The Traditional Foods Security program supports initiatives to reduce the reliance on the food systems of the continental United States through the promotion of Indigenous food sovereignty. The program encourages self-sufficiency by removing barriers between traditional foods and tribal citizens and reviving the skills that have supported communities since time immemorial. Efforts include the collection of traditional knowledge, hosting hands-on demonstrations, supporting youth with holistic harvesting practices, educating tribal citizens on how traditional foods impact our culture, providing crucial safety training in rural communities, and managing a Tribe-wide food distribution program.
Eligibility Requirements
- Must provide proof of tribal citizenship to receive traditional foods during community distributions.
Application Process
Registration for food distributions is coordinated in partnership with local Tlingit & Haida Community Councils.
Fireweed Harvesting
Sealaska intern Alicia Maryott works with Tlingit & Haida’s Traditional Food Security team in Hydaburg, AK to harvest traditional foods and medicines.
She shows how to pick fireweed petals and process them into jelly.
Salmon Processing
Claude Young with Tlingit & Haida’s Traditional Food Security Department shows how process sockeye salmon for the smokehouse.
Gunalchéesh, Háw’aa to Newman’s Own Foundation for providing the funding to make these videos possible.
Fireweed Tea Preparation
Alicia Maryott works with Tlingit & Haida’s Traditional Food Security Department to harvest foods and medicines.
She shows how turn fireweed leaves into fermented tea which is great for stomach ailments.
Halibut Fishing & Processing
Tlingit & Haida’s Traditional Food Security Department wants to give people the information they need to fish for and process halibut.
Food Security Program Coordinator Claude Young takes us out on water outside of Hydaburg, AK and shows how to set a traditional halibut skate and process the fish.
Sea Otter Hunting & Processing
Hunting sea otters is a way to keep the population in check as the animals destroy shellfish habitat. Shellfish have been an important traditional food for Alaska Native people throughout Southeast Alaska for generations; now the clams are becoming harder to find.
Food Security Program Coordinator Claude Young shows how to remove the fur and store it for future use.
Deer Quartering & Processing
Being able to shoot and process a deer provides healthy protein for families, especially when meat from the grocery store is expensive in rural Alaska.
In this video, Claude Young shows how to break down a deer and prepare it for jarring. Food the team processes is given away to Elders and youth on Prince of Wales Island.
Making Deer Tallow
Deer tallow is made with rendered fat from a deer gall/intestines. It’s one way to make sure every part of the animal is used.
In this video, Claude Young recalls making tallow with his grandfather who would use the solid pucks of tallow as a face moisturizer.
Fish Gutting & Processing
After catching a fish, the first step to processing it is gutting and removing the gills. It might seem basic, but it’s an important step to ensuring your salmon is properly prepared for cooking and eating.
In this video, Claude Young shows how to remove the gut and gills of a salmon then cut the fillets for plain pack jars for the pressure cooker.