Reflecting on Indigenous Storytelling in the Digital Space_Asadbekova Regina

 

Decolonize Your Food

    I was really drawn into the Decolonize Your Food campaign because it feels like a fresh take on Indigenous storytelling, but with a digital twist. It’s rooted in that traditional vibe—like when Dalì Nolasco Cruz says, “our foods connect us with our communities, relatives and ancestors” (Slow Food Indigenous Peoples’ Network, 2023, para. 5)—which reminds me of how the Inuit in Rigolet used stories to tie their lives to the land (Cunsolo Willox et al., 2013). That’s the oral wisdom part, passed down forever. But here’s where it gets wild: instead of keeping it close-knit like a family gathering, this campaign throws it out to the world across 86 countries. Mines (2019) talks about storytelling as this sacred, personal thing, and I get that—it’s usually face-to-face, not a global megaphone. So, it’s challenging that cozy tradition by going big and bold. The digital platform keeps these stories alive, like Uganda’s “My Food My Identity” push, and turns them into something new—a rallying cry for everyone to care about Indigenous food heritage.

    What hits me hardest is how this campaign screams decolonization and digital sovereignty. It’s Indigenous folks taking back their food stories from corporate junk food empires, which feels so tied to Mines (2019) saying storytelling rewrites colonial messes. Think about it: they’re not just saving recipes; they’re fighting land grabs and climate chaos with their own voices, like Rigolet’s community-led videos (Cunsolo Willox et al., 2013). The strength here is huge—it reaches people worldwide, sparking change, as Carlo Petrini nudges us to “decolonize our thinking” (Slow Food Indigenous Peoples’ Network, 2023, para. 9). But there’s a catch: going so broad might skip over the little details of each community’s story, and not everyone’s online or cool with sharing. Mines (2019) warns about tokenism—where it looks good but doesn’t dig deep—and that’s a real limit. Still, I’m stoked seeing Indigenous voices use digital tools to flip the script, balancing that preservation with a loud, proud transformation.

 

References

Cunsolo Willox, A., Harper, S. L., Edge, V. L., & ‘My Word’: Storytelling and Digital Media Lab. (2013). Digital storytelling as a method for promoting Indigenous oral wisdom. Qualitative Research, 13(2), 127–140.

 Mines, S. (2019). Storytelling as a method of Indigenization. Abenaki Language and Cultural Preservation. Middlebury College.

Slow Food Indigenous Peoples’ Network. (2023, August 9). Decolonize your food: The Slow Food Indigenous Peoples’ Network campaign against food heritage loss. https://www.slowfood.com/blog-and-news/decolonize-your-food-the-slow-food-indigenous-peoples-network-campaign-against-food-heritage-loss/?utm_source=chatgpt.com