Today, friends and families across the US will be coming together in celebration of Thanksgiving. For some, this national holiday is a cherished opportunity to express gratitude and spread festive cheer – but is also a sombre reminder of the violence and oppression Native Communities have experienced since the arrival of European settlers.
At the heart of the holiday is the much-mythologised ‘first Thanksgiving feast’, and food continues to play a central part in modern celebrations. We take this opportunity to celebrate food from a different perspective, by sharing an inspiring session from ORFC Global 21. Indigenous public speaker, artist, scholar and community organizer Lyla June shares her expansive knowledge of Indigenous food systems – ‘reinvigorating systems that give health and vitality not only to human beings but to all lifeforms’. Thank you Lyla June!
Photography: Lyla June