Mamaw Kimiciminan Food Sovereignty Gathering
About this Event
The Mamaw Kimiciminan Food Sovereignty Gathering is a three-day, land-based, knowledge-sharing event. Mamaw kimiciminan translates to “our foods" in Anishiniimowin.
Centered on mamaw kimiciminan and First Nations communities in Northern Ontario, the gathering will:
- Bring together Elders, youth, knowledge carriers, food champions, and community leaders;
- Celebrate the rich food knowledge we carry;
- Strengthen Indigenous food systems across the region;
- Share teachings, build skills, and reinforce Indigenous knowledge systems;
- Advance sustainable, culturally grounded food systems; and
- Address food insecurity and climate impacts.
Gathering Format
The conference style sessions will occur during the 3 mornings of the gathering. Sessions will cover topics such as:
- Harvesting Year-Round
- Northern Gardeners in Conversation
- Honoring the Seed: Relational Seed Production in Northwestern Ontario
- Wiiche’iwaymagon Alliance & Community Store Management Sharing Session
- Northern Food Banking
- Zine Youth Workshop
- Community-led Harvesting Initiatives
- Emergency Preparedness and Planning
- Food as Wellness, Safety, Connection, and Belonging
- Our Changing Climate: Protecting our Land and the People
Starting at 11 a.m. on September 1 and 2, participants will experience and enjoy mamaw kimiciminan. Elders and knowledge carriers will be cooking and sharing the foods that have sustained us for generations and continue to nourish us today.
Food related activities will also be happening, such as:
- Hide tanning
- Rendering bear grease
- Seed saving
- Making minigan salve
- Processing manoomin (wild rice)
- Gill net weaving
As well, there will be 3 afternoon workshops:
- Birchbark basket workshop
- Meat canning workshop
- 3-Sisters Soup workshop
Sessions and agenda subject to change.
Hosted by the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority, in partnership with:
- Feed Ontario
- Food Banks Canada
- Gaagige Zaagibigaa
- Northwestern Health Unit
- Wiiche'iwaymagon Alliance
- Harvesters Support Grant Program with Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board
- Understanding Our Food Systems with Thunder Bay District Health Unit
- Mawachintoon Anishnabe Miijim Program with Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment & Training Services
Tuesday, Sept. 1st
🕑: 08:00 AM - 09:00 AM
Breakfast
🕑: 09:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Opening & Keynote Address
Host: MC: Dennis Chartrand
Info: Keynote address by MPP Sol Mamakwa, Kiiwetinoong; MPP ᓴᐧᓬ ᒣᒣᑫᐧ, ᑭᐁᐧᑎᓄᐣᐠ
🕑: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Break
🕑: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Harvesting Year-Round
Host: Fanny Winter, Priscilla Anderson, and Stanley Anderson
Info: Join Knowledge Carriers from Wapekeka First Nation as they share the seasonal timing of harvesting and the knowledge that guides what is gathered throughout the year.
Through stories and lived experience, learn how harvesting practices are rooted in respect, reciprocity, and sustainability - reflecting a way of life in which the land and waters provide for the people, and people, in turn, care for the land. This session offers an opportunity to better understand the knowledge, values, and traditions that have sustained Indigenous communities for generations.
🕑: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Honoring the Seed: Relational Seed Production in Northwestern Ontario
Info: Join local seed advocates for a discussion on the practical wisdom, responsibility, and spirit of producing, harvesting, and saving regional seeds. Rooted in relational practices that work alongside natural systems, this session explores what happens when we recognize seeds as living partners. Panelists will share personal experiences and practical suggestions, highlighting how deepening our reciprocal bonds with seeds, the land, and our communities builds a resilient foundation for local Indigenous food sovereignty. Participants will leave with practical seed-saving insights and a renewed perspective on restoring balance within our shared food webs.
🕑: 11:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Food & Culture Camp
Info: Under the big tent, participants will spend the afternoon visiting a variety of food and culture stations, including: Cooking country food with Elders and Knowledge Carriers; Fish pemmican with Maryann and Thomas Quequish; Fish and moose smoking with AJ Esquega; Hide tanning with Anemki Art Collective; Manoomin processing with Joshua Leclair; Bear grease teachings with Arlene Meekis Jung; Making minigan salve with Pauline Wesley; Seed saving with Celeste Smith (Tuesday only); Gill net weaving with Andrew Thompson; Elder Tipi Time: Visit with Elders throughout the afternoon in the Nor’Wester tipi. These hands-on stations offer participants the opportunity to learn directly from Knowledge Carriers.
