This symposium brings people together to share knowledge on topics such as traditional foods, plants and medicines; environmental and food justice; food sovereignty/security; health and wellness; and treaty rights. This event serves to foster dialogue and build collaborative networks as we, Native peoples, strive to sustain our cultural food practices and preserve our healthy relationships with the land, water, and all living things. Registration is now open and the theme for this year's symposium is:
"Health, Healing & Resilience"
12th Annual Living Breath Indigenous Foods Symposium – Save the Date - May 3 and 4, 2024
UW wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ Intellectual House, 4249 Whitman Ct, NE, UW Seattle campus, Seattle, WA, 98105.
Registration is open and there are still tickets available. Please scan the QR code on the attached flyer or click the registration link below. Registration includes continental breakfast and lunch with traditional Northwest Coast foods prepared by Indigenous chefs Jason Vickers and Gail Gus.
Please reach out to LB Coordinator, Tia Yazzie, at tyazzie@uw.edu if you have any questions or need more information.
We are happy to share the list of all our amazing speakers and their presentation abstracts:
Keynote speaker: Valerie Segrest, Muckleshoot Tribe: “Sitting at the Old Growth Table”
Yvonne Peterson (Too Nee Mu Sh), Chehalis & Betty Pacheco (Law-heel-owah), Nisqually: “Basketry: Gathering/Preparing/Storage”
Michael Buck, The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation: “Restoring the Relationship: Human Dimensions & Climate Resilience Strategy for Managing Pacific Lamprey Fisheries in the Columbia River”
Matt Remle, Lakota; Rachel Heaton, Muckleshoot; George Farrell, Lakota & Mikayla Gingrey: “Facing the storm: Indigenous response to the climate crisis and food sovereignty”
Ed Carriere, Suquamish Elder & Dale Croes: “Rethinking Community-led Food Sovereignty: A Decolonial Reflective Learning Journey from Indigenous Communities”
Jessica Hutchings, Ngāi Tahu, Gujarat & Jo Smith, Ngāi Tahu, Gujarat: “Indigenous Aotearoa and the Whakapapa Ethic of Kai Sovereignty”
Cheyenne Cunningham, Katzie First Nation & Leah Meunier, Katzie First Nation: “Katzie Traditional Ecological Cultural Knowledge”
Adrianne Lickers Xavier, Onondaga/Mohawk Six Nations of the Grand River & Lori Davis, Oneida Nation: “Our Nations: Ogyohsraniyohsdoh: Creating change through language, food and relationships”
Joshua Komangapik, Nunavut Inuk: “Inuit climate change community based climate change adaptation to promote food security”
Aurolyn Stwyer, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs & Shirley Allen, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs: “Traditional Food Gatherer Circle of Life”
Joshua W. Brown, Salish/Nakoda/Aaniiih: “Better understandings of Salish people's foodways, subsequent dietary changes, and related dietary change drivers can aid in re-Indigenizing contemporary Salish food systems”
Louise Benally, Navajo: “Struggle for Life, Hope, and Food Sovereignty in Dinétah”
Shayla Chatto, Meleah Nore, Noah Lum: “Student Study Abroad to Aotearoa New Zealand”
If you would like to know about upcoming events please sign up for our mailing list. Please see our website and Facebook page for more information on previous events:
- Website: https://livingbreathfoodsymposium.org
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/UWLivingBreath
Our annual event draws over 300 people from the UW campus community, regional tribal and urban Indigenous communities, and throughout the U.S, Canada, Mexico, and Aotearoa New Zealand. Our symposium is a signature event for the UW Intellectual House and has become an important venue for bringing together people from diverse communities and organizations who share the same commitment to protecting Indigenous homelands and the environment. It serves to foster dialogue and build collaborative networks as Indigenous peoples strive to sustain cultural food practices and preserve healthy relationships to the land, water, and all living things.
For registration information contact Dr. Dian Million at dianm@uw.edu. For information, please visit our website: livingbreathfoodsymposium.org or our Facebook page. You can also contact Dr. Charlotte Coté at clotise@uw.edu or the AIS office at (206) 543-9082.
Planning Team: Dr. Charlotte Coté, Dr. Dian Million, Susan Balbas, Dr. Clarita Lefthand-Begay, Dana Arviso, Bridget Ray, Dr. Jessica Salvador, and Tia Yazzie.
For information about past events, please view our newsletter (PDF) or visit our website, Facebook page, or on Twitter: #livingbreath2021 #indigenousknowledge.
Past Events
- 2019: "The Living Breath of wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ" Indigenous Ways of Knowing Cultural Food Practices and Indigenous Food Practices and Ecological Knowledge Summit - Theme "Reclaiming Food as Family Medicine"
- 2015: "The Living Breath of wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ" Indigenous Ways of Knowing Cultural Food Practices and Indigenous Food Practices and Ecological Knowledge Summit - 2015 Summit Program (PDF)
- 2014: 2nd Annual Living Breath of wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ: Indigenous Ways of Knowing Cultural Food Practices and Ecological Knowledge Symposium
- 2014: UW Daily coverage of the "Living Breath of wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ” Indigenous Ways of Knowing Cultural Food Practices and Ecological Knowledge Symposium