Keyword Indigenous

Rose Roberts grew up on her family’s trapline, learning traditional knowledge from her Elders through observation and practising their traditional ways of living. Because of her close connection to the land as a trapper, she has experienced and witnessed the drastic impacts of climate change. She also has a PhD, which allows her to “live in both worlds” and speak about climate change from two different ways of knowing.

The Métis are a distinct Indigenous people who have deep connections with the land, rivers, and lakes across the northern plains – now the area of western Canada – where the Métis Nation began to flourish in the 19th century. Beginning with their involvement in the fur trade and buffalo economy, the Métis Nation has long-term cultural and environmental knowledge regarding the changes taking place across their homeland.[1]

The unique and rich knowledge of Métis people is linked to their history, homeland, and holistic experience and understanding of the environment. With intergenerational insights regarding resilience and adaptability, Métis people are sharing these teachings and thereby contributing meaningful solutions and hope in a warming world.

Métis people have a deep connection to the ecosystems within their homeland that endures. With climate change, the Métis are seeing impacts on animals, medicines, water, and extreme events that affect the health and wellness of communities. Conserving and sustaining species and territories in an era of climate change is a responsibility that is critically important to Métis citizens. From renewable projects and land-based education to Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs), Métis are leading the way on climate action.

Like many Métis communities, hunting, trapping, and fishing are a way of life for the people of St. Laurent. But with climate change making winters shorter and ice less reliable, their season for ice fishing is shrinking, disrupting their land use and livelihoods. These Métis experiences demonstrate that both climate and culture are changing along the shores of Lake Manitoba.

For many years, the community of Lubicon Cree Nation has gathered on the land for a culture camp, which brings people together to share leadership, traditional knowledge and skills like drying meat and drum and bow and arrow making. Land-based education and teachings strengthens the community’s connection to their territory, ancestors, culture, and Indigenous values in the face of a changing climate. “It’s a type of re-empowerment and reconnection to who we are as Indigenous people,” says community member Melina Laboucan-Massimo.

“Real climate solutions are rooted in a return to the land - a return to and of the land - and are rooted in decolonization,” says Eriel Deranger, Executive Director of Indigenous Climate Action (ICA) and member of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation. ICA is a network of Indigenous peoples framing the ideas and actions regarding climate change in traditional knowledge and community-based solutions. These grassroots actions, Eriel explains, will support the transition to renewable energy while also ensuring social and environmental justice by maintaining and strengthening Indigenous peoples’ connections to language, land and culture.

Working in a sea of trees within a tidal wave of energy -- known as a wildfire -- wildland firefighters have one of the most dangerous and important jobs on the planet. Protecting both the land and people’s property comes naturally to Métis wildland firefighters, connecting them deeply with the land and ecosystems, across the Canadian Prairies. Métis cultural knowledge amongst these wildland firefighters -- rooted in values of respect, stewardship, and equity -- helps us all understand how climate change is impacting forests, fire, and Indigenous identity and communities. Reflecting on traditional Indigenous practices of fire management, these Métis knowledge holders, “seeing from both worlds,” provide a path forward to conserve ecosystems and adapt to wildfires in an era of climate change.

One of the best ways to understand long-term climate change is to look at historical changes in the environment. According to Dr. Colin Laroque, trees are storytellers, the “Elders of the forest,” and if we listen carefully to them, we can hear their teachings about what they have seen and experienced. Taking us on this journey, back in time, using the science of “dendroclimatology” -- or tree ring analysis -- Laroque shares his unique perspective as a Métis scholar, and shares his knowledge of climate change through his ongoing research and conversations with trees.

The Kainai First Nation team’s video ‘Aohkiiyi: Cultural Connection to Water’ documents how climate change is impacting their community’s relationship with water in their territory.