Indigenuity: How to Reframe Our Relationship With Climate Change | Janna Wale | TEDxSurrey

Key Concepts

• Unhealthy relationship with the environment as the root cause of environmental chaos.
• Indigenous knowledge and practices as a source of solutions for restoring balance.
• Importance of respect, reciprocity, balance, care, and attention in our relationship with the land.
• The interconnectedness of all things in nature and the importance of maintaining that balance.
• The need to rebuild our relationship with the land through relationships and ingenuity.

The Environmental Crisis as a Relationship Problem

The speaker, Janna Whale, identifies as Gatsan from Gitax First Nation and also Cree, and works as a climate scientist. She asserts that the environmental problems we face (mega fires, flash floods, diseases) are symptoms of a deeper issue: an unhealthy relationship with the environment. The earth is signaling its unhappiness due to humanity taking more than it gives. Indigenous communities have long recognized this imbalance and advocated for respect and reciprocity. Climate change is not just an environmental problem; it's a relationship problem. Healing the planet requires healing our relationship with it.

The Salmon Harvest: A Personal Anecdote

Janna shares a personal story about harvesting salmon with her family. Traditionally, they could gather enough salmon for the entire winter in just two days. However, one summer before grade 11, the salmon did not return in sufficient numbers. Her father and uncle had to stay overnight at their historic village site, Kitsigas, to ensure they had enough fish. This was a significant departure from their usual experience and marked a turning point in Janna's life. The low salmon return, coupled with the feeling of leaving her father and uncle in the dark, motivated her to pursue a degree in natural resource science and a master's in sustainability.

The Shift in Relationship with the Land

The speaker reflects on how the relationship with nature has changed. For some, it has become a place to visit on weekends, while others have exploited it for power and profit. This loss of relationship is a consequence of prioritizing money. With the arrival of settlers 300 years ago, the relationship with the land became one-sided, driven by extraction for profit. A CRE elder's quote is invoked: "Only when the last tree has been cut down, only when the last fish has been caught, and only when the stream has been poisoned will we realize we cannot eat money."

Principles of a Healthy Relationship with the Land

Drawing a parallel to her parents' successful 43-year marriage, Janna emphasizes that relationships require time, effort, respect, and reciprocity. These principles apply not only to interpersonal relationships but also to our relationship with the land. The ability to harvest salmon every August is a result of a balanced relationship with the environment. They honor the salmon, and the salmon honor them. They don't take more than they need and use every part of the fish. The parts they don't use are returned to the river to nourish the ecosystem.

The Interconnectedness of the Ecosystem

The speaker illustrates the interconnectedness of the ecosystem through the example of salmon and bears. Bears play a crucial role by carrying salmon into the forest, where they release nutrients back into the soil. These nutrients support the growth of trees, which provide shade for the next generation of salmon. This cycle demonstrates the perfect balance and interdependence of all elements in nature.

Indigenous Knowledge as a Solution

Indigenous communities possess millennia of knowledge and practices for maintaining a healthy relationship with the land. Examples include cultural burning, marine gardening, traditional medicines, and traditional foods. Indigenous people are the original scientists, with countless examples of how to live in harmony with the land. The core principles are simple: respect, reciprocity, balance, care, and attention. These universal principles can help everyone reconnect with the land.

Rebuilding the Relationship Through Ingenuity and Connection

Rebuilding our relationship with the land requires both relationships and ingenuity. It involves recognizing the connections between ourselves and the natural world and responding in ways that foster connection and balance. Indigenous communities are leading the way, offering their knowledge and practices to build climate resilience. The speaker calls for support, learning, and collaboration to rebuild what has been lost. She concludes with the powerful statement: "What we do to the land, we do to ourselves," urging us to choose a future that honors both.

Synthesis/Conclusion

Janna Whale's speech emphasizes the critical need to shift from an exploitative to a reciprocal relationship with the environment. Drawing on her indigenous heritage and scientific background, she argues that environmental problems are fundamentally relationship problems. By embracing indigenous knowledge, prioritizing respect and reciprocity, and recognizing the interconnectedness of all things, we can begin to heal our relationship with the land and create a sustainable future. The key takeaway is that our well-being is inextricably linked to the health of the planet.