Weaving Indigenous and Sustainability Sciences to Diversify Our Methods
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Weaving Indigenous and Sustainability Sciences: Diversifying our Methods (WIS2DOM) Workshop February 13-16, 2013 Report prepared by Jay T. Johnson, University of Kansas Renee Pualani Louis, University of Kansas Andrew Kliskey, University of Alaska-Anchorage National Science Foundation 2014 Arctic Social Sciences Program, Directorate for Geosciences Our cover art depicts a portion of the Paddle to Squaxin 2012 Canoe Journey mural in Olympia, Washington. The artist and Squaxin Island tribal member, Joseph Seymour Jr., welcomed our group to his territory at the mural on February 13, 2013. Weaving Indigenous and Sustainability Sciences: Diversifying our Methods (WIS2DOM) Workshop February 13-16, 2013 Report prepared by Jay T. Johnson University of Kansas Renee Pualani Louis University of Kansas Andrew Kliskey University of Alaska-Anchorage Arctic Social Sciences Program, Directorate for Geosciences National Science Foundation 2014 1 Acknowledgments Acknowledgments We wish to thank Anna Kerttula de Echave, NSF Arctic Social Sciences Program Director for her assistance and encouragement in planning this workshop; Lilian Alessa, University of Alaska-Anchorage for her as- sistance with background material; Jackie Wall and Bill St. Jean from the Nisqually Tribe and Dale Sadler from Joint Base Lewis McChord for their tour of Nisqually river shed and salmon restoration programs; to the staff of The Evergreen State College Longhouse – sgwigwialʔtxw; our keynote speakers, Fikret Berkes, Gregory Cajete and Richie Howitt for their challenging and engaging presentations; Whitney Onasch, Administrative Associate at the Institute for Policy & Social Research, University of Kansas for extensive logistical assistance and travel planning; Katrina McClure, Joshua Meisel and Victoria Walsey, University of Kansas graduate assistants to Jay T. Johnson, for their help in organizing the workshop; Linda Williams, University of Kan- sas graduate assistant for her assistance in editing participants’ contributions; the 19 workshop participants who submitted the imaginative and constructive papers found within Appendix 3; and to all of the workshop participants who contributed thoughtfully to the discussions and breakout sessions, especially those who have responded to a draft of the workshop report. Finally, to Laura Kriegstrom Stull who assisted with the typeset- ting, layout and production of this report. Workshop Participants Fikret Berkes, University of Manitoba Renee Pualani Louis, University of Kansas Paulette Blanchard, University of Oklahoma Deb McGregor, University of Toronto Joseph Brewer, Haskell Indian Nations Debra McNutt, The Evergreen State College University Liz Medicine Crow, First Alaskans Institute Brian Buma, University of Colorado Mark Palmer, University of Missouri Gregory Cajete, University of New Mexico Marcela Palomino-Schalscha, Victoria University Ed Galindo, University of Idaho of Wellington Christian Giardina, Institute of Pacifi c Islands Lin Pei-Shan, National Taiwan University Forestry, U.S. Forest Service Karina Walters, University of Washington Zoltan Grossman, The Evergreen State College Jon Waterhouse, Yukon River Inter-tribal Lene Kielsen Holm, Greenland Institute Watershed Council of Natural Resources Kyle Wark, First Alaskans Institute Richard Howitt, Macquarie University Daniel Wildcat, Haskell Indian Nations University Jay T. Johnson, University of Kansas Laura Zanotti, Purdue University Kekuhi Keali‘ikanaka‘oleohaililani, Hawaiʻi John Ziker, Boise State University Community College Andrew D. Kliskey, University of Alaska Anchorage STUDENT ASSOCIATES Katrina McClure, University of Kansas Joshua Meisel, University of Kansas Victoria Walsey, University of Kansas 2 Executive Summary Executive Summary On February 13-16, 2013, a workshop, entitled Weaving Indigenous and Sustainability Sciences to Diversify our Methods (WIS2DOM), was held in Olympia, Washington at The Evergreen State University’s Longhouse (sgwigwialʔtxw). The workshop was funded by an NSF grant from the Arctic Social Sciences Program to Drs. Jay T. Johnson and Renee Pualani Louis, University of Kansas; and Andrew Kliskey, University of Alaska- Anchorage. The purpose of the workshop was to challenge key thinkers in the areas of Indigenous and sustain- ability sciences to cultivate mutually conducive and appropriate principles, protocols, and practices that address our common concern to sustain resilient landscapes in the midst of rapid environmental change. The WIS2DOM workshop brought together an internationally diverse set of Indigenous academics and com- munity scholars with non-Indigenous academics interested in advancing this discussion. Workshop participants were asked to address the following four questions in their short papers and workshop deliberations: 1. What are the strengths of these two paradigms of science in sustaining resilient landscapes? 