Rev Fish Biol Fisheries https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-021-09679-3 (0123456789().,-volV)( 0123456789().,-volV) ORIGINAL RESEARCH Empowering her guardians to nurture our Ocean’s future Mibu Fischer . Kimberley Maxwell . Nuunoq . Halfdan Pedersen . Dean Greeno . Nang Jingwas . Jamie Graham Blair . Sutej Hugu . Tero Mustonen . Eero Murtoma¨ki . Kaisu Mustonen Received: 9 August 2020 / Accepted: 12 August 2021 Ó The Author(s) 2021 Abstract Coastal Indigenous and Traditional com- discussed the consequences of climate change, the munities are starting to see changes to their lives from biggest barriers for their communities, and barriers for climate change, whether this is from species range using traditional knowledge in order to contribute changes or displacement from land changes. For many towards a more sustainable future that in the end will of these communities, the ability to adequately adapt benefit all of earth’s people. The aim of this workshop to these changes is limited by the governance struc- was to highlight and give a voice to the various tures they are required to live within, which differ backgrounds and real-life situations impacting on from their customary practices and culture. In Novem- some of the world’s Indigenous and Traditional ber 2019, a group of Indigenous and Traditional communities whose connection with the oceans and Peoples, attended the Future Seas 2030 workshop and coasts have been disrupted. This paper presents these M. Fischer (&) N. Jingwas CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Brisbane, Hereditary Chief, Haida Nation, Canada QLD, Australia e-mail: mibu.fi[email protected] J. Graham Blair Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of M. Fischer Á D. Greeno Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia Centre for Marine Socioecology, Hobart, TAS, Australia S. Hugu Indigenous Taiwan Self-Determination Alliance (ITW- K. Maxwell SDA), Namasia, Taiwan Te Ko¯tahi Research Institute, University of Waikato, Tauranga, New Zealand T. Mustonen Á E. Murtoma¨ki Á K. Mustonen Snowchange Cooperative, Selkie, Finland Nuunoq The Pisuna Project, Attu, Greenland H. Pedersen Pikkoritta Consult, Aasiaat, Greenland D. Greeno College of Arts, Law and Education, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS, Australia 123 Rev Fish Biol Fisheries issues of oppression, colonisation, language and in the North Island, NZ. Since 2004 she has worked for agency, making it difficult for these groups to Ma¯ori communities in the fields of customary fish- contribute to the current management of oceans and eries, aquaculture, benthic ecology, wastewater man- coasts, and asks scientists and practitioners in this agement and more recently in fisheries, marine space to be allies and enable the needed shift to earth’s management, and planning, having completed her guardians taking a leading role in nurturing her for our PhD in Dec 2019. Nuunoq (Per Ole Fredriksen) is a future. Greenlandic male whose livelihood is living off the local sea and land area in the small village of Attu on Keywords Indigenous Á Traditional people Á First the west coast of Greenland. He was supported to Nations Á Traditional ecological knowledge Á participate in this project by translator, Halfdan who is Colonisation Á Climate change an elderly Greenlandic male who has studied abroad and returned to his native Aasiaat not far from Attu. Dean Greeno is a sea country trawlwoolway pakana man from lutruwita, Australia. He is an Artist, Aircraft Positionality Engineer, Builder, and father. Chief Nang Jingwas (Russ Jones) is a Hereditary Chief of the Haida Nation All authors on this paper identify as Indigenous, First who lives in his ancestral community of Skidegate, Nations or Traditional People from diverse cultural, Haida Gwaii on the west coast of Canada. Retired but gender, age, and biodiverse backgrounds. Whilst there continues with work related to local and international are differences between us all, there are similarities in fisheries, marine planning, and shipping. Jam Graham the worldviews that we have grown up with. We Blair is a young trawlwoolway plangermaireener acknowledge the multiple terms used and preferred by pakana based in nipaluna, lutruwita, Australia. He is numerous Indigenous groups worldwide, for the a cultural practitioner with specialist skills in envi- purposes of this paper, through consensus, the authors ronmental science, Indigenous resistance, and Tradi- have decided to use the term Indigenous and Tradi- tional Knowledge. Sutej Hugu is a Siraya from tional Peoples’ throughout the paper to refer to Tavokan, now based in Pongo no Tao, a tribal activist Indigenous, Traditional Peoples, First Nations com- who works on Indigenous decolonisation and sustain- munities and other similar groups as a diverse able self-determination. There is also a small contin- collective. The capitalisation of the word Indigenous gent from Finland led by Elder Eero Murtoma¨ki, who gives commonality to a diverse group of people who is a hunter and a nature photographer from the village have been impacted by colonisation. When talking of Petsmo, Vaasa