Tag Archives: aboriginal affairs

Module 4 | Post 5 Living Proof

In 2010, Ecotrust Canada and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs co-published the book Living Proof – The Essential Data Collection Guide for Indigenous Use and Occupancy Map Surveys.  This book was heralded as a major contribution to Canada, “proof on the ground” for aboriginal tradition and rights.  There is a growing sense that in order to protect Indigenous knowledge, it must be recorded properly and used to create a resource that will improve social, economic and environmental outcomes for Aboriginal people. Living Proof is a guide to creating such resources and provides both storytelling and practical step by step lessons on how to use and apply digital technology to record and create maps and knowledge about land use and occupancy by aboriginal communities.

Feedback on book from community.  http://ecotrust.ca/living-proof-praised-major-contribution-march-25-event/

Living Proof The Essential Data-Collection Guide for Indigenous Use-and-Occupancy Map Surveys (A review).  Available via UBC library

Module 2- Post 2: Christi Belcourt’s Story behind one of her works

This is a .pdf file from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. Christi tells us a story behind her work. Although there is more to it than just focusing on plants, while reading it, it made me think of Nancy Turner’s mention of holistic knowledge and how plants are tied to linguistics, knowledge, tradition, history, and therefore, are inseparable from each other.

Christi while explaining one part of her work “Looking Ahead” says:

“This section represents the time before residential schools existed. Important ceremonies marking the transition from childhood to adulthood, such as the strawberry fast, were taught and practiced. Harvesting blueberries, learning about medicines and knowledge of plants and animals were passed from one generation to the next.”

Please see here: http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/DAM/DAM-INTER-HQ-NR/STAGING/texte-text/nr-2012-irsart-pdf_1349887907130_eng.pdf