Food sovereignty is typically defined as "the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods."
Holding to our Plant Relatives
Spokane Tribal Network (STN) is providing space for conversation, work, and knowledge sharing about food sovereignty/safety and the people’s ability to access healthy and traditional foods. Open sharing of knowledge and resources leads us to refocus our traditional foods and values, and restart local agricultural systems that produce and provide fresh and healthy non-traditional food for the people.
Food Sovereignty with Melodi Wynne
- Community and Cultural Psychologist
Our Mission & Vision
Healing The Land Truly Takes All Of Us. Therefore, This Is A Tribal And Community Project, Graciously Housed By Spokane Tribal Network. Reinvigorating The Flora Of Our Ancestral Homelands Means Removing, Or Learning To Live With, Invasive And Non-Native Species. It Also Means Planting And Nurturing Native Species, And Partnering With Land Owners And Managers To Share Knowledge And Access To Places Available For This Work.
Partnerships To Gain Access To Root Fields And Berry Patches Outside Our Reservation Boundaries Is Especially Important As We Work Toward Mitigating Man-Made Climate Crisis Driven Disasters Such As Drought And Wildfire, Which Have Greatly Impacted Our Community. Bringing Health And Balance Back To The Waters And Soils Of Our Region Cannot Happen In Isolation So Again, Partnerships And Community Are Vital To The Team To STN’s Tribal Food Sovereignty Goals And Activities.
Driving Forces
Food Sovereignty is a responsibility within family and community, and to our plant and animal relatives
Honor all life (no till, be good neighbors). Climate smart practices, decisions, actions, and advocacy.
Create healing spaces. Advocacy for ancestral lands, Earth, native plants, and each other.
Interconnection, relatedness, and interdependence. Biodiversity, and economy of abundance.
Liberate resources (no permanent solutions to temporary problems, severally limit locking up resources; people and plants are resources too)
Take only what you need (consideration), use all that you take (respect), share some (generosity), leave some (sustainability), leave the place nicer than you found it (responsibility)
Traditional foods on people’s everyday plates. Plant foods and medicines include those used for basketry, regalia, structure, and tools
Learning
HER(his)STORY
Please see more of our Tribal story at the link below.
Spokane Tribal History shared by Warren Seyler
Like our non-native neighbors, many of the people have since become dependent and reliant upon food resources we have no control in managing. This has led to food shortages, especially of traditional food sources and other fresh healthy foods.
We crave conversation, demonstration, and education to revive practices of producing local foods that are native and/or cultivated. Holding to traditional diet and healthy nontraditional foods takes the people a step closer to food sovereignty, security, and safety.
Historically, and presently, our adaptation to western agriculture practices did succeed to a point. Successful tribally operated fish hatcheries are an example. Some generations ago the people successfully planted and cultivated gardens, orchards, livestock crops like alfalfa, and raised cattle and horses.
What is the purpose?
A primary purpose of the project is to create a healing space demonstrating Spokane Tribal Food Sovereignty through connections among people, plants, elements, and all life above, on, in, and under the soil. Connection means traditional plant foods on people's everyday plates, sharing knowledge of food and medicine plants, and healing centered engagement of anyone and everyone that is interested in learning and teaching. Therefore, STN was excited to enter into a three year professional service agreement with the STOI 477 program, which started in the Spring of 2022.
Melodi wynne
Community and Cultural Psychologist
Indigenous Birth Justice
The work of revitalizing and honoring ancestors who survived and thrived for us to be on this earth is always important to keep in our hearts. Indigenous Birth Justice work is made possible by https://perigeefund.org/
Children of the Sun Community Coaltion
Strengthening Families Program is for Parents and Youth 10-14 and is a nationally recognized curriculum that provides parent, youth and family education. The model is designed to be delivered in local communities for groups of 7-12 families. In our case, our goal is 2-3 but will take all that apply. Strengthening Families training is provided by WSU.
Strengthen Families Locally
Strengthen Families Locally aims to increase family resilience and reduce rates of child maltreatment and entry into foster care in target communities. The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) has partnered with STN to help achieve these outcomes in Stevens & Ferry Counties. It is funded by the Administration for Children and Families and is a 5-year project started in 2019. Micaela Carroll is the Coordinator and Penny Spencer is the financial and support to the contract.