We Are Still Here: Connecting Community with Indigenous Cuisine with Elena Terry

EcoJustice Radio

On this show, we discuss ancestral foodways and the continuance as well as the reclaiming of authentic, Indigenous cuisine. Indigenous peoples often remind us: we are still here. Their lifeways and food creation have not "left," but are still present through the fierce devotion and commitment of intergenerational knowledge keepers. Food is a way of knowing, a cultural identity and a way to be connected to a community. The Indigenous Food Sovereignty Movement and the increasing prominence of Indigenous chefs across Turtle Island are inspiring many to rediscover and reclaim food as a central part of community health and empowerment. Founder of the educational, community outreach non-profit Wild Bearies [http://www.wildbearies.org], and Indigenous chef Elena Terry joins us to share from her Ho-Chunk lineage and how Native foods are a sacred means to heal, educate and mentor future generations in the preservation of culture and life itself. It is imperative for us to remember how Native foodways were deliberately decimated as part of the genocidal history on this continent, and that we can all play a part in supporting the thriving of Indigenous foodways for the benefit of local communities, future generations and the planet itself. Food is memory: a way of remembering that tethers us to Nature, the Ancestors and the entire web of life. For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/posts/elena-terry-of-89480427 Elena Terry is Executive Chef and Founder of the nonprofit, Wild Bearies [http://www.wildbearies.org], based in Wisconsin. After having been a traditional foods cook, she started the nonprofit Wild Bearies. She is passionate about representation and building a community around healing and educating through Indigenous foods. Some of her partnerships include the Smithsonian, Food and Ag Organization of the United Nations, Intertribal Ag Council, James Beard Foundation, and the University of Wisconsin. Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth. LINKS https://civileats.com/2022/11/22/this-mother-daughter-team-is-sharing-food-traditions-from-the-ho-chunk-nation/ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/elena-terry-voices-in-food_l_61717c33e4b079111a54349c https://captimes.com/food-drink/chopped-challenges-wisconsin-chef-elena-terry-in-food-network-debut/article_5f437e1f-6da2-5026-86fa-553de8bdefbb.html Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt Hosted by Carry Kim Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats Episode 190 Photo credit: Elena Terry