Remediating Environmental Damage through Traditional Knowledge Use and Indigenous Peoples’ Leadership

By Amanda Appasamy, 2nd year MDP student

My host family: Edilma Queta, Lionel Yiyoguaje, Anjeli, & Baker (2 months old)

What drew my attention to the Fundacíon de Sobrevivencia Cofán, is the victory of the Cofán People, one of the oldest surviving Indigenous groups in the north eastern Ecuadorian Amazon, in securing the legal rights to actively manage and protect over one million acres of their ancestral territory.

Co-management and cooperation agreements with the Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment have been achieved along with the transfer of federally-protected lands which have now been placed under the official custody of the Cofán; hence, honouring the role of land-based stewardship and conservation by Indigenous Peoples. The protection of these ancestral lands are crucial to maintaining the rich traditional knowledge, culture and traditions of the Cofán which concurrently have critical implications for climate change adaptation. 

Amongst other achievements of the Cofán people are:

• In 1978, they were the first Indigenous People in the world to develop community-based ecotourism projects.

• Between 1991-1994, the Cofán of Zábalo are the first Indigenous People to be victorious over oil company invasion in their territory in Ecuador.

• In 1992, the Cofán are the first Indigenous Nation in Ecuador to negotiate treaties for the recovery of ancestral lands within national protected areas.

• In 1993, the Cofán developed the first community-based conservation management plans without outside intervention.

• The Cofán Bermejo Ecological Reserve is the first national protected area that was lobbied for and administered by an Indigenous People in Ecuador.

• First time, Indigenous park guards and conservation workers have acquired equal recognition as government park guards with same legal powers and jurisdiction across all Cofán territories.

I am grateful for the opportunity to have travelled to the Cofán territory in Zábalo, Amazon to meet the outstanding people and help promote the long-term sustainability of a community-led conservation program of the vulnerable Amazon river turtle (Podocnemis unifilis), a sacred species for the Cofán.

The Amazon river turtle also known as Charapa

The turtle repopulation program began in 1991 by the Cofán in response to overexploitation and illegal commercialization of turtle eggs. Over 25 years later, they have successfully generated a natural over-production of the turtle population without destroying the environment or the species.

However, relying on outside funding for the continuation of this conservation program is not viable. In order to achieve long term sustainability, the Cofán have decided to embark on an eco-tourism project that involves raising donations for the release of baby turtles in Amazon basin rivers. Visitors will have the opportunity to partake in responsible conservation of a vulnerable species led by local guides allowing the Cofán to be economically self-sustainable.

This form of bio-trade establishes possibilities for the responsible use of natural resources. It provides a different perspective on the management of biological diversity, shifting the paradigm of maintaining a protected intact area without it generating its own resources to economically benefitting Indigenous nations.

For more information on these efforts, please visit the Cofán Survival Fund web page here.

The whole community participates as egg guardians including women & children in the process of collecting the eggs from the beach, transferring them to artificial pools & caring for the babies until they are about 6 months old & healthy for release into the wild.

Viewing the Indigenous Witness Blanket

By Oluwabusola Olaniyan, 1st year MDP student

It was opportune to be in Hamilton during the tour of the witness blanket. I visited the Central Library in Hamilton Ontario to have a feel of the historical, scriptural piece and strengthen my indigenous knowledge awareness with particular reference to Indigenous peoples of Canada and their encounter with the Indian Residential Schools.

Oluwabusola in front of the Witness Blanket

The witness blanket exhibition and tour across specific locations in Canada is in accordance with the settlement agreement established by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It is considered a national monument and evidence of the occurrences narrated by the residential school survivors. The Witness Blanket is scheduled for a seven-year national tour across Canada and the artifacts were gathered from the residential school survivors, families, churches and others with memories or relationship with residential schools. The architect of the piece, Newman (Ha-yalth-kingeme), the son of a residential-school survivor planned the seven years national tour.

 

Indeed, the Witness Blanket reflects the strength of the Indigenous people of Canada. When I stood in witness of this piece, it was an emotional experience for me viewing all that it represented. The Witness Blanket can be described as a wood based-First Nations art installation that explains the adversity during the Residential School era. It is 40 feet long and over eight feet tall. It has 13 panels holding over 800 collected objects and the multimedia design of the pieces connects eyewitnesses to residential school experiences in a personal way. Each viewer of this piece would probably be touched and reflect on it as well as taking a piece into their heart.

Reflecting on the significance of the historical piece as the journey of reconciliation progresses, the Witness Blanket would recount for future generations the true story of loss, strength and reconciliation. Simultaneously, it depicts the price of the Indian Residential School experience while honouring the survivors. Besides, it serves as a remembrance for those children who were lost and it is hope re-assuring for future generations.

Indigenous Peoples and Climate Change in Kenya

By Stella N. Rakwach, MDP 2nd Year Student 

For the second half of my field placement, I have worked mostly on the CRM (Changieni Rasili Mali) Project. CRM Project aims at promoting climate change adaptation for natural resource dependent communities in Narok County. CRM is a joint project being implemented by Indigenous Information Network (IIN), our host organization, and Kenya Forest Working Group (KFWG) courtesy of funding from Act!. CRM aims to improve the participation by communities in the governance and sustainable utilization of natural resources in Kenya.

Stella at climate change meeting at UNEA

The Indigenous peoples in Kenya, who mostly live in arid and marginalized communities in Kenya, have suffered more from the effects of climate change. Hence their sources of livelihoods have been hugely affected in relation to food security and agriculture, livestock and pastoralism, water resources, forestry and energy. Through the CRM project we jointly developed three main interventions /adaptation mechanisms:

•          Policy development within the counties; 

•          Capacity building & strengthening of local natural resources community institutions; and

•          Knowledge management i.e. sharing of climate change related knowledge on policy, best practices and technologies. 

Out of the numerous activities involved in a project of this magnitude, I have been involved in quite a number including: 

a) Establishing a community resource center to collect, store and disseminate on continuous basis reliable climate change information; 

b) Preparing a checklist and questionnaire for undertaking a baseline survey for benchmarking key elements of climate change adaptation. Aimed at identifying challenges, vulnerable areas, current coping mechanisms, existing policies, climate change awareness and livelihoods support system;

c) Design of climate change awareness materials such as: t-shirts, brochures, lessons (traditional wrap fabric worn by women) and posters;

 

d) Research on existing climate change policies, legislation and strategies in Kenya plus on-going climate change adaptation mechanisms in the areas of agriculture, energy, livestock, water resources and forestry; and

e) Developing a work plan for the second phase of the project and reviewing budgetary allocations towards implementation activities. 

 

Ewaso Nyiro River (in Narok County) drying up

Last but not least, I also took part in a civil society organizations (CSOs) stakeholder round table discussion of the Climate Change Bill & Policy courtesy of Transparency International. The discussion culminated into proposed amendments and recommendations that would be forwarded by the CSOs representative to the Kenyan Parliament for consideration when the Climate Change Bill, 2014 is brought to the floor of the house at the second stage. 

All in all, I have had a great time in Kenya and I am grateful to the MDP fraternity together with IIN, my hosts, for making this field placement a success.