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Thinking about cultural cuisine

Do you know what the word cuisine means?

A cuisine is a type of food and cooking style from a certain place or culture. Most societies have a cuisine based on the foods traditionally available in the area where they are from, and they may have eaten that way for a long time. A community’s cuisine is an important part of their cultural identity.

A table with many different Thai foods.

Consider the following questions. If possible, share your answers with a partner.

  • Do you, or your family, have a cultural cuisine?
  • What cultural cuisines are you familiar with or have you tried before?
  • Are there any specific ingredients that you connect to a specific cultural cuisine?
  • Do you know the origins of some of any of these ingredients? Where do they come from? Where were they first grown?

Check out the following video clip featuring Joseph Shawana, Odawa, part of the Three Fires Confederacy from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory and chef at ddcx Indigenous Kitchen on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. What information does Joseph share about the connections of Indigenous Peoples in North America to ingredients known in cuisines throughout the world?

Foods and cultural exchange

In the video in the Minds On section, Joseph Shawana, chef at ddcx Indigenous Kitchen, shared that foods traditionally grown and harvested by Indigenous Peoples throughout North and South America were traded during the time of European exploration and taken to different parts of the world to be become essential parts of cuisines in other cultures.

Food was a large part of the early interactions between Indigenous Peoples and European settlers. For example:

  • European settlers came to the land we now know as Canada for resources such as furs and fish.
  • Indigenous knowledge shared with Europeans about local foods and resources helped settlers survive.

Both Indigenous Peoples and European settlers had traditional foods, and they exchanged some of those foods and ingredients. One example of this is bannock that was brought to North America by the Scottish.

Explore the following video to learn from Carl Beaver of Alderville First Nation near Cobourg, Ontario about bannock (also known as fry bread or scone), a food that now has a long history with Indigenous Peoples of North America and has become a comfort food for many Indigenous communities!

Post-viewing: grammar routine

Imperative verbs are actions that tell someone to do something, like an order or a command. They are important for texts like recipes and instructions.

Throughout the video, there were several examples of imperative verbs (especially at the beginning and end of the video). Can you identify any of them?

Take a minute and jot down a list using a method of your choice.

When you’re done press the Check Answer button to review some of the examples from the video.

Some examples of imperative verbs used in the video are:

  • Hold it up like this.
  • Hold the flour.
  • Keep looking.
  • Look at that.
  • Eat up!

Use the following flash cards to explore some common uses for imperative verbs as well as some examples.

Imperative verbs often come at the beginning of a sentence, but they don't have to.

For example, an adverb like "please" can be placed before the imperative verb. For example:

“Please come here now!”

Or sometimes a whole phrase can be placed before the imperative verb. For example:

“On your way home, stop at the mailbox”

Sort the following sentences into examples that contain imperative verbs and examples that don’t. Use the arrow buttons to navigate between cards.

Exploring foods with Indigenous connections

A student doing work on a piece of paper.

There are many foods that have long histories with Indigenous Peoples, and many have come to be part of cuisines around the world. Let’s explore a few examples of foods that have long histories with the Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Do you recognize any of them?

Choose one of the following foods and explore the resources provided to begin your research on the Indigenous connections to that food item. Record a summary of what the food is, who it was significant (important) to, why it was significant, and at least one other fact or detail about it.

Watch the following video to learn from First Nations Knowledge Keeper, Patrick Nadjowin, about the significance of pemmican and what it is.

Arctic char has a particular significance to the Inuit.

Read the following excerpt from the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada: Inuit to learn more.

“Arctic Char — Iqaluk (tariurmiutaq)

Arctic char, the northernmost freshwater fish, has been an important and healthy food resource to Inuit for centuries. Char is eaten raw, frozen (referred to as quak), dried (referred to as pipsi), smoked, aged or cooked. Char meat, head and eggs are excellent sources of protein and B vitamins. Arctic char contains omega‐3 fatty acids, which may help prevent heart disease and cancer. The skin and head of char provide a source of calcium, especially when the soft bones are eaten. Arctic char not only provides the nutrients to repair tissues, but also helps in the development and growth of body tissues and muscles. Highly nutritious, abundant and relatively easy to catch, Arctic char is indispensable to the Inuit lifestyle. In some instances, skins from char were made into waterproof coats and the bones of char were made into sewing needles along with pouches that carried the sewing equipment.” (“Inuit: Wildlife,” n.d.)

Source: Inuit: Wildlife. (n.d.). In Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada. Retrieved August 29, 2024, from https://indigenouspeoplesatlasofcanada.ca/article/wildlife/.

In many Indigenous communities, the “Three Sisters” (corn, beans, and squash) have been grown together because Indigenous knowledge has long known the benefits of growing these plants together as a unit.

Explore the following video clip from the show Raven’s Quest, from the episode entitled Hope to learn about an 11-year-old Ojibwe girl from the Three Fires Confederacy in Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory in Manitoulin Island, Ontario and her Three Sisters garden.

These are just a small sample of foods with long histories with Indigenous Peoples. There are many more! Some examples include berries, bison, and maple syrup.

You may consider doing some research to learn about more examples of foods, or maybe you need (or would like) some more information on the food that you choose. Consider using a search term such as “Indigenous history of (food name).” Always consult with a trusted adult before doing research online. And remember, when researching information related to Indigenous Peoples, try to find sources that are from Indigenous communities or authors to make sure you are getting first-hand information.

