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Blundering Intruders: Extraneous Impacts on Two Indigenous Food Systems

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Abstract

Indigenous communities commonly face a major impediment in their ongoing efforts to participate effectively in the stewardship and sustainable management of their traditional lands, waters and resources. Externally driven projects and policies can overwhelm communities' abilities to respond, severely impact in their resource base, and significantly eclipse traditional knowledge, practices and values. Such projects and policies can be devastating to small, Indigenous communities struggling to maintain their culture and economic independence in a changing world. While many examples of external impacts on small-scale resource use could be drawn upon for these communities, we illustrate this situation by examining the impact of fisheries management regimes on Indigenous coastal communities in British Columbia, Canada and Aotearoa New Zealand. We characterize the problem and identify key stressors involved. Within the context of Indigenous rights and Indigenous peoples' knowledge, perspectives and experience, we highlight the need to recognize this type of constraint on Indigenous Peoples' resource use and effective participation in resource management.

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Notes

  1. The interviews of Māori environmental guardians were part of a wider project, Tirohia he Huarahi, that studied Māori aspirations for participation in local fisheries management. Interviewees have reviewed this paper, and have agreed to use of their quotes. The project was funded by the Marsden Fund, administered by the Royal Society of New Zealand.

  2. Originally British North America Act, 1867, repatriated from UK, renamed and amended in 1982.

  3. Tribal affiliation.

  4. The Kaimoana Customary Fishing Regulations 1998, and South Island Customary Fishing Regulations 1999.

  5. Section 10, Treaty of Waitangi (Fisheries Claims) Settlement Act 1992.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the many Indigenous environmental and cultural experts whose experiences and wisdom have informed our paper. We also acknowledge the Tula Foundation and Marsden Funds in BC and ANZ respectively for supporting our research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada

    Nancy J. Turner

  2. Natural Resources Institute, University of Manitoba, Winnepeg, Manitoba, Canada

    Fikret Berkes

  3. Center for Sustainability, Agriculture, Food, Energy and Environment, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand

    Janet Stephenson & Jonathan Dick

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  1. Nancy J. Turner
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  2. Fikret Berkes
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  4. Jonathan Dick
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Correspondence to Nancy J. Turner.

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Turner, N.J., Berkes, F., Stephenson, J. et al. Blundering Intruders: Extraneous Impacts on Two Indigenous Food Systems. Hum Ecol 41, 563–574 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-013-9591-y

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