Social Capital and the Vulnerability of Aboriginal Food Systems in Canada

This research examined the traditional food system of the Little Red River Cree Nation (LRRCN) of Alberta, Canada. By quantifying the annual wild food harvest and tracing the social networks in which wild foods are shared, the social capital of First Nation members has been made visible, as has the inclusivity and exclusivity of the social networks that support their local food system. Results indicate that the LRRCN wild food system is characterized by a high degree of centrality where thirteen households (<3 percent) are responsible for procuring and distributing nearly half of the LRRCN's total wild food harvest (135,525\293,498 lbs.). Under these conditions, the removal of any one of these thirteen households may have a significant impact on the harvest and flow of resources, thereby threatening the viability of the entire LRRCN food system and contributing to the vulnerability of food insecure households.