scholarly journals Culturally Driven Monitoring: The Importance of Traditional Ecological Knowledge Indicators in Understanding Aquatic Ecosystem Change in the Northwest Territories’ Dehcho Region

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 7923
Author(s):  
Sydney Stenekes ◽  
Brenda Parlee ◽  
Cristiana Seixas
Keyword(s):  
Northwest Territories ◽  
Traditional Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Ecosystem Change ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Hydroelectric Development ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Quality Water

There is growing concern about the sustainability of freshwater ecosystems in northern Canada that are under significant stress from climate change, resource development, and hydroelectric development, among others. Community-based monitoring (CBM) based on traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) has the potential to contribute to understanding impacts on the environment and community livelihoods. This paper shares insights about culturally driven monitoring, through collaborative research with Kátł’odeeche First Nation (KFN) in the Northwest Territories. This research was initiated in 2018 to improve understanding of the changes occurring in the Hay River and Buffalo River sub-basins, which extend primarily across the Alberta and Northwest Territories borders. Drawing on 15 semi-structured interviews conducted with KFN elders, fish harvesters, and youth, this paper illustrates the kinds of social–ecological indicators used by KFN to track changes in the health of aquatic systems as well as the fishing livelihoods of local people. Utilizing indicators, fishers observe declines in fish health, water quality, water quantity, and ice thickness in their lifetime. Community members perceive these changes to be a result of the cumulative effects of environmental stressors. The indicators as well as trends and patterns being observed and experienced can contribute to both social learning in the community as well as the governance of the larger Mackenzie River Basin.

scholarly journals Differential loss of components of traditional ecological knowledge following a primate extinction event

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 172352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel T. Turvey ◽  
Jessica V. Bryant ◽  
Katherine A. McClune
Keyword(s):  
Traditional Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Hainan Island ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Ecosystem Change ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Social Ecological Systems ◽  
Social Ecological ◽  
History Information ◽  
Species Specific

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), an important component of the modern conservation toolkit, is being eroded in indigenous communities around the world. However, the dynamics of TEK loss in response to ecosystem change and disruption to social–ecological systems, and patterns of variation in vulnerability and resilience of different components of TEK, remain poorly understood. The Hainan gibbon (Nomascus hainanus), a culturally significant primate, was formerly distributed across Hainan Island, China, but became extinct across most of this range within living memory and is now restricted to a single landscape, Bawangling National Nature Reserve. Gibbon-specific TEK (including folktales, natural history information and methods of gibbon exploitation) is still present in indigenous communities across seven Hainanese landscapes, but statistically significant differences in TEK content exist between landscapes with different histories of gibbon persistence: respondents from Bawangling and most landscapes that have recently lost gibbons report more gibbon-related folktales compared with landscapes from which gibbons have been absent for several decades. Species-specific folktales might have been lost more rapidly compared with other components of TEK because older community members are typically the ‘cultural repositories’ of stories, whereas knowledge about practical interactions with biodiversity might be shared more widely with younger community members.

scholarly journals The persistence of conflict avoidance among the King Island Inupiat

2009 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deanna Paniataaq Kingston
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Traditional Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Cultural Geography ◽  
Ethnic Background ◽  
Principal Investigator ◽  
Conflict Avoidance ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Place Names ◽  
Community Members ◽  
The North

Abstract During the summers of 2005 and 2006, a group of Ugiuvangmiut (King Island Inupiat) and western scientists participated in a project entitled “Documenting the Cultural Geography, Biogeography, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge of King Island, Alaska.” The intent was to bring Ugiuvangmiut to King Island in order to document and map place names, as well as archaeological and subsistence sites. Throughout fieldwork, conflicts occurred between scientists, between community members, and between scientists and community members. As the principal investigator, I confronted one conflict in 2005, but my actions exacerbated long-standing tensions within the community and I was later advised by two community members that I should not have confronted the conflict. When conflict occurred again in 2006, instead of confronting the conflict, I chose to take a break from the project for several days. The result was that the overt conflict within the community lessened. Based upon these experiences and other examples, I conclude that conflict avoidance still persists among the Ugiuvangmiut. In addition, I “write against culture” (to borrow Abu-Lughod’s phrase) to explain how my mixed ethnic background and the backgrounds of two community members resulted in actions that run counter to conflict avoidance, showing that there are “multiple, shifting, and competing” cultural values at play. I end with suggestions for scientists conducting fieldwork in the North.

scholarly journals Traditional ecological knowledge and flood risk management: A preliminary case study of the Rwenzori

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bosco Bwambale ◽  
Moses Muhumuza ◽  
Martine Nyeko
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Traditional Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Flood Risk ◽  
Flood Risk Management ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Flood Hazards ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Indigenous Plants ◽  
Managing Risk

