Feeding our Spirits

Food as memory and medicine

Food is more than nourishment; it is memory, medicine, and a bridge between generations. Across the North, Indigenous communities have long understood how to gather, harvest, and prepare nutrient-rich foods that sustain families and strengthen community wellbeing. Everything needed for sustenance—and joy—can be found in the surrounding environment, guided by the knowledge of Elders and the teachings of the land.

This abundance is supported by a generous ecosystem and the people who care for it. The hunter, skilled in navigating the land, provides ethically harvested meat for caribou stews and specialty donairs. The harvester, walking ancestral paths, gathers plants for teas and medicinal salves. The baker, inspired by both traditional knowledge and new flavours, demonstrates Indigenous ingenuity by blending past and future in every recipe.

I quit my full-time job to pursue my passion for food and cooking. This was the start of Iglu Donairs. I wanted to create a place to share traditionally harvested and family-friendly foods that uplift the spirit of our community.

– John Niakrok, Owner, Iglu Donairs

The Feeding Our Spirits series shares the voices and visions of entrepreneurs from EntrepreNorth’s Local Food Cohort. Together, their stories illuminate how food is not only about what we eat; it is a pathway to sovereignty, sustainability, and thriving livelihoods in the North.