Get Involved|November: Food is Gathering
“Family gathers to share good noise and good food. Gratitude abounds.”
– Richelle E. Goodrich, Making Wishes: Quotes, Thoughts, & a Little Poetry for Every Day of the Year
This story is part of The Meaning of Food, Northwest Harvest’s yearlong exploration of food’s meaning in our lives and communities.
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From the beginning of human history, we have gathered — both our food and each other. The dual meaning of “gathering” reflects two ancient and essential acts: foraging, harvesting, and gleaning from the land, and coming together to share food in celebration, ritual, or daily life.
Across cultures and generations, gathering food connects us to the natural world — to the land that sustains us, to the seasons and cycles of the earth. Gathering around food connects us to one another — to our ancestors, our communities, and our traditions. These acts are deeply human. They nourish our bodies, strengthen our relationships, and root us in belonging.
This month, as we explore the meaning of food through the lens of gathering, we honor the ways food brings us together — in body, in heart, and in purpose.
Gathering to feast is one of the oldest human traditions. Archaeological evidence — from food remnants near ancient hearths to communal cooking sites — shows that humans have been sharing meals for over 10,000 years. In fact, evolutionary anthropology identifies food sharing as a key factor in human cooperation and survival.
From the communal nature of early foraging and farming to codified traditions like Sparta’s syssitia (“eating together”), the act of sharing food has always been central to human life. Today, we see echoes of this in Indigenous potlatches, Shabbat dinners, Ramadan iftars, Lunar New Year feasts, Sunday soul food gatherings — even the humble office pizza party.
Science affirms what tradition has long known: eating together releases oxytocin, the “love hormone” that fosters trust, loyalty, and connection. Sharing meals strengthens our social bonds and supports our physical and emotional well-being. Gathering around food is not just cultural — it’s biological.
For millennia, Indigenous communities have lived in reciprocal relationship with the land, guided by spiritual reverence and ancestral knowledge. In Northwest Native culture, knowledge itself is considered wealth — passed down through families and spiritual communities to protect both the wisdom and the plants it honors.
Skokomish elder Bruce Miller taught that when each person holds distinct knowledge, the community becomes interdependent. “If you teach them everything the same,” he said, “they won’t need each other and the world will fall apart.”
Traditional First Foods — salmon, camas, clams, stinging nettles — are gathered seasonally with care. Practices like controlled burning of huckleberry patches not only sustain the plants but regenerate the land. Indigenous sustainability isn’t about minimizing impact — it’s about leaving a positive impact.
Gathering responsibly means asking permission — not just from landowners, but from the Plant Nations themselves. Plants are sentient and communicative. When we listen, they guide us toward reciprocity in a world shaped by extraction and exploitation.
Land access remains a major barrier to traditional gathering. Strict regulations on public lands and privatization of ancestral territories limit the ability to forage and harvest. Understanding treaty rights and advocating for equitable land access is essential to food sovereignty — for Indigenous and non-Native communities alike.
Understanding treaty rights and advocating for equitable land access is essential to food sovereignty — for Indigenous and non-Native communities alike.
Despite its universality, gathering is not always possible. Displacement, war, incarceration, segregation, poverty, and systemic discrimination can make gathering dangerous or inaccessible. Colonization and industrial agriculture have decimated ecosystems once stewarded by tribal communities. Biodiversity loss and habitat destruction threaten the very species that sustained generations.
When communities are barred from gathering — whether physically or spiritually — they are denied connection. And connection is a basic human need. Food links us to each other and to the earth. Without it, we lose more than nourishment — we lose belonging.
Gathering is more than an act — it’s a relationship. Practicing reciprocity means honoring the web of life that sustains us. It means gathering with intention, respect, and gratitude. It can be spiritual, ceremonial, resilient, and resistant. It can be an act of care — for ourselves, our communities, and the living world around us.
Gathering and eating are best done with others — and best done with thanks.
We’ve compiled a list of 10 ways to practice gathering responsibly — from hosting inclusive meals to learning about traditional foods and foraging protocols.
You can read the list by visiting the link below.
We’ve compiled a list with real-time support requests from our partners—items and resources they need right now to continue serving their communities. From diapers and warm clothing to commercial refrigerators and handicap-accessible vehicles, these are the tools that help keep food flowing and dignity intact.
Browse the list by visiting the link below to see what partners in your area need most.
Traditional harvesting and shared meals connect us to land and each other. How has sharing food helped you feel connected — to others, to the land, or to your heritage?
Share your Food is Gathering story:
Follow along at @NWHarvest on Instagram and Facebook, and join the conversation using #MeaningOfFood. Together, we’re weaving a deeper understanding of food’s role in creating a more equitable future.
