This is a review of three books that deal with the topic of traditional knowledge of northern peoples and what it can tell us about climate change and its impacts.
Nadasdy, P. 2003. Hunters and bureaucrats : Power, knowledge, and aboriginal-state relations in the southwest Yukon. Vancouver: UBC Press.
Among a lot of more general and theoretical material, this book contains an extensive case study of the efforts of the Kluane First Nations and the Canadian federal government to incorporate traditional knowledge in the process to manage the Ruby Range Dall Sheep. Nadasdy provides detailed analysis of the countless pitfalls along the way as the parties attempted to engage each other in a respectful dialogue, while the basic instututional arrangements for decision making remained unchanged. Ultimately, Nadasdy finds that under such conditions, traditional knowledge is neglected and distorted as it is extracted and processed through the bureaucracies that control the resources.
Snively, G. 1997. Knowing home: Nisga'a traditional knowledge and wisdom improve environmental decision making. Alternatives 23(3): 22.
“Snively and Corsiglia focus upon the Traditional Ecological Knowledge of the Nisga'a people and how such is significant to the sustainability and maintenance of the environment. Through this article, it becomes clear that remembered sensory information is significant to the maintenance of the Nisga'a culture. It differs from conventional science which generally is culturally neutral and value free. TEK is transferred via oral stories and is contextual. Upon articulation of this article, it becomes clear why TEK should be a significant aspect in the educational curricula.” (annotation from Raby et al. 2004)
