Hello again,
I thought for my third post of the semester I would give you a taste of what I have been studying in one of my courses, Anthropology 330. It is the anthropology of rural people and the global environment, and I think this essay is relatable to what we study in GRS. It talks about interconnectedness and traditional knowledge in the Git’xalla community of northwest BC, as well as the Gladesmen of the Florida Everglades. This course was challenging in it’s readings, as the list was verrrrry long. But overall I really enjoyed the course. I hope you enjoy 🙂
Anth 330 Essay
It cannot be argued that the land that surrounds us and the land we grew up knowing transforms and shapes who are today. For people who live off the land and who depend upon its resources for everyday survival, the connection is more than a factor in their identity, but a vital component. In both the case of indigenous communities on the north shore of British Columbia and rural communities in the Florida Everglades, land is life. Throughout both “Swamplife” and “Git lax M’oon- People of the Saltwater”, there is a strong theme of interconnectedness. Both the Gladesmen and the People of the Saltwater display traditional ecological knowledge of the land, yet there are apparent differences between the two groups that provide insight in to each groups identity and future. Exploring the natural landscape of the two settings allows us to better understand the two communities, and gain a holistic view of their identity, ways of knowing and future.
The Gitxaala people of the northwest coast of British Columbia are The People of the Saltwater. The title in itself demonstrates that identity is born in the landscape for this community. The Gitxalla people have resided on their land for nine millenia (Menzies, n.d., p.84), and define themselves based on their territory, kin and history. Even their hereditary names are depictions of place and history (Menzies, n.d., p.46). The landscape of the northwest coast is rugged and poses many difficulties in navigating and travelling the land, yet the Gitxalla are happy to live here. Although the conditions in this area are harsh, the land is represented as an Eden- natural, pristine and untouched. In the film Bax Laansk- Pulling Together, we see how the People of the Saltwater interact with the land. The scene in which a Gitxaala woman describes the plants which her grandmother used to pick from a remote island lends us particular insight into the Gitxaala’s connection to the land. At this time, the people collected berries, ate fish from the sea, and lived off the land in the purest of forms. For the Gitxaala people, everyday food was gourmet food (Menzies, n.d., p.149). In this way, no one was sick and everyone was happy. The land was healthy, and as so, the people were healthy. This idea of interconnectedness presented by Eric Wolf is readily seen in the everyday lives of both the Gladesman and the Gitxaala people, as respect and reciprocity between the people and the land is embodied by both groups. Not only does the landscape shape the identity of those who live and depend upon it, but also of those who may be looking at the community from an outsiders perspective. The notion of living off the land and the imagery that goes with it, have a strong influence on the external perceptions of these communities. Consequently, the Gitxaala people are often seen as natural, and one with the land. The people of the Everglades are portrayed very differently than those of the northwest coast. Here, the landscape is continuously changing, tangled and dangerous. This depiction of the land is directly manifested in the people who live here. The Gladesman are as rough as the land is tangled, and always on the move, just as the land is continuously shifting and evolving. The Florida Everglades are home to one of the most dangerous animals, alligators. As described in Swamplife alligators are quite a challenging animal to hunt, and are difficult to find for the untrained eye. For those who are not experienced, alligator hunting can result in serious injury or fatality. Similarly, the vegetation that grows here is jagged and entangled. The blade-like grass can cause horrible cuts, and conceal almost anything. The swamp water is murky and difficult to tell its place and depth. It was through this entangled and mysterious landscape that the Everglades provided a long lasting hiding place for the infamous Ashley Gang. Much like the alligators, the gang remained well concealed in the landscape, and for those who came looking for them, the result was all too often undesirable. It is evident that both communities identities are heavily influenced by their landscape, however a few key difference remains.
