► Tending the Wild: a short insight into traditional ecological knowledge of indigenous people in California

Rural topic(s): Local ecological knowledge

Date of publication: January 1, 2016

Abstract:

“Tending the Wild” shines light on the environmental knowledge of indigenous peoples across California by exploring how they have actively shaped and tended the land for millennia, in the process developing a deep understanding of plant and animal life.

This series examines how humans are necessary to live in balance with nature and how traditional practices can inspire a new generation of Californians to tend their environment.

You can watch each 15 min episode separately or as a whole.

I personally recommend the episodes “Decolonizing the Diet – How Native Peoples are Reclaiming Traditional Foods” and Weaving Community – How Native Peoples are Rediscovering Their Basketry Traditions which show how native tribes are tending bridges to bring some learning of their traditional knowledge to our modern society.

Besides, references to their worldviews give also food for thought regarding relationship with Nature in our Western cultures.

“Just because it’s free and it’s there for the taking, it doesn’t mean that you have a right to it. Nature has rights and it’s time to respect those rights.”

Nick Hummingbird

Co-produced by KCET and the Autry Museum of the American West

Informations:

Link: https://www.kcet.org/shows/tending-the-wild

Scale of intervention : Regional

Keywords: medicinal and aromatic plants, safeguard of knowledge, improvement of biodiversity, indigenous people, food souvereignty, traditional knowledge

Actors: local community, farmer-harvester