CINE was created in response to a need expressed by Aboriginal Peoples for participatory research and education to address their concerns about the integrity of their traditional food systems. Deterioration in the environment has adverse impacts on the health and lifestyles of Indigenous Peoples, in particular nutrition as affected by food and food traditions.
CINE Mission
In concert with Indigenous Peoples, CINE will undertake community-based research and education related to traditional food systems. The empirical knowledge of the environment inherent in Indigenous societies will be incorporated into all its efforts.
CINE's Governing Board has created and approved a set of guiding principles and basic contributions for work with Indigenous Peoples and within McGill University.
CINE Host Community
CINE’s host is the Mohawk community of Kahná:wake. Kahná:wake is the Aboriginal community nearest to McGill University and CINE, and provides CINE with a vital local perspective on the global issues faced by Indigenous People.
CINE Logo
The CINE logo was created by a Mohawk artist to capture the focus of CINE in Indigenous Peoples’ food systems with animals and plants in the sky, the land and the waters. CINE is grounded in the “four directions” of the geographical world (north, east, south, and west), as well as in the “four pillars” of health (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual) in a holistic environment of food and health provisioning.
"CINE is a university centre that is unique in the world because of its focus on traditional food systems of Indigenous Peoples. Our interdisciplinary approach to research and education gives exciting depth and breadth to our mission."
Dr. Harriet V. Kuhnlein, CINE Founding Director
"We wondered if our food was still safe to eat, and nobody would ever answer that. So, we went further and we used CINE. We used them to our advantage, an organization ...with native organizations on the governing board. We carefully monitor what kind of research is being done for our people."
Norma Kassi, Chair (1996-98), CINE Governing Board, Council of Yukon First Nations