Coming Full Circle: Indigenous Knowledge, Environment, and Our Future

“(from McGregor, 2004b).”

“A.2 we model evolution by following the allele frequencies among the host seedlings p H , host juvenile seeds p J , and within the parasite p P .”

“Deborah McGregor [47] explains that TEK is a way of life and proper conduct.”

“Instead, the concept of co-existence is offered (McGregor 2004b), which suggests the importance of balancing indigenous and non-indigenous aspirations of governance into the evaluation of collaboration.”

“Simply taking or “extracting” TK from the community and inserting what is deemed relevant into environmental management regimes (the “knowledge extraction paradigm”) is an approach that is failing all parties (McGregor, 2004; Whyte, 2013).”

“Although those living “off reserve” may not be active participants within their home community, the communal status of their Indigenous Knowledge cannot be revoked, as it is a collectively held process that is entrenched in group identity and place (McGregor, 2004).”

“People obtained such instruction or knowledge from many sources, including Creation itself (Johnston, 2003; McGregor, 2004).”

“However, such a way of proceeding would likely be “another form of colonialism (. . .) IK is required to fit into the existing framework designed to fulfill the needs of Western ideals” (McGregor, 2004b: 74).”

“This, of course, begs the question of who the ‘we’ is in this paradigm shift: many non-European societies, particularly Indigenous peoples, had understood and embraced the concept of Earth as a living system where humans and nonhumans are inextricably linked thousands of years ago before the ‘major shift’ of the Anthr…”

“…demonstrate how traditional lands occupy more than just a physical space; they are the central feature upon which Indigenous people globally have developed strong cultural identities, transferred knowledge between generations, and fostered opportunities for health (McGregor, 2004; Wilson, 2003).”

“(McGregor, 2004: 389) Jacob and Suderman (1994) make a clear connection between this sense of spiritual connection and environmental sensitivity.”

“It has been suggested that this separates IK from its meaning (McGregor, 2004; Simpson, 2004).”

“A common theme in the literature is the emphasis put on the use of areas that have experienced such events and the distinct role — both positive and negative — these wildfires play in the creation of Indigenous cultural landscapes [28••]. For instance, the Dene and Woodland Cree accessed areas affected by wildfire to…”

“…human-environmental interactions leading to what is broadly referred to as environmental sustainability (Barnhardt and Kawagley 2005; Bebbington 1990; McGregor 2004; Simpson 2002, 2014).60 International agencies have also recognised the urgency of working with Indigenous peoples towards this goal.”

“…to improve the sustainability of Canadian fisheries, the project could be interpreted as yet another effort to tap into, capture, and harvest Indigenous knowledge (McGregor, 2004a) primarily for the benefit and according to the normative standards of non-Indigenous populations (McGregor, 2004b).”

“This is likely a result of the successful advocacy of Indigenous Peoples to move away from static conceptualizations of knowledge towards one that engages as a complex and dynamic system with spiritual, legal, governance, and spatial elements (Cameron et al., 2021; McGregor, 2004).”

“As Indigenous scholars state, IK is often extracted by non-Indigenous researchers and reformulated to fit the parameters and serve western science or academia, resulting in inaccurate ‘snapshots’ of Indigenous realities (McGregor, 2004; Nadasdy, 1999).”

“Taken together, these forms of knowledge are often referred to as Traditional Ecological Knowledge, although this terminology is seen at times to delegitimize indigenous knowledge, disconnecting it from its epistemological roots and depoliticizing brutal histories of colonialism, oppression and cultural genocide, part…”

“Indigenous knowledge is understood as culturally and spiritually based ways that Indigenous peoples relate to their ecosystem (McGregor 2004).”

“…is acquired by “doing”, making reference to the unique Indigenous ways of experiencing, feeling, and relating to the natural world that influences Indigenous peoples’ intimate relationship with the ecosystems which is not clearly understood in Western academia (McGregor 2004; Pihama 2012).”

“…topdown conceptualisations of IK often presuppose a uniform concept and situate knowledge as a noun, whereas for Indigenous peoples, ‘‘Indigenous Knowledge cannot be separated from the people who hold and practice it, nor can it be separated from the land/environment/Creation’’ (McGregor 2004:390).”

