The land feeds us: Reflections from the Lil’wat Gathering
July 11, 2025
Earlier this year, nestled in the mountains and forests of Lil’wat territory, a powerful circle of voices came together. Elders, community leaders, and advocates gathered—not just to talk about food, but to imagine a different future.
The gathering offered a meaningful space to connect, share stories, and collectively envision food systems grounded in sovereignty, self-determination, and justice. For Community Food Centres Canada (CFCC), it was also a chance to listen deeply and walk alongside Indigenous partners—strengthening its commitment to supporting Indigenous-led food work across the country.
That commitment is grounded in the work of CFCC’s Indigenous Network—a program co-created with guidance from our Elder in Residence and past members of the Indigenous Knowledge Sharing Circle. The Network supports Indigenous-led and Indigenous-serving organizations through relationship-based programming that fosters reconciliation, resurgence, and community-led solutions rooted in land, culture, and care.
Grounded in the Mi’kmaq concept of Etuaptmumk—or Two-Eyed Seeing—the Indigenous Network honours both Indigenous and Western worldviews, working in partnership with communities to restore and sustain cultural, ecological, and food systems.
The Lil’wat gathering reflected this approach in action. It was an opportunity for CFCC team members to listen, learn, and contribute in a good way. The Indigenous Network Manager and Sites team supported the event through coordination and logistical support, deepening relationships and strengthening CFCC’s commitment to advancing Indigenous food sovereignty in meaningful, community-led ways.
The day opened with a video from the Iqaluit Gathering—a visual reminder of the contrast between regions: icy lands in Iqaluit and deep forests in Lil’wat. Despite these differences, the stories shared revealed deep and powerful connections across communities.
What is food sovereignty?
Food security is about the protection and distribution of existing food systems—to make sure there is sufficient access to food. Food sovereignty is responsive. It is about reasserting an entirely different system—one that takes a holistic view and supports inherent rights to access, protect, and nurture our own lands, waters, and traditional food sources.
It is outside the Western capitalist food system—and inside the idea that the people who produce, distribute, and consume food also control the mechanisms and governance of production and distribution.
It’s about restoring. Not just food, but land, language, ceremony, and power. It insists that true nourishment comes not from imported goods or external control, but from within communities—from what’s grown, caught, and shared with care.
The conversation at the gathering was rooted in place, in story, and in vision. At the heart of these gatherings is the importance of holding space, not to offer quick solutions, but to listen deeply, imagine widely and to build a relationship going forward.
Across the table, we heard how communities are reclaiming food on their own terms. At Qajuqturvik CFC in Iqaluit, 21 hunters provide caribou, seal, and arctic char for their communities. At Natoaganeg CFC in New Brunswick, 14 moose were processed and shared through Moose Meat Mondays. At Lil’wat CFC, youth are tapping trees, drying tea, and learning from their Elders.
Every story came with a reminder: this work is powerful—and it’s political. Policies still limit the sharing and selling of traditional foods. Land use surveys, health regulations, and federal red tape often don’t reflect Indigenous realities. But these barriers aren’t stopping anyone. They’re just shaping new paths forward.
As this work continues to grow, so does the commitment to sharing it widely. CFCC’s Indigenous Network Manager and Partnership Development Manager are now supporting the documentation and reporting from these gatherings—helping to strengthen a national campaign on Indigenous food sovereignty.
Later this year, in tandem with the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30), we’ll be releasing a report that captures the stories, insights, and leadership shared at gatherings like this one. Update: The report is now available; read more about Indigenous food sovereignty in action in Seeds of Sovereignty.
Because the land feeds us. And the future we imagine is already being lived, one story at a time.