2. What are the limitations of these two paradigms of science in successfully sustaining resilient landscapes? 3. How can these two paradigms collaborate in their efforts toward sustaining resilient landscapes? 4. What protocols will aid in the collaboration of these two paradigms toward sustaining resilient landscapes? The report is organized into fi ve sections: Part I outlines the strengths and limitations of sustainability science in sustaining resilient landscapes; provides a brief introduction to the development of sustainability science over the past two decades; addresses the strengths identified by participants (a transdisciplinary approach, systems framework, scientific method and measurement); as well as the weaknesses (politics of science, economics of sustainability management, scalar applications of sustainability science). Part II identifies the strengths and limitations of Indigenous science in sustaining resilient landscapes; provides a brief introduction to the development of Indigenous science within the academy over the past two decades; address the strengths identified by participants (deep-spatial knowledge, long-term observations, an ethos of reciprocal appropriation); as well as the weaknesses (issues related to translation, finding common ground). Part III explores successful collaborations between Indigenous and sustainability sciences in sustaining resilient landscapes; relevant theoretical work on Indigenous science and traditional ecological knowledge are referenced alongside participants’ contributions. Part IV discusses protocols necessary for successful collaborations between Indigenous and sustainability sciences in sustaining resilient landscapes; participant discussions regarding research protocols, principles and practices are described. Part V contains recommendations to Indigenous and sustainability scientists as well as to funding agencies, including NSF, for fostering collaboration between Indigenous communities and scholars and sustainability scientists, encouraging Indigenous community research leadership with an emphasis on mentoring future Indigenous scholars, and further discussions and research into appropriate research principles, protocols, and practices in order to aid collaborations. 3 Acknowledgments Recommendations for building bridges for collaboration: Increase collaborations between Indigenous and sustainability scientists to utilize the strengths and over- come any weaknesses inherent in both paradigms. Allow each paradigm to occupy their own separate intellectual space while building bridges between them for dialogue. Focus these collaborations on the shared concern of enhancing the native biodiversity, structure and function of natural environments. Recommendations for encouraging Indigenous leadership in research: Encourage Indigenous scholars to take an increasingly active role in initiating and leading research ini- tiatives within their own communities. Establish a funded research network to explore the research needs and capacities of Indigenous commu- nities. D evelop strategies for developing research capacity within Indigenous communities. Recommendations for mentoring Indigenous scholarship: Facilitate the training of a new generation of Indigenous scholars skilled at building bridges between Western and Indigenous scientific traditions and knowledge systems. Secure on-going funding for a summer program aimed at preparing Indigenous undergraduate students for graduate study, particularly in STEM disciplines. Develop a national program to support and mentor Indigenous PhD students. Provide training on Indigenous community research needs for national research funders such as NSF, NIH, USDA, EPA, etc. Recommendations for identifying and developing appropriate research methods: Fund research into how Indigenous communities and organizations are engaging research policies and review boards in research permitting and collaboration. The report concludes with appendices that list workshop participants, the workshop agenda, and include the papers submitted by workshop participants. A complete copy of this report is available on the University of Kansas Indigenous Geographies Research Center website: http://ipsr.ku.edu/igrc/wis2dom/WorkshopRe- port2013.pdf 4 Table of Contents Table of Contents Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................2 Executive Summary ......................................................................................................3 Background ..................................................................................................................7