Explore the following guidelines before you begin doing research.

Research safety

When doing research on the Internet, it is important to stay safe and stay focused. You can use the acronym TRUST to help guide you as you do your research.

An illustration describing the TRUST acronym. T stands for Think, R stands for Reliable, U stands for Understand, S stands for Safety, T stands for Tell.

Press the following tabs to explore some research safety tips.

Think about your topic and develop specific questions to get better research results.

For example, if you’re working on the topic of recycling, you might start with a general question and make it more specific before beginning your research.

  • General question: Why is recycling good for the environment?
  • Specific question: How does recycling help protect marine wildlife?

Be patient while doing your research. Go through each website carefully, and take notes using a graphic organizer or notebook. Record the websites used for specific information – it’s important to give credit to the creator of the content.

Consult more than one resource to help you determine if the information you gather is accurate and true.

Remember, research can take time. It helps to be focused and calm! Taking a break can help refresh our thinking and process new information. 

It’s important to use reliable sources so that you can put together accurate and up-to-date information about your topic.

Websites ending with .com, .org, and .net can be purchased and used by any person. 

The ending .org is usually used by non-profit organizations which may be trying to persuade rather than educate. 

Websites ending in .edu are reserved for colleges and universities. Canadian websites have a .ca ending. 

Consider the following questions when you are doing your reliability check. You might also ask a trusted adult or a peer for help if you are uncertain about a website. 

  • When was the resource published? (This might help you determine if the information is current) 
  • Who created the resource/website? What is their educational background or work experience? 
  • Who is the intended audience? 
  • Who benefits from this information being shared?
  • Whose perspectives are represented? Whose perspectives are missing?

Do you understand all the words on the site? Can you decode their meaning?

Does what you’re reading make sense?

If not, it’s okay. Consider trying a different source. It’s important for you to understand the information that you read so that you can put it in your own words.

It’s important to stay safe while doing online research. If a website asks you for any personal information, close it and try a different website.

Personal information could include asking for your full name, email address, phone number, home address, photos, or school name. Do not provide any personal information and close the website.

Does the site have pop-up windows? These windows usually ask the user to click to “win a prize” or “check out information.” Do not click on the pop-ups and close the website.

Throughout the research process, feel free to check in with a peer or trusted adult. 

If there is anything specific that makes you feel uncomfortable or worried while you are doing your research:

  • Pause and take a break 
  • Speak to a trusted adult

Reclaiming Indigenous foods

While European explorers traded with Indigenous Peoples for survival, European settlers intentionally tried to strip Indigenous Peoples of their culture and identity and force them to assimilate. Removing and limiting access to Indigenous foods was a part of this process and has had negative impacts on Indigenous health.

Today, new generations of Indigenous chefs are honouring and reclaiming traditional foods and recipes of their people and communities.

Watch the following clip where chef Johl Whiteduck Ringuette, Anishnawbe and Algonquin a descendant of Nipissing First Nation and from the Mink Clan, speaks about his efforts towards the reclamation of Indigenous foods.

Post-viewing

After viewing the video, what do you think the word reclamation means? What clues from the video or the text in this learning activity could you use to try and understand the meaning of this word?

Press the Definition button below to learn the meaning of the word reclamation.

Reclamation means returning something to the way it used to be.

Vocabulary routine

Complete the following matching activity to review some key vocabulary from this learning activity. Match the word to its corresponding definition.

Let’s check!

Let’s review some common imperative verbs often found in cooking recipes. Can you match the imperative verb with the objects it might be used for/with?

Putting it all together

A group of children putting a puzzle together.

In this learning activity, you have explored how food is an important part of community and identity. You have also learned about some of the foods that Indigenous Peoples and settlers shared with each other.

To connect your learning to your world and lived experiences, you will explore a recipe or food that has a personal, family, or cultural significance (importance) to you.

Press the following tabs to learn about your three options for this activity. Choose one option to complete.

Find the steps for a recipe that has special meaning to you, your family, or your community.

  • Learn about the recipe from a trusted adult or find it online.
  • Explain what it is.
  • Use imperative verbs to give the general instructions for how to make it.
  • Use language and word choices that makes the recipe understandable to your age group.

Find the history or story of a food that has meaning to you, your family, or your community.

  • Learn about the food from trusted adults or research it online.
  • Write factual information such as what it is and where it is from.
  • Use imperative verbs to give the general instructions for how it is made.
  • Use language and word choices that makes the history or story understandable to your age group.

Write a journal entry or story about a special memory or connection you have to a food or recipe.

  • You may choose to write a fictional or true story.
  • Use strong descriptive language and specific details that communicates the significance of that food.
  • Use imperative verbs at least three times in your writing.
  • Use language and word choices that make the story understandable to your age group.

Reflect

In a notebook or using another method of your choice, answer the following questions:

  • Why is reclamation of Indigenous foods important?
  • Why is it important to learn about Indigenous histories, identities, perspectives, and truths?
  • Consider the following sentence starter. How would you complete the sentence? “It’s important to learn about the origins of different cultural foods because…”

Reflection

As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

I feel...

Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.