In Eeyou Istchee, on the shores of what is now known as James Bay in Quebec, springtime doesn’t only mark the melting of the snow and the return of warmer weather, but also the arrival of the geese migrating back from their wintering grounds in the south. 

For the Cree who call the area home, the arrival of the geese also means that it is time for the very important Goose Break holiday, where communities shut down for two weeks to go out on the land to hunt and spend time with family and friends. It is also time for the traditional feast known as sigabon, a method used to cook a goose, where it is hunted, prepared and then hung over an open fire in the middle of the teepee to be slowly roasted for over two hours. 

It is a favourite among Cree people, not only for its delicious flavour but also for the longstanding tradition behind the recipe and the communal nature of preparing the dish. To make sigabon, everyone comes together to contribute to the process, from catching the goose to collecting the firewood to preparing the meat and its side dishes.