Indigenous knowledge in Wagiiwing and applications in harvesting and management

Abstract

Waywayseecappo First Nation in the Greater Riding Mountain Area of Manitoba is faced with challenges to manage natural resources while balancing contemporary and traditional ways of knowing. How do Anishinabe from Waywayseecappo First Nation engage and protect Indigenous Knowledge for the purpose of sustainable resource management of ungulates in Wagiiwing? This research used qualitative methods to develop a case study of the use of Indigenous Knowledge in Wagiiwing using semi-structured interviews and participant observation. This project investigated perceptions of how Indigenous Knowledge is used in decision-making for natural resource management in Anishinabe territory and explored the role of Indigenous Knowledge in promoting sustainable resource management. Analysis of ways in which, Indigenous Knowledge is used in subsistence harvest of ungulates by Waywayseecappo First Nation illustrated its importance and in addition, ways in which Anishinabe are presently connect with the land and manage resources. I make recommendations to strengthen and reconnect Anishinabe peoples to Indigenous Knowledge and guide future study into sustainable resource management in Wagiiwing.