Indigenous Wisdom & Climate Action in Canada's Prairies: Bridging Cultures for a Sustainable Future

What is it about?

This community-based participatory research focuses on Indigenous perspectives on climate change in the Canadian Prairie provinces using a community-based research approach. The methodology involved semi-structured interviews and participatory video with members from eight Indigenous communities located in Treaties 1, 4, 6, 7, and 8 territories. The scope addresses the under-documented area of Indigenous experiences with climate change in the Prairies, contrasting with the concentration of existing research in the Arctic. The main findings reveal that environmental changes are attributed to industrial development, climate change, and colonial influences, impacting cultural well-being. Indigenous communities are responding through land-based education, renewable energy, and grassroots activism, among other strategies. Six themes emerged: Indigenous leadership, capacity and self-sufficiency, sustainable economic development, sharing Indigenous knowledge, connecting with the land, and integrating Indigenous and Western science. The study emphasizes the importance of collaborative methods to share Indigenous narratives across cultures and geographies.

Featured Image

Photo by Vlad Tchompalov on Unsplash

Photo by Vlad Tchompalov on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study investigates Indigenous perspectives on climate change in the Canadian Prairie provinces—areas less documented compared to the Arctic regions. Understanding these perspectives is crucial for addressing the specific socio-ecological challenges faced by Indigenous communities in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. The research highlights the importance of integrating Indigenous knowledge with Western science to develop comprehensive strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Key Takeaways: 1. The research demonstrates that Indigenous communities in the Prairie provinces are experiencing significant environmental changes, which they attribute to climate change and other factors like industrial development and colonial influences. These changes impact their cultural well-being and traditional ways of living. 2. Findings reveal that Indigenous communities are actively pursuing solutions to these challenges through initiatives such as land-based education, renewable energy projects, grassroots activism, cross-cultural dialogues, and ecological restoration. These efforts are aimed at enhancing community resilience and self-sufficiency. 3. The study identifies six common themes across the solutions being pursued: Indigenous leadership, capacity building, sustainable economic development, sharing Indigenous knowledge, connecting with the land, and integrating Indigenous knowledge with Western science. These themes underscore the collaborative potential for addressing climate change impacts across different cultures and geographies.