Unlike the Gitxalla people, naturalists argue that the rural white Gladesman were the opposite of those indigenous, that they are out of place in the landscape (Ogden, 2011, p. 101) Despite the fact that the Gladesman are not native to the Everglades in the same way that the Gitxaala are the their Laxyuup, both groups demonstrate traditional ecological knowledge of the land on which they reside. The Gladesman are able to navigate a continuously changing landscape to successfully provide for their families, and the Gitxaala people show both knowledge of the terrestrial and oceanic landscape that surrounds them. Some naturalists argue the Gladesman lack this traditional ecological knowledge and are out of place in the Everglades (Ogden, 2001, p.101). However, “Swamplife” continually shows examples of the vast amount of knowledge the Gladesmen hold. There is a particular scene in which Ogden describes the connection Pete Whidden has with the earth while pole hunting. He describes the feeling of knowing the difference between a mangrove root and an alligator at the end of his “gator rod”(Ogden, 2011, p. 53). Ogden describes the hunting process as becoming one with the earth and reptile (Ogden, 2011, p. 50). This description is an undeniable example of the connection these hunter have with the land. In another instance it is mentioned that the Gladesmen frown upon hunting for sport, which demonstrates their respect for the land and animals. Both the Gitxaala people and the Gladesmen worked with the harsh conditions of their territory, and never tried to alter it. As a result, they were rewarded with an exceptional wealth of knowledge about the land, and were provided with what they needed to be happy and healthy. Despite the changing and restricted environment, the Gitxaala people and the Gladesmen still embraced their traditional ways. Having such a deep knowledge and understanding of the land allowed the groups to form lasting traditions which will shape future generations and secure the communities identities.
It has been seen that both the Gitxaala people and the Everglades community are strongly connected and dependant on their land and territory. As so, it is inevitable that as their landscapes continue to experience changes due to external causes, there will be substantial changes in the communities as well. Both of these communities have experienced development on their land that they did not have a say in, which resulted in the steady exclusion of these two groups. For the Gitxaala people, it was the influence of industrial fisheries, causing a string of adverse effects, restrictions and regulations. For the Gladesmen it was the conversion and drainage of their land for parks and agricultural use, as well as laws restricting and banning hunting of gators. Because of these external changes, the people in these two communities have had to adapt to the changing landscape. As they adapted to changing regulations, the Gitxaala people found themselves “pushed out of the industrial fisheries, and restricted in their capacity to make a livelihood off their own resources” (Menzies, n.d., p. 168). As this was occurring, many people were accepting job in the cannery over the summer. This did not stop the Gitxaala people from their traditional ways, but rather, the cannery became a centre for trade the the indigenous people of the coast (Menzies, n.d.). For the Gladesmen, adapting meant avoiding the law and working with the landscape in order to conceal their practises. In a way, this change in law and landscape forced the Gladesmen to behave in a way in which the outside population had already marked them. They became more aggressive and secretive, as they had to fight for resources they needed to survive. In the same way, as the land regulations were enforced upon the People of the Saltwater, their territory became smaller and their fish restricted and often full of disease, such as sea lice (Bax Laansk). Consequently, many of the Gixtalla people became sick and hungry (Bax Laansk). It is in this way that we understand that as the landscape experiences changes, as do the people who are so connected and to it.
What defines us, and how we identify ourselves plays a vital role in our livelihoods, kin, traditions. As time progresses, it is inevitable that change will take place, both physically and societally. For those groups who are so closely connected to the land, these external changes shape many different parts of life. Traditional ecological knowledge of their homelands allows communities like the Gitxaala people of the northern coast and the Gladesmen of the Florida Everglades to remain capable of surviving off the land, despite the many adversities that come with a changing landscape. Both groups have showed strength in adverse situations caused by external forces, and have fought to keep their land, and consequently themselves, happy and healthy. It is unclear what the future holds for these two communities, however through exploring the concepts displayed in both Swamplife and Git lax M’oon it is evident that their connection to the land, and ways of knowing it, will continue to influence and shape their identity.
WORKS CITED
Bax Laansk- Pulling Together. A contemporary Indigenous people. Film. (C. Menzies & J. Rashleigh)
Menzies C.R . (n.d.) Git lax M’oon- People of the Saltwater: An ethnography of an ancient Indigenous People.
Ogden L. (2011). Swamplife: People, Gators, and Mangroves Entangled in the Everglades. Minneapolis: University of Minneapolis Press
Wolf E. (1982) Europe and the People without History. “Introduction,” 1-23