The shift from flood protection to flood risk management, together with recent arguments on incorporating culture in managing risk, underscores the application of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) in managing disasters from flood hazards. Yet, documentation and incorporation of TEK into practice remains a challenge. This article contributes to addressing this challenge by exploring the existence of TEK to flooding in the Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda. Using semi-structured interviews, data were collected from residents of the Nyamwamba watershed where intense flash floods caused deadly impacts in May 2013. Collected data were analysed using content, thematic and interpretive analysis techniques. Results indicate that TEK is exhibited through various traditional ecological approaches (TEAs). Although endangered, TEAs (conducted through collective action for a communally accepted end) are framed in three main activities: (1) assessment and prediction of rainfall and flood by the traditional hydro-meteorologist (diviner) and the traditional rain forecaster (rainmaker); (2) the mountain cleansing ritual (which act as flood risk awareness platform); and (3) immunising riverine communities through planting certain indigenous plants, which improve hydrological systems through their high conservation value for native ecological diversity. As most TEAs are conducted through collective action, they represent a platform to understand local capacities and enhance adoption of measures, and/or a source of knowledge for new measures to address flood risk. Therefore, full-scale investigations of these TEAs, determining how relevant TEAs are fine-tuned, and (scientific) measures enculturated based on fine-tuned TEAs could result in effective flood risk management in various flood hotspots where TEAs influence action.

scholarly journals How community-based social enterprises struggle with representation and accountability

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reinout Kleinhans ◽  
Nick Bailey ◽  
Jessica Lindbergh
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Policy Reforms ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Content Type ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Using Data

Purpose Community-based social enterprises (CBSEs), a spatially defined subset of social enterprise, are independent, not-for-profit organisations managed by community members and committed to delivering long-term benefits to local people. CBSEs respond to austerity and policy reforms by providing services, jobs and other amenities for residents in deprived communities, thus contributing to neighbourhood regeneration. This paper aims to develop a better understanding of how CBSEs perceive accountability, how they apply it in the management and representation of their business and why. Design/methodology/approach Nine case studies of CBSEs across three European countries (England, the Netherlands and Sweden) are analysed, using data from semi-structured interviews with initiators, board members and volunteers in CBSEs. Findings CBSEs shape accountability and representation in response to the needs of local communities and in the wake of day-to-day challenges and opportunities. Apart from financial reporting, CBSEs apply informal strategies of accountability which are highly embedded in their way of working and contingent upon their limited resources. Originality/value Although research has shown the complex governance position of CBSEs, their application of accountability to target communities and other stakeholders is unclear. The paper coins the term “adaptive accountability,” reflecting a relational, dialectic approach in which formal, costly accountability methods are only applied to legally required forms of accounting, and informal practices are accepted by funding agencies and governments as valid forms of accountability, assessing CBSEs’ societal value in more open terms.

scholarly journals Mental illness in Bwindi, Uganda: Understanding stakeholder perceptions of benefits and barriers to developing a community-based mental health programme

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen L. Sessions ◽  
Lydia Wheeler ◽  
Arya Shah ◽  
Deenah Farrell ◽  
Edwin Agaba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Psychiatric Disease ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Significant Treatment ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Wide Range

Background: Mental illness has been increasingly recognised as a source of morbidity in low- and middle-income countries and significant treatment gaps exist worldwide. Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of task sharing through community-based treatment models for addressing international mental health issues.Aim: This paper aims to evaluate the perceptions of a wide range of mental health stakeholders in a Ugandan community regarding the benefits and barriers to developing a community-based mental health programme.Setting: Bwindi Community Hospital (BCH) in south-west Uganda provides services through a team of community health workers to people in the Kanungu District.Methods: Thematic analysis of 13 semi-structured interviews and 6 focus group discussions involving 54 community members and 13 mental health stakeholders within the BCH catchment area.Results: Stakeholders perceived benefits to a community-based compared to a hospital-based programme, including improved patient care, lower costs to patients and improved community understanding of mental illness. They also cited barriers including cost, insufficient workforce and a lack of community readiness.Conclusions: Stakeholders express interest in developing community-based mental health programmes, as they feel that it will address mental health needs in the community and improve community awareness of mental illness. However, they also report that cost is a significant barrier to programme development that will have to be addressed prior to being able to successfully establish such programming. Additionally, many community members expressed unique sociocultural beliefs regarding the nature of mental illness and those suffering from a psychiatric disease.

scholarly journals Examining Local Food Procurement, Adaptive Capacities and Resilience to Environmental Change in Fort Providence, Northwest Territories

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-43
Author(s):  
Paulina Paige Ross ◽  
Courtney W Mason
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Northwest Territories ◽  
Program Implementation ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Food Procurement ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Economic Barriers

