Browsing by Author "Parlee, Brenda"

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Building Knowledge about Variability in the Abundance and Distribution of Natural Resources: A Case Study on Berry Harvesting from Northern Canada
(2004) Parlee, Brenda; Berkes, Fikret; Teetlit Gwichin Renewable Resources Council
"Local and traditional knowledge is disappearing at an alarming rate, however, there are examples in many parts of the world, including northern Canada, where new knowledge is being created. This case study on berry harvesting provides valuable insight into how knowledge is generated; specifically knowledge about variability in the abundance and distribution of a common pool resource. Knowledge is created when observations about changes are interpreted and shared from year to year within a family group, the community or across the region. When this knowledge is shared and interpreted over many generations, traditional knowledge is generated. It is argued that the success of berry harvesting in any given year, is dependent upon feedback between what is observed and interpreted and the decisions women make about where, when and with whom to harvest."
Intergenerational Resilience in Aklavik, NWT
(2010) Rawluk, A.J.; Illasiak, V.; Parlee, Brenda
"Against the backdrop of social change in the Canadian Arctic, Gwich’in and Inuvialuit community members in Aklavik, NWT live with the motto 'Never Say Die'. This paper explores the development of a model for Aboriginal resilience in the community of Aklavik across different generations. Attributes of resilience were used to build the model and found through a systematic review of the literature. To verify the applicability of these attributes to Aklavik, we held separate elder and youth focus groups to discuss resilience for each person and their community. The presence or absence of mention of an attribute in each discussion was noted and compared. Most of the attributes presented in the literature were also mentioned in the focus groups, however, one in particular was emphasized through the discussions. This attribute is agency and the action to create change in one’s life and community. We present a brief discussion agency, although its emergence in the recent literature and its focus in Aklavik begs the question: is agency a valuable attribute to resilience?"
Using Traditional Knowledge to Adapt to Ecological Change: Denesoaine Monitoring of Caribou Movements
(2005) Parlee, Brenda; Manseau, Micheline; First Nation, Lutsel K'E Dene
"The Chipewyan Dene or Denesoaine have long been dealing with variability in the movements of barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus). Many generations ago, Denesoaine hunters learned that by observing caribou at key water crossings during the fall migration, they could obtain critical information about caribou health, population, and movement patterns. Systematic observation of these indicators by hunters strategically organized along the tree line enabled the Denesoaine to adapt their harvesting practices, including the location of family camps, to maximize harvest success. While this system of observation was developed for traditional subsistence harvesting, its techniques could be usefully applied today to other natural resource management contexts. In particular, such monitoring might help us understand how new bifurcation points created by mineral resource development may be affecting the Bathurst caribou herd. As governments, communities, and academics search for ways to include traditional knowledge in decision making for resource management, this paper recognizes that the Denesoaine and other indigenous peoples have their own systems of watching, listening, learning, understanding, and adapting to ecological change."