Agency and Resilience: Teachings of Pikangikum First Nation Elders, Northwestern Ontario
Although scholars of social-ecological resilience propose unity between humans and the natural world, much of this work remains based on Cartesian division of mind and body that denies it. We present an example of a unified system of resilience thinking shared with us by Anishinaabe (Ojibway) elders...
Published in: | Ecology and Society |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Resilience Alliance
2013
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-05665-180309 https://doaj.org/article/1b1c7286ceae497f849ae0415c1cc3eb |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:1b1c7286ceae497f849ae0415c1cc3eb |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:1b1c7286ceae497f849ae0415c1cc3eb 2023-05-15T13:28:45+02:00 Agency and Resilience: Teachings of Pikangikum First Nation Elders, Northwestern Ontario Andrew M. Miller Iain Davidson-Hunt 2013-09-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-05665-180309 https://doaj.org/article/1b1c7286ceae497f849ae0415c1cc3eb EN eng Resilience Alliance http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol18/iss3/art9/ https://doaj.org/toc/1708-3087 1708-3087 doi:10.5751/ES-05665-180309 https://doaj.org/article/1b1c7286ceae497f849ae0415c1cc3eb Ecology and Society, Vol 18, Iss 3, p 9 (2013) agency Anishinaabe other-than-human persons Pikangikum First Nation resilience social-ecological system Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Ecology QH540-549.5 article 2013 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-05665-180309 2022-12-31T07:36:13Z Although scholars of social-ecological resilience propose unity between humans and the natural world, much of this work remains based on Cartesian division of mind and body that denies it. We present an example of a unified system of resilience thinking shared with us by Anishinaabe (Ojibway) elders of Pikangikum First Nation, northwestern Ontario. The elders' views of boreal forest disturbance and renewal are distinct from western scientific approaches in their recognition of agency, the ability to individually express free will in nonhuman beings including animals, plants, rocks, and forest fire within their landscape. Pikangikum elders perceive that, if relationships based on respect, reciprocity, and noninterference are maintained with other agents, renewal will continue. The proposition of living landscapes composed of diverse nonhuman agents poses challenges to collaboration with western worldviews, which view nature largely as mechanistic and without moral standing. We suggest that a greater attention to nonwestern ontologies can contribute to productive cross-cultural partnerships directed toward fostering resilience. Article in Journal/Newspaper anishina* Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Ecology and Society 18 3 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
agency Anishinaabe other-than-human persons Pikangikum First Nation resilience social-ecological system Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Ecology QH540-549.5 |
spellingShingle |
agency Anishinaabe other-than-human persons Pikangikum First Nation resilience social-ecological system Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Ecology QH540-549.5 Andrew M. Miller Iain Davidson-Hunt Agency and Resilience: Teachings of Pikangikum First Nation Elders, Northwestern Ontario |
topic_facet |
agency Anishinaabe other-than-human persons Pikangikum First Nation resilience social-ecological system Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Ecology QH540-549.5 |
description |
Although scholars of social-ecological resilience propose unity between humans and the natural world, much of this work remains based on Cartesian division of mind and body that denies it. We present an example of a unified system of resilience thinking shared with us by Anishinaabe (Ojibway) elders of Pikangikum First Nation, northwestern Ontario. The elders' views of boreal forest disturbance and renewal are distinct from western scientific approaches in their recognition of agency, the ability to individually express free will in nonhuman beings including animals, plants, rocks, and forest fire within their landscape. Pikangikum elders perceive that, if relationships based on respect, reciprocity, and noninterference are maintained with other agents, renewal will continue. The proposition of living landscapes composed of diverse nonhuman agents poses challenges to collaboration with western worldviews, which view nature largely as mechanistic and without moral standing. We suggest that a greater attention to nonwestern ontologies can contribute to productive cross-cultural partnerships directed toward fostering resilience. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Andrew M. Miller Iain Davidson-Hunt |
author_facet |
Andrew M. Miller Iain Davidson-Hunt |
author_sort |
Andrew M. Miller |
title |
Agency and Resilience: Teachings of Pikangikum First Nation Elders, Northwestern Ontario |
title_short |
Agency and Resilience: Teachings of Pikangikum First Nation Elders, Northwestern Ontario |
title_full |
Agency and Resilience: Teachings of Pikangikum First Nation Elders, Northwestern Ontario |
title_fullStr |
Agency and Resilience: Teachings of Pikangikum First Nation Elders, Northwestern Ontario |
title_full_unstemmed |
Agency and Resilience: Teachings of Pikangikum First Nation Elders, Northwestern Ontario |
title_sort |
agency and resilience: teachings of pikangikum first nation elders, northwestern ontario |
publisher |
Resilience Alliance |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-05665-180309 https://doaj.org/article/1b1c7286ceae497f849ae0415c1cc3eb |
genre |
anishina* |
genre_facet |
anishina* |
op_source |
Ecology and Society, Vol 18, Iss 3, p 9 (2013) |
op_relation |
http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol18/iss3/art9/ https://doaj.org/toc/1708-3087 1708-3087 doi:10.5751/ES-05665-180309 https://doaj.org/article/1b1c7286ceae497f849ae0415c1cc3eb |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-05665-180309 |
container_title |
Ecology and Society |
container_volume |
18 |
container_issue |
3 |
_version_ |
1765996158384078848 |