OPINION: Supporting Indigenous foodways in Alaska

As we observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day, it is essential not just to reflect on the history and culture of Indigenous communities, but to actively honor and support them today. Alaska Native peoples have sustained themselves through traditional foodways — hunting, fishing, gathering and sharing — for millennia. These practices are vital to cultural identity and connection to the land. Honoring Indigenous peoples means investing in and supporting their communities, particularly with regard to food sovereignty — a cornerstone of self-determination.

The 2024 report, “Food Security and Sovereignty in Alaska Native Communities,” highlights the crucial role traditional food systems play in ensuring food security for Alaska Native peoples. For Indigenous communities, food is not merely a commodity but a way of life, deeply intertwined with culture and well-being. However, traditional foodways are increasingly threatened by climate change and high costs of living. It’s time for more than lip service. It’s time for real investment.

The report illustrates how many federal food programs are not well-suited for Indigenous communities in Alaska, primarily because these programs emphasize commercial agriculture, sidelining subsistence food practices like wild harvesting and community food sharing. Using terms like “farmer” or “rancher” can discourage Indigenous participation in programs intended to support food security. Adapting federal programs to include and support traditional subsistence activities is a crucial step toward supporting true food sovereignty.

The Alaska Food Policy Council’s Indigenous Foods Working Group advocates for these changes by ensuring Indigenous voices are heard in policy discussions. The Working Group emphasizes the importance of preserving access to wild foods — such as salmon, moose and berries — while pushing for culturally relevant policies that honor Alaska Native traditions.

According to the 2024 report, access to traditional/wild foods remains a primary source of food system satisfaction for Alaska Native communities, but climate change is creating new challenges. Changing seasons, animal migration patterns, and weather unpredictability make it increasingly difficult for communities to rely on traditional food sources. These sources of instability threaten both food security and Indigenous life-ways, as these food systems are central to Indigenous identity.

While there are efforts to grow and raise more food locally, many rural communities lack essential resources like labor, infrastructure and arable land needed to grow a meaningful quantity of food. Additionally, the high cost of living and short summer months make it difficult to strike a balance between wild harvesting and agricultural activities. The report emphasizes that community involvement is key to addressing these challenges, suggesting that things like paid positions for community members to manage agricultural food production and culturally relevant “farm” design would better support local food systems.

Education is another critical factor. Although many Alaska Native communities have extensive knowledge regarding wild food harvesting, there is often less experience with domestic food production. Expanding education programs to teach gardening basics, food preservation, and climate-smart food production designs diversify food sources while preserving traditional knowledge.

Oct. 14, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, should be more than a symbolic gesture. It is an opportunity to reflect on the ongoing struggles Indigenous communities face and commit ourselves to supporting their sovereignty, culture, and well-being. The “Food Security and Sovereignty in Alaska Native Communities” report underscores that achieving food security is not just about reducing hunger — it’s about justice, resilience and healing from centuries of colonial disruption to traditional ways of life.

By investing in Indigenous food systems, we invest in the future of Alaska Native communities. Supporting initiatives like those promoted by the Alaska Food Policy Council’s Indigenous Foods Working Group, encouraging access to wild foods, and advocating for community-led food sovereignty initiatives are tangible ways we can honor those whose homelands we work and live upon. This Indigenous Peoples’ Day, let’s move beyond mere recognition. Let’s take meaningful action to support Alaska Native communities in reclaiming and strengthening their traditional food systems. By doing so, we support life-ways that have enabled Indigenous people to thrive for generations and ensure that future generations may continue to thrive as well.

Heidi Rader is a Professor of Extension and directs the Alaska Tribes Extension Program which promotes food sovereignty and security throughout Alaska. She is co-chair of the Indigenous Foods Working Group under the Alaska Food Policy Council.

Glenna Gannon was born and raised in Fairbanks. She is an assistant professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Extension. Her work has focused on northern food systems – including Indigenous food sovereignty – for over a decade. Gannon is also currently co-chair of the Alaska Food Policy Council governing board.

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