Indigenous Foods Festival at Cal Poly Humboldt
The Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty Lab and Traditional Ecological Knowledges Institute will host the second “Indigenous Foods Festival” May 4 at Cal Poly Humboldt from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wiyot Plaza and in the Native American Forum, Behavioral and Social Sciences building, Union and E. 16th streets.
This festival is part of the Cal Poly Humboldt Native American Studies' Food Summit happening over two weeks in April and May. The food festival focuses on uplifting Indigenous food sovereignty across many regions. The festival will include an outdoor area where several organizations will host tables, demonstrations, workshops, educational materials, food and art. There will also be a larger forum space, where discussion panels and speaker presentations around food sovereignty and Indigenous foodways will take place throughout the festival.
“The Indigenous Foods Festival is such an important way to recognize the deeply held knowledges and relationships to place that Indigenous communities maintain in our region. The continuation and celebration of traditional foods illustrates the survivance of California Indian peoples,” said Kaitlin Reed, co-director of the lab. Planned panels and activities include a Youth Food Sovereignty Panel, a discussion with Kaitlin Reed and Charley Reed, presenters from Save California Salmon, and tours of the Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty Lab interior and exterior spaces. The festival will include discussions with students from the Food Sovereignty Lab discussing the history, current projects and future plans for the lab, as well as discussing the importance of uplifting food sovereignty and food justice on campus.
The Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty Lab is an interdisciplinary, collaborative effort that is student-designed and community informed. The purpose of the lab is to provide an opportunity to work directly with the surrounding communities, tribal nations, and national and international scholars and community leaders to center, learn, and engage with Indigenous science, environmental management and preservation practices.
“From the beginning the development of the lab has been guided by tribal community representatives and passionate student advocates and research assistants. We are so proud of the work all of the students have done to make this project so successful. We are also grateful for the many community donors who supported us along the way,” said Cutcha Risling Baldy, co-director of the lab.
With the contributions of over 500 donors, the lab has raised over $430,000 in donations for its remodel. The lab still needs to raise approximately $50,000 and continues to fund raise to support the remodel; installation of an outdoor classroom; maintenance of an Indigenous garden;
and supporting ongoing programming like youth food sovereignty programming. The lab also continues to host workshops, special tours, speaking events, and garden volunteer days. To support the lab, visit giving.humboldt.edu/nas-labfund.
The Indigenous Foods Festival is free and open to the public. For more information, go to nasp. humboldt.edu/indigenousfoods-festival.