This thesis focuses on advancing the understanding of Indigenous food system governance. Indigenous communities inhabit various geographical areas, each encountering distinct climate changes that affect their food systems. Specific governance strategies designed to address these unique climate changes are crucial for maintaining food security within Indigenous populations. Academic research has explored Indigenous food systems, food security issues among Indigenous populations, and factors affecting food security; yet, the current literature is insufficient to tackle food security challenges because the governance dimensions of Indigenous food systems have yet to be examined. Additionally, Indigenous research has mostly been limited to specific regions. Specifically, Sri Lankan Indigenous peoples, known as 'Vedda,' remain understudied. In this context, there is a scholarly gap in the existing literature, specifically the lack of research on Indigenous food system governance and limited research conducted in Sri Lanka. The study used two objectives in bridging the scholarly gap: 1) to synthesize the documented knowledge of Indigenous food system governance at a global-level and 2) to understand Indigenous food system governance at a local-level through a multi-sited case study in Sri Lanka. The study used a systematic literature review and a case study analysis of 'Vedda' communities to achieve these objectives. The systematic review included 143 peer-reviewed articles from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Primary data gathered through fieldwork by conducting 114 semi-structured interviews with six partnered 'Vedda' communities were used in the multi-sited case study assessment. The study found how Indigenous food system governance varied globally, by identifying eight key definitive characteristics of Indigenous food system governance: co-management, leadership, research partnerships, collaborations, social networks, mutualism, collective action, and religious/cultural dimensions. The study found how identified global-level characteristics were applied at the local-level through Sri Lankan Indigenous case studies. The research suggests adopting governance methods that combine global guidelines (e.g., the rights of Indigenous peoples to maintain and strengthen their cultures and traditions) with local traditions to promote fair and sustainable food systems for Indigenous communities. This necessitates cooperation between worldwide organizations and local Indigenous peoples to guarantee that policies are both culturally sensitive and ecologically sustainable. Enabling Indigenous leaders to play a fundamental part in the planning and decision-making processes ensures that governance approaches are specifically adapted to the distinct food security needs of every community. / Master of Science / My research centers on understanding the governance of Indigenous food systems. Indigenous communities are located in various geographical regions, each facing distinct climate-related challenges that affect their food systems. Effective governance strategies, tailored to these specific climatic conditions, are essential for maintaining food security within these populations. While academic research has explored Indigenous food systems and the broader issues of food security, there is a notable gap in the literature regarding the governance aspects of these systems, which is crucial for addressing food security challenges. Previous studies have mostly been limited to specific geographical areas such as Canada, Australia and the United States. Sri Lankan Indigenous peoples, known as 'Vedda' have been heavily neglected in research, highlighting the importance of conducting studies in this area. My research aims to bridge this gap by addressing two research questions: 1) to synthesize the documented knowledge of Indigenous food system governance at a global-level and 2) to understand Indigenous food system governance at a local-level through a multi-sited case study in Sri Lanka. I used two methodological approaches, beginning with a systematic literature review of 143 peer-reviewed articles from two databases: Web of Science and Scopus. After analyzing patterns of Indigenous food systems governance globally, I collected primary data from six 'Vedda' communities in Sri Lanka through conducting 114 semi-structured interviews to develop the case study. I identified how Indigenous food system governance varied globally by identifying eight key definitive characteristics of Indigenous food systems governance, such as co-management, leadership, participatory research, partnerships, social networks, mutualism, collective action, and religious/cultural dimensions. From case study findings, I found that seven characteristics exist among the "Vedda" communities: co-management, leadership, partnerships, social networks, collective action, mutualism and religious/cultural dimensions. My research highlights key insights for formulating strategies that improve the sustainable management of Indigenous food systems, with the goal of securing food sovereignty for Indigenous peoples. For instance, engaging Indigenous communities in the formulation and execution of policies can allow governance frameworks to be customized to address their specific cultural and environmental requirements.

The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of Klawock's Tribal Citizens' relationship to harvesting what is colloquially known as customary and traditional foods and/or native foods. The state and federal governments categorize these culturally specific goods as subsistence foods. An unearthed, 5,360-year-old basket potentially links modern day Klawock Tribal Citizens with their ancestral ties to the region. Throughout this time, families in this region of Southeast Alaska have been participating in a form of indigenous fishery. Despite access to multiple grocery stores and fish canneries, tribal citizens choose to expend their family's efforts to harvest their own sockeye out of the Klawock watershed. Oral history and ethnography and methodologies were employed to record personal relationships with the harvest of these resources while also documenting a context in which these relationships exist. Klawock Cooperative Association's staff worked alongside the student researcher and participants to analyze the data and produce findings. Engaging in customary and traditional activities rewards participants with intrinsic facets of their identity. Alongside reinforcing identities, these activities teach participants about family dynamics and working as a team, as well as the responsibilities that come with. These responsibilities are formed through the assignment of roles and provide people with purpose. The roles of individuals within their family dynamic parallel their understanding of their place within the larger society. Having a purpose and knowing their place shapes participant's accomplishments in the food system and honors them with feelings of pride. Based on these findings, KCA interprets customary and traditional activities as an epistemology in which increased access and participation provides an upwards trajectory of community health.

Through exploring nine Indigenous young adults’ perceptions of their roles in building health and wellness through traditional food sovereignty, I assessed the effectiveness of using John Paul Lederach’s (1997) framework of conflict transformation within an Indigenous context for the purpose of creating Indigenous food sovereignty. Conflict transformation does not acknowledge or address the detrimental effects colonization has had on Indigenous peoples within their daily lives. This gap in analysis stunted the effectiveness of conflict transformation in helping young Indigenous adults to challenge colonial authority and work towards developing sustainable approaches to Indigenous food sovereignty. Within the findings, roles emerged related to a generational cycle of learning and teachings traditional knowledge and cultural practices that are applied in the everyday lives of Indigenous peoples. “Learner-teacher cycles” are an Indigenous response to conflicts stemming from colonization. The cycle follows a non-linear progression of learning cultural and traditional knowledge from family and community and the transmission of that knowledge back to family and peers. Learner-teacher cycles are an everyday occurrence and are embedded within Indigenous cultures. Through the learner-teacher cycles, young adults challenge the effects of colonization within their day-to-day lives by learning and practicing cultural ways of being and traditional knowledge, and then transferring their knowledge to next generations and peers. I have concluded that conflict transformation is not an effective tool in resolving protracted conflicts within an Indigenous context, particularly with reference to Indigenous peoples from CoSalish and Dididaht territories on Turtle Island. Learner-teacher cycles, a framework based on Indigenous methods of challenging colonialism through learning, teaching and practicing cultural and traditional ways of being within everyday life, is an appropriate model for young Indigenous adults to use in creating Indigenous food sovereignty. / Graduate