“As stated by McGregor explains that knowledge originated from the Creator and from Creation itself therefore knowledge is achieved from vision, ceremony, prayer, intuitions, dreams, and personal experience (McGregor, 2004, 388).”

“IK, fused with Indigenous worldview, reflects a deep understanding of relationships to land and creation (Kimmerer, 2000; McGregor, 2004) and has the”

“While succinct definitions for Indigenous Knowledge do exist in the literature, the choice to describe, versus define, is done so here to offset efforts that attempt to compare epistemologies of which there are no grounds for such evaluation (McGregor, 2004).”

“It is the expression of values related to the correct attitudes, especially respect towards the nonhuman, animal, environment, and between human beings (Duerden and Kuhn 1998; McGregor 2004).”

“As stated by other indigenous groups as well, knowledge of places is considered to be the product of a relationship that implies respect and responsibility (McGregor 2004).”

“…(2019), Elizabeth Hoover (2017), Robin Wall Kimmerer (2013), Tiffany Lethabo King (2016), Erica Violet Lee (2017), Leroy Little Bear (2016), Deborah McGregor (2004), Pitseolak Pfeifer (2018), Nicholas Reo (2019), Deborah Bird Rose (2011), Kristen Simmons (2017), Leanne Simpson (2011), Kim…”

“Anishinaabe scholar Deb McGregor (2004) writes that there are two versions of TK: the dominant Eurocentric view that refl ects colonial attitudes, and an Indigenous, relational view that focuses on the ways in which Indigenous peoples relate to their ecosystems and to all of Creation.”

“Although TEK is a subset of IK and is now widely acknowledged as an empirically sound and rich resource for community-based resource management (Lauer 2017), it has also been critiqued, because as conventionally practiced it can colonise IK by removing it from its cultural context and applying it within non-Indigenous…”

“Therefore, people, environment, and knowledge are interconnected and is viewed as a whole (McGregor, 2004) This means that the term ‘‘traditional’’ in TEK does not only refer to something believed and practiced in the past, but also how people acquire the knowledge in constantly changing…”

“…models include reciprocity (mutual responsibilities guiding human and non-human interactions), interrelationships among humans and non-humans (all things are related), cooperation, and respect (Pierotti and Wildcat 2000; Salmon 2000; McGregor 2005; Ratner and Holen 2007; Kimmerer 2013).”

“At the same time, such knowledge varies in shape and depth across different community members, according to age, gender, social status, intellect and community roles (McGregor, 2004).”

“Fax: 015 268 2892. agroforestry to improve biophysical properties of the soil and to sustain the economy of their villages (Christanty et al., 1986).environment (McGregor, 2004).”

“In general, LTK encompasses a body of knowledge, beliefs, traditions, practices, institutions, and worldviews, developed and sustained over time by Indigenous, peasant, and other local communities (Nabhan 2003; McGregor 2004; Barnhardt and Kawagley 2005).”

“The moment researchers decide to pursue research in Indigenous territories and homelands, we inherit these legacies and we work within this context (O'Brien, 1993; McGregor, 2004; Tuck, 2009; Smith, 2012; Mof fi tt et al., 2015).”

“Rather than a set source of knowledge, TEK is known to be dynamic, uniquely specific to place, and a lived experience of being in relation with the local environment (Gómez-Baggethun et al. 2013; Battiste 2002; LaDuke 1994; McGregor 2004).”

“NA scholars have also emphasized that TEK represents the integration of person, place, product, and process (McGregor 2004), and that Indigenous languages are important because these transmit and interpret culturally specificworldviews, values, conceptualizations, and knowledge (Simpson 2004).”

“Cross-cultural environmental partnerships are not exempt from Indigenous peoples’ evaluation standards or values (Hoover 2017; McGregor 2004; Whyte 2014, 2016).”

“…to “traditional ecological knowledge,” demanding that Indigenous knowledge be a starting point for enacting transformative futures that do not presume the continuation of historical and contemporary political, epistemological, and social arrangements (McGregor 2004, p. 405;Whyte et al. 2018).”

