sovereignty, food security and/or food practices.

Fluent in his Anishininiw language, Byron utilizes his language skills, traditional knowledge, understanding and continues to incorporate these teachings into food sovereignty/food security work.

How To Contact Byron Beardy

Phone: 204-947-2397 Ext. 106

Email: bbeardy@fourarrowsrha.org

How To Contact Karen Flett

Phone: 204-947-2397 Ext. 105

Email: kflett@fourarrowsrha.org

How To Contact Larry Wood

Phone: 204-947-2397 Ext. 126

Email: lwood@fourarrowsrha.org