Gwich'in Knowledge of the Land
Principal Investigator: Main Johnson, Leslie (2)
Licence Number: 13089
Organization: University of Alberta - Canadian Circumpolar Institute
Licensed Year(s): 2000 1999
Issued: Jan 28, 2000
Project Team: TBA

Objective(s): Documentation of traditional knowledge of the land is timely and offers a different perspective than that of scientific ecology for understanding the land and the relationship of people with the land, with a knowledge base derived from many generations'

Project Description: It is hoped that this project will help to pass on the traditional knowledge of Elders to younger generations before this knowledge and their skills are lost. Documentation of Gwich'in TEK may also help in developing sustainable ways of living within northern lands in the future. The reseacher's specific activities include: extended particpatory trips on the land to Gwich'in trapping camps, fish camps and plant gathering site with Gwich'in experts; Gwich'in Elders and knowledgeable consultants will be interviewed about their knowledge of the land; informal conversations and observations will be recorded in fieldnotes; photographs will be taken of places and activities while on the land. Interviews, tape and video recordings will only go ahead after informed consent is given. Exact sites visited will be established in consultation with Gwich'in experts. Small samples of plants used in traditional medicines, fresh or prepared, will be collected after approval from Gwich'in experts. This investigation is a complement to the species based traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) research sponsored by the Gwich'in Renewable Resource and the place name research being carried out by the the Gwich'in Social and Cultural Institute.