Traditional Ecological Knowledge

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Traditional Ecological Knowledge

• By Kala Bremner

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Outline

• What is TEK and what are the risks
• 2 types of knowledge
• What does TEK do
• TEK and the global community
• TEK in Nanaimo area
• Categories of TEK
• Problems facing TEK and Scientific Knowledge
• Co-management
• Conclusion

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What is TEK

• Traditional Ecological Knowledge refers to
• the body of knowledge amassed over generations
  by Indigenous people with respect to their
  environment, and can be both spiritual and
  ecological in nature
• (Doubleday, 1993).

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TEK

• Transmitted orally over generations through
  songs, stories and other forms.
• Oral traditions are at risk of being lost if
  native language is no longer used or culture is
  disrupted through governments policies both past
  and present.
• Often encompasses spiritual events.
• Recent introduction of western
• religions often hinder the
• ability for a group of people
• to practice their traditions as
• seen as uncivilized.

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Types of place specific Knowledge

• Local knowledge
• doesnt have to have any historical
• component.
• Refers to any learnt knowledge of a place be it
  location based knowledge or non-traditional
  knowledge.
• Relevant to a specific time and place.
• Indigenous knowledge
• Knowledge that is culturally specific or passed
  on by Indigenous peoples over generations.
• Unique to a specific society and culture.
• Takes into account learnt behaviors with respect
  to the environment.

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What does TEK do?

• Continuously tested
• Based on practices that have been in place over
  hundreds even thousands of years in some cases.
• Allows people to have a close connection with the
  natural environment.
• Teaches children and young people environmentally
  friendly practices.
• Works to use the environment and its resources
  in a sustainable manor.
• Focuses on the knowledge of elders and the
  importance of them in a society.

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The introduction of TEK globally

• 1987- The Brundland report published by The
  United Nations World Commissions on Environment
  and Development.
• 1992- Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro
• 1996 Canada contributed the Aboriginal
  Forest-based Ecological Knowledge in Canada.
• (Natural Resource Canada, 1997)

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TEK on Vancouver Island

• Ecotrust Canada
• Georgia Basin Action Plan
• Nanaimo Bird Alert
• Gengenlilas preschool in Campbell River

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Current problems facing TEK

• Risk of being lost as less importance is given to
  indigenous peoples knowledge.
• Loss of traditional language often associated
  with loss of culture and traditional practices.
• Western ideas often hinder traditional knowledge.
• Economic incentives and western ideals have the
  ability to influence indigenous groups.
• Introduction and expansion of Western way of life
  often equals a loss of traditional ways of life.

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Scientific Knowledge and TEK

• TEK is a system of knowledge, parallel and
  complementary to "Western scientific knowledge,"
  which can be organized into three categories,
  each of which has its Western scientific
  equivalent (Environment, 1996).
• 3 categories
• Systematics- in-depth classification systems.
• Use and development of new technologies for
  activities such as hunting and fishing.
• Understanding the ecology of plants and animals
  in a intricate web of life.

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Problems with Scientific Knowledge

• Doesnt take into account indigenous knowledge
• Can appear to be moral free
• Is purely based on scientific knowledge
• Often appears to put economical progress above
  environmental values
• Can create an unstable economy based on resource
  extraction instead of incorporating resource
  management strategies

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Co-management

• Set up to integrate aspects of both indigenous
  knowledge (TEK) and state level governments
• State level governments traditionally use
  information attained by the
• scientific community
• Indigenous knowledge is
• that passed on
• through generations.
• Co-management works to
• incorporate both groups
• together
• Incorporates anything from
• resource management to
• world views and religious
• practices

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Conclusion

• TEK is knowledge that aboriginal people have
  accumulated over generations due to having a
  close and intimate relationship with the earth,
  including seasonal cycles, animals and natural
  phenomenon's.
• Incorporating co-management programs in Natural
  Resource management is important as both groups
  bring important and relevant aspects into the
  equation.

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References

• Doubleday, Nancy
• 1993 Finding Common Ground Natural Law and
  Collective Wisdom,
• in J.T. Inglis (Editor) Traditional Ecological
  Knowledge Concepts
• and Cases. Ottawa, Ontario Canadian Museum of
  Nature .
• Environment Cananda
• 1996, The state of Canadas Environment
  retrieved March 15th, 2008,
• from http//www.ec.gc.ca/soer-ree/English/SOER/1
  996report/Doc/1-6-9-5-6-1.cfm
• Johnson, Martha.
• 1992, LORE Capturing Traditional Environmental
  Knowledge. Ottawa, Ont Dene cultural institute
  and the international Development Research
  Centre.
• Natural Resources Canada
• 1997, Traditional Ecological Knowledge of
  Aboriginal Peoples, Retrieved March 13th, 2008,
  from http//canadaforests.nrcan.gc.ca/articletopic
  /96
• Tsuji, L, J,K,.
• 1996, Loss of Cree traditional Ecological
  knowledge in the Western James Bay regions of
  Northern Ontario, Canada A case study of the
  Sharp- tailed grouse. North York, Ontario York
  University. Retrieved March 15, 2008 from
  www.brandonu.ca/Library/cjns/16.2/tsuji.pdf

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Hidden answer to the amazingly fun crossword

• In my opinion, preserving traditional ecological
  knowledge for future generations to come is
  important.

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Questions?