🕑: 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Vendor & Artisan Marketplace
Info: Explore the vendor marketplace featuring Indigenous artisans, makers, entrepreneurs, Knowledge Carriers, and skilled community members sharing their work, creations, and cultural expression. You'll also find health and wellness organizations, food suppliers, local businesses, community service providers, and event sponsors from Thunder Bay and beyond, all contributing to the conference experience. Take time to connect with exhibitors, discover unique products and services, learn about valuable community resources, and support the diverse partnerships and talents that strengthen Indigenous communities and advance food sovereignty. The vendors will be set up for the entire event.
🕑: 12:30 PM - 01:30 PM
Lunch
🕑: 01:30 PM - 05:00 PM
Birchbark Basket Workshop
Host: Helen Pelltier
Info: Artist Helen Pelltier, Fort William First Nation, will share wiigwas teachings and lead you through making a small wiigwas makak (birchbark basket). This is a one-day workshop that is offered on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Limited capacity
🕑: 01:30 PM - 05:00 PM
Meat Canning Workshop
Host: Diana Lidemark
Info: Join Diana Lidemark for a hands-on meat canning workshop designed for beginners and experienced home canners. Learn the basics of pressure canning beef in a simple, flavourful bone broth while gaining practical skills you can use at home. This interactive session will include an introduction to pressure canning equipment, important safety practices, an overview of home canning methods and uses, and personal stories from Diana’s nearly decade-long journey of learning and preserving food. Participants will receive a pressure canning handout and tools list, have the opportunity to explore a variety of canned foods (including examples of canning challenges and “shelf fails”), and take home a sample of the finished product once it has cooled. Come to learn, ask questions, and build confidence in the art of preserving food.
Limited capacity
Wednesday, Sept. 2nd
🕑: 08:00 AM - 09:00 AM
Breakfast
🕑: 09:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Wiiche’iwaymagon Alliance & Community Store Management Sharing Session
Info: Do you own, manage, or hope to operate a community store? Join this interactive sharing session to learn how the Wiiche’iwaymagon Alliance supports small community retailers through services such as short-term credit, wholesale purchasing, access to a wide range of products, and guidance toward independent store ownership.
Following the presentation, Tom Jr. Kamenawatamin will lead a discussion on the opportunities and challenges of running a successful community store. This is a chance to share experiences, ask questions, and connect with others working to strengthen local retail in their communities.
🕑: 09:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Northern Gardeners in Conversation
Info: Connect with fellow northern gardeners for an interactive session of storytelling, inspiration, and shared learning. After two short presentations, the conversation will open up for participants to exchange experiences, ideas, and practical tips from their own gardens. Whether you're growing vegetables, flowers, traditional plants, or a little bit of everything, we'd love to hear about: What you're growing; Whether you garden outdoors, in a greenhouse, or both; Who helps tend your garden; What's working well and the challenges you've encountered; Why gardening is important to you and your community.
Bring your favorite garden photos! We'll display participant photos on the screen in real time, creating a vibrant visual showcase to accompany the conversation and celebrate the diversity of northern gardens.
🕑: 09:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Zine Youth Workshop
Host: Mya Fiddler
Info: Discover the creative world of zines - small, self-published booklets that share stories, ideas, art, and knowledge within communities. Whether they explore personal experiences, community events, food, culture, or anything else that inspires you, zines are a unique way to express yourself and connect with others.
Join Mya Fiddler for a hands-on collage zine workshop where you'll create your own one-of-a-kind publication using a variety of art supplies. No experience is needed, and all materials will be provided. Participants will also have the opportunity to make copies of their zines to share with others during the event, celebrating creativity, storytelling, and community.
This session will focus on youth engagement but will not exclude the young at heart.
🕑: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Break
🕑: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Northern Food Banking*
Info: Hear from Food Banks Canada and Feed Ontario about how the food bank networks can support your communities.
🕑: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Emergency Preparedness and Planning
Info: Learn from Indigenous-led emergency preparedness and response workers about how to best plan and prepare for emergencies, as well as what resources are available to you should your community experience them.
