<
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/indigenous-people-mix-ancient-and-modern-science-to-protect-salmon-and-bears/>
'William Housty's grandparents taught him the sacred duty of preparing for the
salmon's arrival each year. Before the first silver flashes appeared in the
creek, his grandfather — following the wisdom passed down from his own elders —
would clear woody debris, chase away seals, and maybe even fell a few trees to
ensure a waterway was ready.
"They saw it as their responsibility to roll out a red carpet for the salmon
because of their immense importance to us," said Dúqva̓ísḷa William Housty, a
member of the Heiltsuk Nation of British Columbia's central coast.
This practice ensured that the salmon, the ecosystem and their community could
thrive together, said Housty, who is director of the Heiltsuk Integrated
Resource Management Department (HIRMD), which manages resources in their
traditional territory.
Welcoming the salmon is just one example of the way the Heiltsuk's ancestral
laws, or "Ǧvi̓ḷás — a set of principles centered on respect, responsibility,
reciprocity and stewardship for all sentient beings — have shaped their
interaction with their environment.
Now, the Heiltsuk are using traditional knowledge in concert with modern
scientific approaches to monitor wildlife, count salmon, and maintain the
health of waterways in their traditional territory. From the outset, the HIRMD
stewards decided that Ǧvi̓ḷás would guide how they managed their resources, as
well as influence how they would work with other government offices, industry
or other outside parties.
This has led the Heiltsuk to braid relatively new techniques, like DNA
analysis, with ancient ones, like the use of traditional fish weirs, so they
can study — but not impact — the ecosystem. Their work has revealed shifting
bear habitats and climate change impacts on salmon. Both have led to increased
protections for creatures that are critical to the ecosystem.
"We're going back to the value system that our ancestors implemented for
thousands of years," Housty told
Live Science. "In our eyes, it is for the
betterment of everything."'
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
