My name is Isaiah Monias, I am Afro-Cree from Treaty 6, and my roots are in Heart Lake First Nation and Edmonton, and much of my vision is centred on giving back to my community.

After graduating from high school, I entered the trades and studied butchery, working as a cook in kitchen and camp settings. These experiences allowed me to develop skills in culinary work and understand the value of food in building community. Over time, I realized that I wanted to use this knowledge not just as a job, but as a way to give back to my community and support our health, culture, and self-determination.

I grew up learning about the medicines and traditional foods from the land, spending time in the bush, listening to stories, and exploring the roots of who we are. More recently, I’ve been deepening this knowledge by working with various Elders as a helper, learning cultural protocols, and gaining insight into how food and ceremony are connected. These teachings have shaped my vision for the future.

This work is not only about food, it’s about returning to practices that strengthen us as a people, returning to caring and utilizing the land as our ancestors did, as given by creator. My goal is to support the ongoing efforts to restore these practices and create accessible knowledge tools, that can help our people reconnect with land-based living.