🕑: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Food as Wellness, Safety, Connection, and Belonging
Host: Dr. Sean Bryan, Angie Morris, Tressa Beaulieu
Info: Food is more than nourishment. Harvesting, preparing, sharing, and eating traditional foods help strengthen our connections to family, culture, land, identity, and community while supporting physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Join Dr. Sean Bryan (Developmental Pediatrician), Angie Morris (Lead – Mental Wellness), and Tressa Beaulieu (Registered Dietitian) for a conversation exploring the many ways food shapes health and belonging. Together, they'll share perspectives on: Traditional foods and healing – How harvesting, medicines, and our relationships with the land support wellness and reconnect us as original stewards. Children's development and food – How nutrition, feeding experiences, sensory and neurodevelopmental differences, and food access influence children's growth, learning, regulation, and sense of safety. Building positive relationships with food – A neuroaffirming approach that supports children, youth, and families by centering safety, autonomy, sensory nee
🕑: 11:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Food & Culture Camp
Info: Under the big tent, participants will spend the afternoon visiting a variety of food and culture stations, including: Cooking country food with Elders and Knowledge Keepers; Fish pemmican with Maryann and Thomas Quequish; Fish and moose smoking with AJ Esquega; Hide tanning with Anemki Art Collective; Manoomin processing with Joshua Leclair; Bear grease teachings with Arlene Meekis Jung; Making minigan salve with Pauline Wesley; Seed saving with Celeste Smith (Tuesday only); Gill net weaving with Andrew Thompson; Elder Tipi Time: Visit with Elders throughout the afternoon in the Nor’Wester tipi. These hands-on stations offer participants the opportunity to learn directly from Knowledge Carriers.
🕑: 12:30 PM - 01:30 PM
Lunch
🕑: 01:30 PM - 05:00 PM
Birchbark Basket Workshop
Host: Helen Pelltier
Info: Artist Helen Pelltier, Fort William First Nation, will share wiigwas teachings and lead you through making a small wiigwas makak (birchbark basket). This is a one-day workshop that is offered on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Limited capacity
🕑: 01:30 PM - 05:00 PM
3-Sisters Soup Workshop
Host: Celeste Smith
Info: Gather around the table with Celeste Smith (she/her), an Oneida seed steward and traditional agriculturalist from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, for a hands-on cooking experience that brings together food, culture, and Indigenous knowledge.
As you prepare and cook a nourishing 3 Sisters Soup, Celeste will share the teachings behind the Three Sisters - corn, beans, and squash - and the traditional companion planting method that has sustained Indigenous communities for generations. Discover how these three crops support one another in the garden while learning about their cultural significance and the importance of seed stewardship. Come ready to cook, learn, and enjoy a shared meal together!
Limited capacity
🕑: 06:00 PM - 08:00 PM
Evening gathering - Stories of Birds, Ticks, and Water
Host: Precise Engage North Project
Info: Spend an evening in conversation, creativity, and reflection as we explore how Indigenous knowledge can help us prepare for the health impacts of a changing climate. Guided by Indigenous Knowledge Keeper L. Banning, this interactive gathering will weave together storytelling, hands-on crafting, and shared discussion about birds, ticks, water, and our collective resilience in the face of climate change and future pandemics. Dinner, crafting materials, and a small gift will be provided.
Thursday, Sept. 3rd
🕑: 08:00 AM - 09:00 AM
Breakfast
🕑: 09:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Our Changing Climate: Protecting our Land and the People
Info: This panel will discuss climate change and industrial development, and their impacts on traditional food and medicines. As well as some recent projects in which traditional knowledge and western science are working together to protect the land and the people.
🕑: 09:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Community-led Harvesting Initiatives
Info: Learn from community leaders who are creating innovative programs to reconnect people with the land and strengthen traditional harvesting practices. This panel will showcase successful, community-driven initiatives that increase access to harvesting, build local capacity, and support food sovereignty.
Hear experiences and practical lessons from initiatives such as equipment lending programs, fish hatcheries, helicopter-supported harvesting trips, community hunting weeks, and the Harvesters Support Grant. Discover what has worked, the challenges communities have overcome, and ideas that could inspire similar efforts in your own community.
🕑: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Break
🕑: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Presentation of "The Cost of Eating Well in Kiiwetinoong" and Closing Ceremony
Info: This presentation explores the ongoing challenges of food affordability, access, and food insecurity across Kiiwetinoong. Colonial and racist policies have disrupted traditional food systems and created barriers to accessing land-based foods, increasing reliance on expensive, imported market foods. Community leaders in the Sioux Lookout area have long raised concerns about the high cost of nutritious food and its connection to health outcomes, including the growing impact of chronic diseases such as diabetes.
As mandated by the Chiefs in Assembly (resolution 22-24), Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority (SLFNHA) conducts biennial food affordability assessments using the Nutritious Food Basket survey tool to track the cost of healthy foods in Sioux Lookout area First Nations. The Cost of Eating Well in Kiiwetinoong highlights the realities of accessing healthy foods in northern First Nations communities, and the need for stronger, more equitable food systems. Event Closing.
🕑: 12:30 PM - 01:30 PM
Lunch
🕑: 01:30 PM - 05:00 PM
Group meeting (invite only)
Info: Debrief/next steps meetings for SLFNHA Food Sovereignty Advisory Group and TBDHU Understanding Our Food Systems.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
CAD 0.00 to CAD 302.37
