Title

Assessment of Northern Development and Quality of Traditional Foods (blueberries, wild-rice and moose meat) and Effects on Health and Socio-Cultural Traditions: A Risk Management Strategy and Guidelines for Traditional Food Consumption

Fiscal Year

2009-2010

Community/Region

Aroland and Eabametoong First Nations (Aroland), Ontario

Principal Investigator

Dr. Brian McLaren

Community Project Lead

Mark Bell and Sheldon Atlookan

Project Members

Connie H. Nelson, Mirella Stroink, Azim Mallik and Joseph LeBlanc

Project Summary

Aroland and Eabametoong First Nations rely on locally harvested, traditional foods for sustenance. Community members were interested in understanding whether concerns about the accumulation of environmental contaminants due to industrial activities such as mining and herbicidal spraying had an effect on local country food consumption patterns.

In this study, a survey was conducted to determine the amount of local country foods being consumed in Aroland and Eabametoong First Nations and examine community perceptions concerning contaminants in traditional foods. Information was also gathered on levels of overall health and well-being, food security, and basic demographics.

The results of this study indicated that traditional food remains an important part of the local diet. In Eabametoong First Nation, there was a marginal negative correlation between the rates of traditional food consumption and beliefs that herbicidal spraying had contaminated the food system. Conversely, in Aroland First Nation, the degree to which community members held these beliefs was positively correlated with the number of fish, blueberry, and moose meals consumed. This suggests that in Aroland First Nation, although there is increased awareness about environmental contamination and its impacts on health, that awareness has not resulted, thus far, in reduced traditional food consumption behaviour, perhaps due to its cultural importance and its benefits to food security.

Local traditional foods appeared to play a key role in fostering health and well-being. Those who reported consuming greater amounts of locally caught fish and locally hunted game reported better health outcomes according to a number of health indicators. such as life satisfaction, diet, exercise, weight, and food security. However, country foods not only have nutritional and health benefits, but they also strengthen Indigenous Peoples’ sense of connection with nature and with their traditional lands and waters.