Taino Food & Health Culture Day

Join us for an enlightening class delving into the rich culinary and health traditions of the Taino people. Discover the vibrant flavors and nutritional benefits of authentic Taino foods, while exploring their significance in managing diabetes. Learn how to integrate these indigenous ingredients into your diet for improved health. At the end of the class, receive a complimentary selection of fresh produce, allowing you to kick-start your journey to a healthier lifestyle rooted in the legacy of the Taino culture. Bring a bag! 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM: Registration and Opening 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM: Taíno Foodways Workshop 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch Break 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM: Taíno Foodways Workshop 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM: Food Distribution ABOUT FIRST FOODS PROGRAM First Foods is an educational series that features Indigenous culture bearers who hold the oldest knowledge on the continent. Our collective mission is to reconnect Indigenous communities & urban/rural Natives to land & food culture through free classes, food heritage events, community discussions, presentations, and cooking & gardening demonstrations. We preserve and share Indigenous knowledge making what is often unavailable to urban Native people accessible as we work to establish Indigenous Food Sovereignty. We define Indigenous Food Sovereignty as the right to govern our own food systems from Extraction to Distribution using Ancestral and Contemporary Knowledge. Our work helps facilitate this process by providing an Indigenized community-led food culture education that breaks the barriers to access that are experienced by Urban & Rural Natives. Our classes will provide access to the tools to cultivate and prepare Indigenous foods and establish new community partnerships that increase food culture acquisition. We also strive to provide much-needed teaching opportunities to a population of people who are the stewards of preserving biodiversity, promoting alternative food preparation, and highlighting ways to build health outside industrial food systems. More Info below.