region, Finland. From the village of about specific case studies or groups it is preferred to Selkie, North Karelia, Tero Mustonen, a fisherman and use the known terminology for that group i.e. when we researcher, and Kaisu Mustonen who is a scholar and refer to Canadian Indigenous peoples, we may use Head of Biodiversity Unit at Snowchange First Nations, Inuit, and Metis. We also use the plural Cooperative. term Peoples to refer to a collective group of The authorship team have provided their connec- populations. The reference to the ocean as ‘her’ tions to their ancestral homelands and waters for relates to conversations between authors, it reflects an context. It is important to note that whilst the focus is old Karelian concept that the sea is female (see Tero on oceans, the discussions that fed into the paper Mustonen et al. 2021). extended beyond ocean systems. There are many The authorship team is led by Mibu Fischer, Mibu communities who have an integral relationship and is a young Noonucal, Ngugi, and Goenpul woman understanding of oceans, but case studies may be best from Quandamooka Country in South East Queens- reflected in a range of habitats. land, Australia. She identifies as a saltwater woman and works as an early career Marine Ethnoecologist. She is supported by ten knowledgeable individuals Preamble which includes Kimberley Maxwell, who is of Whakato¯hea, Te Wha¯nau-a-Apanui, Nga¯ti Porou, The University of Tasmania, which is home to the Nga¯ti Tu¯wharetoa and Nga¯itai ki Umupuia descent, Future Seas project, lies only a short distance from the 123 Rev Fish Biol Fisheries site of an infamous massacre of local Indigenous Centre 2020). This began a legacy of forced child peoples. As described in this paper, Indigenous and removal, violence, and dispossession that the palawa Traditional People across the world have much to still feel and navigate today. But it is not only the contribute to a better future for our oceans. But palawa who felt this loss, but the land and waterways meaningful dialogue and engagement on ocean issues of the area too. You see at the time of writing this, requires recognition of historic injustices as the first Australia has recorded only two marine extinctions, step towards a true reconciliation. Stories such as the both of which have occurred in the Derwent Estuary, one below reveals an uncomfortable history, retelling the river that these Mumirimina palawa were respon- such stories is an opportunity to educate and heal past sible for caring for. Had their sovereignty been traumas. This story has historical value but is also a recognised, their rights to exist freely and uncolonized story of survival of the original people who cared for retained, the river would have remained healthy and these lands, waterways, seas, and skies in a sustainable these extinctions (and the many other forms of manner for thousands of years. These original people environmental damage witnessed in the Estuary) continue to be the guardians of their unique spiritual would most likely not have occurred (Graham Blair and cultural lands and seascapes. 2019, personal communication, 15 November). Standing around the fire on a fresh spring morning The colonial settlements of Tasmania are built upon at piyura kitina, lutruwita (Risdon Cove, Tasmania), events and massacre sites similar to this place. This surrounded by gums and the occasional playful squeal extends to both the academic and industrial institu- of a child from the nearby childcare centre, in peaceful tions of the island, and indeed the accumulated silence was a group of people, varying in age and knowledge and understanding of the island. Even ethnicity. What followed that tranquil moment was an though piyura kitana has since been returned to the introduction to the brutal history of the country they palawa community, the pain and loss of this massacre, were gathered upon (Fischer 2019, personal commu- and the numerous other incidences of human rights nication, 11 November). The local Mumirimina abuses that occurred here, are still felt today, but palawa (Tasmanian Aboriginal People of the Pittwater seemingly only acknowledged and talked about by the & Risdon area) were custodians of this place. Indigenous people (Graham Blair 2019, personal Guardians of the river, forest, and hunting plains for communication, 15 November). thousands of generations, it was these people whom Lutruwita’s brutal early interactions with the Bri- thanks and respect was offered to in this gathering. tish, which nearly saw them wiped out within three Caretakers of a complex system of lore which had kept decades, is not an isolated incident. Every continent them in harmony with land, sea, and sky for millennia, has been invaded at some point in history, and the only to be disrupted by the arrival of Lieutenant John process of invasion has been honed and adapted to take Bowen and the first British colonialists. On this very supreme control over the Indigenous and Traditional spot on the 3rd May 1804, while hunting for a large communities, to the point where they are eliminated, ceremonial gathering with the Big River palawa, the or their history erased.