NEWS Around thirty participants gathered on 2 March at Tráhppie, the Sámi Cultural House in Umeå, for Arctic Forum Food 2026 - an event that combined research, Indigenous knowledge and hands‑on food traditions. Tráhppie, the low white building beside historic Sävargården, offered a welcoming setting, with participants often stepping outside during breaks to warm themselves by the fire under brilliant early spring sun.
The day opened with keynote presentations. Associate Professor Christina Storm Mienna, Director of Várdduo – Centre for Sámi Research, shared insights from the cross‑border project Máhtut, weaving research findings with personal reflections from her life in a reindeer‑herding Sámi community. Joining online from Australia, Patricia Ann Ellis, a Brinja Yuin elder and cultural knowledge holder, contributed perspectives on cultural stewardship and Indigenous education in navigating crisis situations within a changing climate.
After morning workshops and a shared lunch, the afternoon programme continued with guest speakers who brought the local and global together. Angelika Schindler‑Egl from the Vindelälven‑Juhttátahkka Biosphere Reserve highlighted how pollination and biodiversity form the ecological foundations of local food systems. The final keynote, Dr. Adrianne Lickers Xavier of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory in Canada, spoke about Indigenous food security and land connections- drawing parallels to the experiences described earlier by Storm Mienna.
The event concluded with a lively potluck dinner featuring flavours from across the world and the circumpolar north: reindeer soup, vegan soup, blood dumplings, musk ox sausage from Greenland, honey from the Stavanger Airport runways and more. As darkness fell, participants gathered once more around the fire in the Lávvu, rounding off a day devoted to knowledge, community and the future of Arctic food
It was a truly inspiring day, says organiser Danielle Wilde, professor at Umeå Institute of Design and Arctic Six chair. The energy, the generosity in sharing experiences, and the strong commitment to sustainable and culturally grounded futures – where food, reflection and dialogue intertwine – made the gathering very special.
