In this weblog, I decided to explore environmental issues relating to Indigenous people in Canada and management of these matters.
Website # 1: http://niche-canada.org/node/10509
This link is part of the Network in Canadian history and Environment website. It provides information on the history of the relationship between aboriginal health problems and environmental issues in Canada. It also discusses the impacts of colonialism, natural resource extraction and Indigenous-government relations. In addition to text-based information, the website provides an audio clip of a roundtable discussion by a panel of researchers, who examine these subjects in detail.
Website # 2: https://sites.google.com/site/atfeonline/
The Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment is a community-based Mohwak group that analyzes and manages ecological concerns, and aims to protect environmental resources. The website for this group provides information on the organization, the cultural history of Akwesasne, environmental contamination of Akweesasne and Mohwah and Iroquoian traditions. On this website, I found a link to the following useful website for the Environment Division of the Saint Regis Mohwak Tribe, which provides valuable information regarding the environment that is pertinent to their community: http://www.srmtenv.org/index.php.
Website # 3: http://www.fnhc.ca/index.php
This webpage provides information from the First Nations Health Council. The following is a valuable link that describes traditional medicine, particularly using environmental resources for traditional health practices and the resulting importance of preserving the environment: http://www.fnhc.ca/index.php/health_actions/traditional_medicine/. Another section of the website that is especially useful is the section on environmental wellbeing, which can be found through the following link: http://www.fnhc.ca/index.php/initiatives/community_health/environmental_health/. This section of the website briefly describes the significance of ecological health to the welfare of Indigenous people. In addition to those two links, the website provides electronic copies of the Spirit Magazine, which has articles that are relevant to the environment and Indigeneity.
Website # 4: http://www.fnen.org
This is the website for the First Nations Environmental Network, which is a Canada-wide non-profit organization comprised of Indigenous members. Its objective is to protect the environment and resolve ecological issues, in order to maintain and preserve Indigenous cultural traditions. Although the website has not been recently updated, the organization’s protocol, goals and vision have valuable information. They reflect traditional beliefs and practices, and provide insight into Indigenous cultural; for instance, their protocol dictates that members respect their animal relations and the offerings they provide, such as that the buffalo gives respect.
Website # 5: http://www.afn.ca/index.php/en
The Assembly of First Nations website provides current news regarding environmental issues that relate to Indigenous people, including videos, announcements and information bulletins. The Environmental Stewardship Unit is of significance and can be found at the following website: http://www.afn.ca/index.php/en/policy-areas/environmental-stewardship. This section of the website describes Indigenous connections to the environment, with details on Aboriginal culture, environmental policies and ecological problems provided through the links for earth, air, water and fire on that webpage.