Weaving Knowledge Systems to Co-develop an Indigenous-led Moose Monitoring Plan
Heather Tanner1,
Merick Young2,
Dan Soprovich2
University of Calgary, 322 Toronto Street, Canada
Wuskwi Sipihk First Nation
Abstract Since time immemorial, Indigenous peoples worldwide have developed and applied ways of knowing and relating to the environments upon which they depend for survival and traditional ways of life. Due to long histories of lived relationships, experiences and intergenerational knowledge present in Indigenous Nations today, the importance of Indigenous Knowledge in addressing diverse conservation concerns has been gaining recognition worldwide. With this increasing trend, there are risks associated with work that seeks to integrate Indigenous Knowledge into western-science based frameworks. These risks are reduced when research is collaborative, Indigenous Nations are engaged at the problem-framing stage and involved in decision-making. In addition, collaborative initiatives with significant Indigenous participation in aspects of project planning, objective-setting, design and decision-making have been shown to be the most effective in achieving management outcomes. In Manitoba, Canada, a species that would benefit from respectful, co-produced knowledge with the involvement of Indigenous Nations as decision makers is the moose (moswa [Cree]; Alces alces) given their importance to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples and population concerns in many parts of the province. In many parts of western Manitoba, moose populations have declined since the 1990s. This area includes the traditional territory of Wuskwi Sipihk First Nation, a Nation that has traditionally cared for moose since time immemorial. It is apparent that the involvement of Indigenous Nations as decision-makers in moose monitoring, research and management will be key to addressing concerns with population declines on ancestral lands. The aim of this research is to work in partnership with Wuskwi Sipihk First Nation and utilize methods that respectfully weave knowledge systems to co-develop an Indigenous-led moose monitoring plan. Through semi-structured interviews that inform a monitoring framework that reflects the values, needs and priorities of the Nation, a monitoring plan is more likely to be innovative, support long-term implementation and community engagement while also supporting Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination.