“Learning Together”: Braiding Indigenous and Western Knowledge Systems to Understand Freshwater Mussel Health in the Lower Athabasca Region of Alberta, Canada

Abstract

Fort McMurray Métis Elders and land users have observed a decrease in the population density of freshwater mussels (known locally as clams; Unionidae) in the lower Athabasca region (LAR) in recent decades. A community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach, braided with Indigenous Knowledge, is used as a guiding framework to facilitate partnerships and create safe, ethical spaces across diverse knowledge systems to address questions about freshwater mussel health in a locally relevant and culturally appropriate way. Opportunities for Elders and land users to travel along the Athabasca and Clearwater rivers in search of freshwater mussels allowed for the renewal of personal and cultural relationships to place that was braided with the study of parameters relevant to Western science. Our search revealed the presence of fat muckets (Lampsilis siliquoidea), with a limited number of giant floaters (Anodonta grandis), in our study area. However, delineating the types of species present is only the beginning of our work to understand freshwater mussel health in the LAR. We present a methodological discussion that demonstrates the importance of prioritizing Indigenous Knowledge to answer questions that may not have been considered within Western knowledge systems and shows how diverse ways of knowing can be braided to create new learnings together. “Learning together,” in practice, means recognizing that each person has knowledge and skills to contribute, which also involves shared decision making. We maintain that by “learning together,” complex problems can be understood in ways that are more meaningful and insightful than they would be if Indigenous communities, government scientists, or research consultants studied them alone.

Essential components and pathways for developing Indigenous community‐based monitoring: Examples from the Canadian oil sands region

“…IK holders in the region reported that freshwater clams have declined and, in some areas of the Lower Athabasca, have completely disappeared over the past 20–40 years. The Fort McMurray Métis rely on and are intimately connected to these waterways for navigational purposes and for traditional resources, which for generations has included harvesting freshwater clams (Hopkins et al, 2019 ). In response to these concerns, in 2017, the Fort McMurray Métis and the governments of Canada and Alberta initiated the Freshwater Clams Project to understand why the freshwater clams were disappearing.…”

“…To build on IK, the project also used WS to explore potential factors that could influence freshwater clam health, which included chemical analyses in clam tissue, sediment, and water samples analyzed by accredited laboratories. During field exercises, videos were taken and livestreams were shared with Fort McMurray Métis in real time (Hopkins et al, 2019 ).…”

“…The project successfully facilitates partnerships and creates safe spaces to address questions about freshwater clam health in culturally relevant ways. Throughout the project participants engaged with the land, using local river navigation, harvesting protocols, and ceremonial practices (Hopkins et al, 2019 ). Hopkins et al ( 2019 ) highlights the importance of knowledge translation through community workshops, presentations, laypersons reports, government reports, and scientific reports, as well as opportunities for Elder–youth knowledge exchange.…”

“…Throughout the project participants engaged with the land, using local river navigation, harvesting protocols, and ceremonial practices (Hopkins et al, 2019 ). Hopkins et al ( 2019 ) highlights the importance of knowledge translation through community workshops, presentations, laypersons reports, government reports, and scientific reports, as well as opportunities for Elder–youth knowledge exchange. The use of IK to determine clam health is identified through culturally relevant indicators to shape what is measured, where, and when.…”

Moving Forward Together: Weaving Indigenous and Western Sciences with Practices and Peoples in Aquatic Research in Inuit Nunangat

“…This term was chosen to move beyond a narrative of integrating, incorporating, or combining Indigenous and Western sciences, which can connote the assimilation of Indigenous sciences into a Western scientific paradigm (Reid et al, 2021). 'Weaving' shares similarities with terms used by other authors, including 'braiding' (e.g., Kimmerer, 2013a;Hopkins et al, 2019) or 'bridging' (e.g., Aikenhead and Michell, 2011;Rathwell et al, 2015;Mantyka-Pringle et al, 2017;Alexander et al, 2019Alexander et al, , 2021. I favour 'weaving' as it alludes to the numerous possible ways to bring these sciences together at broad levels, such as between institutions or organizations (i.e., weaving large pieces of fabric), or at finer levels, such as through personal relationships (i.e., weaving individual threads).…”