by Addie Gaudet, Molly Meehan, Connor Hedderman, Sara Pacini, Jared Jackson, Anahi Sanchez-Moya, and Ava Blackwell
Indigenous sustainable practices include conservation strategies, food sovereignty and security, use of natural resources and community management skills that support their livelihood, or well-being. However, the research has demonstrated that there have been economic, political, and environmental challenges such as non-consultation of ancestral lands, the removal of protected lands, and climatic effects. These challenges starkly affect the ability for Indigenous sustainable practices to continue. One example includes the lack of indigenous inclusion within policy making as mentioned in “Impacts of colonization on Indigenous food systems in Canada and the United States: a scoping review” in which the author makes the reader aware of the lack of inclusion towards Indigenous people as part of the policy-making process. By consulting with Indigenous people this also honors the sentiment that traditional knowledge is essential for "planetary health and sustainable development”. The aim of this policy brief is to give some guidance to policymakers based on our own scientific inquiry.
Sustainable Indigenous practices in the United States of America can be discussed in three distinct lenses: economic, political, and environmental. Due to governmental rules and regulations, Indigenous practices have been challenged by these elements. The U.S. has rapidly undergone industrial development throughout the years that has made it difficult for Indigenous practices to remain sustainable. As policies are created within the U.S. regarding sustainability, the Indigenous population should be included in the government concerning policymaking processes. Indigenous practices are crucial for understanding sustainable processes. Their systems strive to use the land in a way that both benefits themselves and the land. Restorative processes are key to uphold sustainability in the ecosystem. This research is important to develop an understanding of existing Indigenous practices and committing to make present and future changes sustainable.
Evidence shows that sustainable Indigenous practices in the United States have been significantly altered due to a variety of social, economic, and environmental problems. For example, when settlers came to the midwest of the United States they hunted plains bison to near extinction ignoring what Indigenous people had always known and respected which is that “Bison are a keystone of a conservation system, but that system is vulnerable to the effects of a changing climate projected to alter land use” (Martin, et al.). In pursuit of economic gains, the ecosystem was changed so significantly that it now presents a challenge to food security by inhibiting the reintroduction of the historic grasslands and bison populations since they are coevolutionarily dependent (Martin, et al.). Settler nations have also impacted Indigenous practices and food security by limiting the ability of these communities to practice cultural activities such as gathering nuts which not only connected them to their ancestors but also provided access to healthy fats that are otherwise hard to obtain (Bosco, Thomas). Furthermore, as settlers impose their economic systems Indigenous communities have become reliant on wage labor which has eliminated their ability to produce a majority of their own food. This shift has caused an increase in rates of obesity and diabetes along with an increase in environmental degradation due to the absence of sustainable agricultural practices of these communities (Johnson).
When addressing current sustainability issues in the United States, it is crucial for policy makers, such as government bodies and conservation groups, to take into account the societal changes that impact, or will impact, Indigenous people in the future. It is clear that federal, state, and local government bodies are within the most frequent stakeholders (other than Indigenous people), and will be the ones who can address and incorporate their concerns into policy making for common sustainability issues such as climate change or food insecurity (Table 3.2c). For instance, Native communities frequently upheld the natural world with reverence, prioritizing the conservation of resources and showing deep respect for the environment. Economic interests of settlers who displaced them from their ancestral territories often lack the same appreciation for ecological preservation which is commonly caused due to ignorance (https://doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2019.1619821). If government bodies were able to educate themselves on previous practices, policies can be formed to work with Indigenous peoples to respect their community in a way that can be sustained in the world we live in today, yet potentially reflect previous practices to the most of their capacity. Moving forward, analysis of previous indigenous practices within areas should be used prior to enforcing changes inclusive of Indigenous lands and people.
Comentários