Traditional Knowledge Collection

Red Rock Indian Band

Traditional Knowledge & Land Use Collection Project

What is TEK?

“knowledge that has been passed down from one generation to the next through oral tradition… it refers to aspects of traditional life such as knowledge of the land, its resources, spirituality and medicine.” (Hart, 1995)

First Nations communities are interested in documenting traditional land use patterns and occupation for a variety of purposes. An inventory of the extent and use of the lands within traditional territories will help our community to:

  • preserve, promote and protect traditional ecological knowledge
  • facilitate intergenerational transfer of knowledge
  • demonstrate the impact of proposed industrial and government initiatives within our traditional lands
  • better prepare our community for economic development
  • better prepare our community for land claims negotiations
  • better prepare our community for meaningful participation in environmental decision making
  • assist in land use planning and industrial resource development

 

Goals

The overall goal of the data base is to ensure RRIB members have the opportunity to effectively participate in:

  • land management decision making
  • project selection and project development
  • environmental and sustainable development initiatives
  • economic development activities
  • informed decision making overall
  • Complete specific project reports developed from research along with a community map that will identify community involvement on the land within our traditional territory

 

Methods of TEK Data Collection

  • Oral traditions: stories, legends, songs etc.
  • Oral history research: recording knowledge by interviewing people to learn about traditional ways of life, culture, a person’s life experience or the history of a community or region.
  • TEK mapping: tells the story of a person’s life on the land, documents the life experiences of an individual on the land, identifies values.


Interviews

The energy office will be interviewing and collecting individual information in our community about our life on the land. Individuals will be asked questions about:

  • How people live/lived off the land
  • To identify and locate specific information where hunting, fishing, trapping, fathering etc.
  • Identify and locate significant cultural sites, spiritual sites, cabins, tents, structures, travel routes etc.

 

TEK Collection Benefits

  • Invigorates personal pride in RRIB culture and history
  • Increases awareness of self and community
  • Identifies First Nation use of the land
  • renew and strengthen bonds within the community
  • document cultural and historical information for future generations
  • provide a sense of identity, instil pride in one’s culture

 

TEK Mapping

Why is it important?

  • Preserves, promotes a nd protects TEK
  • Inter-generational transfer of knowledge
  • Communication tool to show any impacts
  • Promotes Community development
  • Facilitates better informed land management decision making for First Nations, government and industry

 

Information Sharing and Storage

Information Storage

  • Information will be kept confidential
  • information will be the property of the interviewee and the Red Rock Indian Band
  • Each participant will sign a consent form outlining information use

 

Information Sharing

  • The First Nation retains control of the database, which contains the detailed information about the history and significance of each site.
  • The community releases data on a case-by-case basis as need arises after careful evaluation by the community.
  • Information-sharing agreements will be negotiated to determine the data required by parties.
  • The community decides at a community meeting the extent of data received by outside parties. Some parties may receive general maps, while other may receive detailed maps depending on circumstance.

 

What information is important?

  • Land use: current and past
  • Changes that have occurred: in practices, in resources, habitat, lifestyle
  • How products are used: personal consumption, commercial, ceremonial
  • How the Land is used: patterns of traditional land use and occupancy, extent and frequency of use
  • Significance of land use: source of food, medicine, incomes, cultural, spiritual, employment, economic development
  • Occupancy: land claim areas, federal and provincial agreement areas, trap lines, family hunting areas, trap lines, cabins, pathways, contemporary land use, commercial recreation, duration of use
  • Any other information you are willing to share!

 

807-887-2510