Latest news with #StMarysFirstNation
CBC
5 days ago
- General
- CBC
Food forests offer way to address food insecurity and also have fun
Beneath an oak tree lies a checkered blanket and a picnic basket, surrounded by a sea of fruit trees and rows of root vegetables. The St. Mary's Community Food Forest is just behind the community's Anglican Church in Sitansisk, also known as St. Mary's First Nation, in the Fredericton area. People can pick organic, fresh food at any time of day — for free. Andrew Mathis, who runs the food forest at St. Mary's, is organizing a provincewide tour of 17 such gardens, along with Sima Usvyatsov. "A food forest is a diverse planting of mostly food-bearing plants that aims to mimic a natural ecosystem," Usvyatsov says. Mathis hopes people from across the province will visit the food forest in Sitansisk, which is just one stop on the New Brunswick Food Forest Tour. "It's really a food security project," he said. "Not everyone has a front lawn to grow food on, so these community spaces that don't have individual plots really make it very accessible." At St. Mary's Food Forest, Mathis said, you don't have to plant something to be able to harvest. He said members of the community are welcome to grow their own food as long as they don't mind sharing. Growing in the food forest this season is a variety of fruit, including apples, kiwi, peaches, pears, cherries and berries. Vegetables like squash, carrots and string beans can also be seen growing in the garden beds. The food forest even has a heartnut tree, a walnut native to Japan, and is growing bamboo and willow as well. "It's really open to whatever you want it to be," Mathis said of the food forest. "Maybe somebody focuses on medicine … another person focuses on medicine and mushrooms. Somebody else wants to grow mostly chestnuts." Food forests growing in popularity Farther south, on the Kingston Peninsula, Usvyatsov operates Sima's Roots & Fruits, a food forest that sells plants and hosts gardening workshops. Usvyatsov said there has been more awareness about food forests in recent years. "We're seeing more people planting stuff in their own yards, but we're also seeing municipalities plant and run food forests," she said. In June, 30 fruit trees were planted in Fredericton's Wilmot Park as part of a municipal project. The food forest tours will continue until September. Usvyatsov said about 150 people are registered. "I'm very big on community building," Usvyatsov said. "Seeing people learn from each other … is such a tremendous thing." Mathis said the tours are a learning opportunity but are also about access to food. "It's a really great way to provide some food security to individual households but also to experiment and have fun and see what we can grow here." Mathis said. The St. Mary's Community Food Forest is also building a pizza oven, expected to be completed in September. "We wanted to have something that would be able to draw people into this space and use it more consistently than just when certain things are in season," Mathis said.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dancer proud to see son perform at 25th Sitansisk powwow
Standing at the 25th anniversary celebration of the Sitansisk powwow, Derek Barnaby recalled his first dance. Barnaby, who also goes by the last name Bouge, said he had a caveman look on his first dance, covered in red, black, yellow and white colours, wearing leather from his shoulders down to the ground. He said he has been dancing for more than three decades now. He said he and his wife were the first head dancers at the Sitansisk, also known as St. Mary's First Nation, powwow 25 years ago. Now their 20-year old son, who began dancing as a toddler, is a proud performer. "We really pushed our family into the traditions of dance, singing, culture, identity ... and we really helped push our kids to learn and respect who they are as Indigenous people," he said. Barnaby said his childhood was impacted by the restrictions of residential schools and colonization in some way or the other, so he chose a different life for his kids. "To see him out there dancing and celebrating without ever feeling like he's doing something shameful or wrong, man, it's been quite the experience, and I'm very proud of it as a father and as somebody who's a teacher of culture and dance," he said. He said the powwow is an event to feel what your heart says and dance without the fear of being judged. "If you do it from inside your heart, our elders will always say that's the best way," said Barnaby. Barnaby's son, Alasuinu Madahbee Bouge, said listening to his parents' experiences inspired him to compete and dance at powwows. "I knew I had the ability to do it and I had every resource that I could imagine … and finally had the courage," he said. "I wanted to be the best that I could be." He said his mind feels free and he gets lost in the art when he dances. Bouge says his generation is fortunate to be able to learn the culture from their parents and the next generation will be "blessed for sure." Chief Allan Polchies said hosting the powwow at the St. Mary's Old Reserve on the banks of the Wolastoq has sentimental value. "We honour the Wolastoq," he said. He said the St. Mary's powwow has grown from hundreds to thousands of attendees over the years. He said so many people "have come to embrace our beautiful culture."