“Third, there is a tendency to focus on the environmental and ecological aspects of indigenous knowledge, while other dimensions, including spiritual, relational, and emotional aspects, are ignored (Battiste and Youngblood 2000; Berkes 1999; Simpson 2001; Brosius 2006; Barrett 2013; McGregor 2004).”

“…research science, regulatory science, and Indigenous science all concern themselves with reliable empirical evidence, despite uneven power relations and decision-making procedures that privilege some knowledge systems over others (Jasanoff 1987, McGregor 2004, Liévanos et al. 2011, Whyte 2013a).”

“This pedagogical conception of the garden echoes aboriginal understandings of nature, of “all our relations” as our teachers (Marker, 2006; McGregor, 2005).”

“Indigenous peoples are inheritors of unique cumulative bodies of knowledge and practices related to the natural environment of a specific geographic area which are bestowed on them by their ancestors, and endowed to them by nature (McGregor 2004; Royal 2009; Watene 2015).”

“We are reminded of the assertion by indigenous scholars (McGregor 2004) that indigenous knowledge is inextricably linked to the rights of indigenous people to make choices, to preserve and recreate knowledge through continuing engagement and practice on the land.”

“As “knowledge systems” (Simpson 2004, 373; Barnhardt and Kawagley 2005), Indigenous knowledge can respond to colonial constructions and hierarchies of knowledge that dominate formal Western-based educational systems (Battiste and Henderson 2000; McGregor 2004; Simpson 2004).”

“Indigenous knowledge systems (i.e., traditional ecological knowledge, Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge, etc.; McGregor 2004) are place-based (Aikenhead and Michell 2011) cumulative bodies of knowledge, practice, and belief about ecological relationships handed down through generations by Indigenous Peoples…”

“…in which Indigenous knowledge holders might be requested to provide information to scientists/managers who would evaluate it for reliability and utility before deciding whether to incorporate in a science-based management program (McGregor 2004; Clark and Slocombe 2009; Lyver et al. 2009).”

“transmission of languages and other types of endangered cultural knowledge rely heavily on elders’ capacities in memory and language use (McGregor, 2005; Berardo et al., 2014).”

“This participation, however, has mostly involved integrating aspects of IK into standard eurocentric-based models and with IK measured and validated against criteria set by scientific standards (50,51).”

“Thus, TELCK can play an essential role in the continuity of ancestral wisdom of agrobiodiversity, culinary practices, and leadership in preserving healthy food systems as youth engage in transforming food systems (McGregor, 2004; Whyte, 2017; Huambachano, 2019).”

“This is not to discount the labour of geographers, particularly Indigenous geographers such as Renee Pualani Louis (2004, 2007), Deborah McGregor (2004, 2008), Brad Coombes (2007, Coombes et al., 2011), Naomi Simmonds (2011) and Chantelle Richmond (Richmond 2018; Richmond and Ross 2009) who laid the groundwork for the…”

“• A way of life (McGregor, 2004) • A way of knowing (Aikenhead & Ogawa, 2007) and • Adaptable and creative system (Macchi & Oviedo, 2008).”

“…science and policy and local stewardship practices are not driven by piecemeal or isolated knowledge systems alone (e.g. ‘traditional knowledge’), but by social institutions, governance structures and emotional or relational views of the land (Anderson, 1996 ; McGregor, 2004; Wyndham, 2009 ).”

“…with cultural survival: access to traditional foods, community health, cultural practices, and the ability to maintain long-standing spiritual relationships with water bodies (Borrows 1997; Hallenbeck 2015; McGregor 2004, 2008, 2012, 2014; von der Porten et al. 2016; Wilson and Inkster, 2018).”

“We do this by focusing on different components of Indigenous self-determination, mainly inherent, Treaty, and constitutionally protected rights (Borrows, 2002; Mills, 2016); Indigenous Knowledge systems (McGregor, 2004, 2018a); and Indigenous participation (Littlechild, 2014).”

“This involves responsibilities, as elements in the ecosystem are dependent on each other (Berkes, 2012; McGregor, 2004, p. 388).”

“In recent decades, TEK has been increasingly recognised as a body of knowledge that others can utilise in sustainably managing resources (Suzuki, 2006) and in developing solutions to environmental problems (McGregor, 2004).”