First Nations Perspectives on the Grasslands of the Interior of British Columbia

Although the First Nations Elders from the interior of southern British Columbia, Canada, recall times when grass was “belly-high to a horse,” today they worry about the deteriorated state of the grasslands. Using ethnographic and historical research methods, this paper documents recognized First Na...

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Main Authors: Blackstock, Michael D., McAllister, Rhonda
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: Digital Commons @ University of South Florida 2004
Subjects:
Online Access:https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/jea/vol8/iss1/2
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1064&context=jea
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spelling ftunisfloridatam:oai:digitalcommons.usf.edu:jea-1064 2023-05-15T16:14:10+02:00 First Nations Perspectives on the Grasslands of the Interior of British Columbia Blackstock, Michael D. McAllister, Rhonda 2004-01-01T08:00:00Z application/pdf https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/jea/vol8/iss1/2 https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1064&context=jea unknown Digital Commons @ University of South Florida https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/jea/vol8/iss1/2 https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1064&context=jea Journal of Ecological Anthropology article 2004 ftunisfloridatam 2021-10-09T07:14:09Z Although the First Nations Elders from the interior of southern British Columbia, Canada, recall times when grass was “belly-high to a horse,” today they worry about the deteriorated state of the grasslands. Using ethnographic and historical research methods, this paper documents recognized First Nations experts’ historical memory of the grasslands. Based on the ethnographic accounts, this paper also attempts to reconstruct the effects of colonization on the grassland ecology and First Nations culture. Secondary sources such as early settlers’ accounts and current grassland ecology research are used to augment the testimony of the experts. Two eras are described: 1) Pre-contact era (the three hundred years prior to contact); and 2) Post-contact era (1846-present). The horse, elk, and sharp-tailed grouse were common on the pre-contact grasslands. Overgrazing of the grasslands occurred soon after the miners and gentlemen ranchers brought in their horses and cattle. Sagebrush increased proportionately to the decrease in grasses. The First Nations culture changed from gathering sustenance off the grasslands to servicing the needs of the new settlers, and then to marginalization by industrial agriculture. A key argument of the paper is that when First Nations’ access to water was diverted by settlers and the wetlands were drained, cultivated, and polluted (both culturally and ecologically), First Nations’ access to the grassland was restricted. The paper concludes by defining grassland restoration from a social and ecological perspective and proposes that water be a key focus of the restoration process. Article in Journal/Newspaper First Nations Digital Commons University of South Florida (USF) British Columbia ENVELOPE(-125.003,-125.003,54.000,54.000) Canada
institution Open Polar
collection Digital Commons University of South Florida (USF)
op_collection_id ftunisfloridatam
language unknown
description Although the First Nations Elders from the interior of southern British Columbia, Canada, recall times when grass was “belly-high to a horse,” today they worry about the deteriorated state of the grasslands. Using ethnographic and historical research methods, this paper documents recognized First Nations experts’ historical memory of the grasslands. Based on the ethnographic accounts, this paper also attempts to reconstruct the effects of colonization on the grassland ecology and First Nations culture. Secondary sources such as early settlers’ accounts and current grassland ecology research are used to augment the testimony of the experts. Two eras are described: 1) Pre-contact era (the three hundred years prior to contact); and 2) Post-contact era (1846-present). The horse, elk, and sharp-tailed grouse were common on the pre-contact grasslands. Overgrazing of the grasslands occurred soon after the miners and gentlemen ranchers brought in their horses and cattle. Sagebrush increased proportionately to the decrease in grasses. The First Nations culture changed from gathering sustenance off the grasslands to servicing the needs of the new settlers, and then to marginalization by industrial agriculture. A key argument of the paper is that when First Nations’ access to water was diverted by settlers and the wetlands were drained, cultivated, and polluted (both culturally and ecologically), First Nations’ access to the grassland was restricted. The paper concludes by defining grassland restoration from a social and ecological perspective and proposes that water be a key focus of the restoration process.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Blackstock, Michael D.
McAllister, Rhonda
spellingShingle Blackstock, Michael D.
McAllister, Rhonda
First Nations Perspectives on the Grasslands of the Interior of British Columbia
author_facet Blackstock, Michael D.
McAllister, Rhonda
author_sort Blackstock, Michael D.
title First Nations Perspectives on the Grasslands of the Interior of British Columbia
title_short First Nations Perspectives on the Grasslands of the Interior of British Columbia
title_full First Nations Perspectives on the Grasslands of the Interior of British Columbia
title_fullStr First Nations Perspectives on the Grasslands of the Interior of British Columbia
title_full_unstemmed First Nations Perspectives on the Grasslands of the Interior of British Columbia
title_sort first nations perspectives on the grasslands of the interior of british columbia
publisher Digital Commons @ University of South Florida
publishDate 2004
url https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/jea/vol8/iss1/2
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1064&context=jea
long_lat ENVELOPE(-125.003,-125.003,54.000,54.000)
geographic British Columbia
Canada
geographic_facet British Columbia
Canada
genre First Nations
genre_facet First Nations
op_source Journal of Ecological Anthropology
op_relation https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/jea/vol8/iss1/2
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1064&context=jea
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