By exploring localized adaptation strategies for climate change, this paper aims to provide a deeper understanding of local perspectives and efforts regarding food procurement in Fort Providence, Northwest Territories (NT). The benefits and risks associated with engaging in local food procurement activities are key topics explored. Strategies to manage food insecurity and local approaches to encourage food procurement are also considered. This study was informed by Indigenous methodologies, which guided all aspects of this research. While the researchers have collaborated with community members since 2010, evidence for this study was collected during two field seasons in the spring and fall of 2018, using semi-structured interviews with Elders, land-users, and knowledgeable community members. Findings support decentralized policy developments which focus on the integration of local voices into decision-making processes and program implementation. Food policies must reflect the needs of residents at localized levels and the distinct socio-cultural and economic barriers to procuring food, and they must encourage overall community resilience and adaptive capacities to climate-related change. This research supports regional and national efforts to reduce food insecurity across northern Canada by documenting traditional knowledge concerning climate change and local food practices in Fort Providence. 

scholarly journals “We Hardly Have Any Moose Around Here Anymore”: Climate Change and the Barriers to Food Security in the Dehcho Region, Northwest Territories

ARCTIC ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 368-385
Author(s):  
Paulina Ross ◽  
Courtney W. Mason
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Northwest Territories ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Weather Patterns ◽  
Food Procurement ◽  
Political Economic

Rural Indigenous communities across northern Canada are experiencing high rates of food insecurity as a result of complex constraints to accessing quality market foods and engaging in local food procurement. Climate change is impacting the ability of northern Indigenous communities to acquire, access, and utilize food that is culturally relevant and sustainable. This research examines the interconnected sociocultural, political, economic, and environmental challenges related to food security in the community of Fort Providence situated in the Dehcho Region of the Northwest Territories. The objective of this research was to consult with community members to understand the impacts of climate change on local food procurement and to explore the myriad challenges related to food security. We utilized Indigenous methodologies to guide all aspects of the research. Evidence was collected using semi-structured interviews with Dene and Métis Elders, knowledgeable land-users, and other community members. Our research demonstrates that changing hydrological systems and ecosystems, unpredictable weather patterns, the presence of non-local harvesters, the loss of traditional knowledge, and the high costs of living in a rural northern community impact local food security. The results of this research can inform policies that reflect the needs of residents, address the distinct barriers to procuring local food, and provide a basis for understanding the complexities of food security in the Dehcho and other subarctic regions.

scholarly journals Wearing the Label of Mental Illness: Community-Based Participatory Action Research of Mental Illness Stigma

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Theurer ◽  
Nicole Jean-Paul ◽  
Kristi Cheyney ◽  
Mirka Koro-Ljungberg ◽  
Bruce Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Mental Illness Stigma ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Community Based

Stigma remains an impediment to seeking and receiving the requisite care for mental illness. To enhance a local National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) affiliate’s understanding of community members’ perceptions of mental illness and its associated stigma, a community-based participatory action research study was conducted. The study addressed the following research question: how do community members understand and experience the stigma associated with mental illness? Twenty-two participant-researchers wore mental illness labeled T-shirts around the local community, recorded their observations and reflections of this experience and recruited twenty-two community members for semi-structured interviews about mental illness stigma. Domain analysis of the interviews revealed community members’ understandings of (1) sources of stigma, (2) impacts of stigma, (3) conceptualizations of stigma and (4) pathways to change stigma. Findings were presented to members of the local NAMI affiliate as well as other community members. Practical implications, specific to the community of interest, are discussed.

scholarly journals Exploring Community Engagement in Climate Change Planning: The Case in Samoa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Annie Saofaiga Toailoa
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Local Level ◽  
National Level ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Adaptation Planning ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Research Findings

<p>Coastal communities within Pacific Island Countries (PIC) are vulnerable due to the rising and volatile nature of the sea as a result of climate change. Adaptation strategies and community-based approaches have increasingly been advocated for by environmental organisations, policy makers and researchers. Community-based approaches have, in turn, begun to promote the values of meaningful community engagement and integration of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) into adaptation planning. This research explores the extent to which community engagement and TEK is utilised at both the national and local level adaptation planning in Samoa. An assessment of policies and plans assesses the national level context, whilst the community level context was explored through a study of the coastal village of Tafitoala.  A qualitative approach is employed in which semi-structured interviews were used to collect the perspectives of community members, government personnel, and Non-governmental Organisations (NGO) staff to provide a range of viewpoints.  Using Samoa as my case study, the research findings demonstrated that community ideologies and values, and community governance structures determine the efficacy of adaptation programmes. Findings also emphasised that although there is a vast amount of TEK used within local communities, documentation and verification of TEK is required in order for it be integrated more effectively into adaptation planning. Whilst the need for meaningful community engagement had already been identified by government and NGO agencies as a priority for effective adaptation, with agencies currently implementing strategies to encourage its integration, more is required for strategies to be strongly embedded into the practices of local communities.</p>

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