Photo: The University of British Columbia

I was born and raised in Vancouver on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Musqueam; however, I had very little knowledge of Indigenous history and culture before this class. The tutorial with Andrea Reid gave me a starting point to learn about Indigenous knowledge through open communication. I was previously apprehensive about approaching the topic because I was afraid to come off as disrespectful or offensive, and quite frankly, I did not know where to begin. The TED talk by Rebecca Thomas was great at providing background knowledge on Indigenous perspectives and the different ways of communication. One of the points that resonated with me the most was when Rebecca spoke about language and how there is not always a precise translation or an English equivalent. Being fluent in Vietnamese, I sometimes cannot tell a story properly because there is no English equivalent for the term that I want to use, so I understand what Indigenous peoples go through when they have to share their knowledge. The tutorial helped me realize the value of having Indigenous people be a part of both the consultation and the actual science and/or policymaking is crucial because some concepts require a deeper understanding and cannot be summed up in a few sentences or translated.

On that note, the open conversation with Andrea during the tutorial was probably the first time I have had an in-depth discussion with an Indigenous person. It was enlightening to hear her speak about her own experiences as an Indigenous scientist and how her unique positionality shapes her research. Now that I have a better understanding of Indigenous knowledge, I am less apprehensive about taking further steps to learn more about Indigenous history and traditions. It’s reassuring to hear that it’s okay to be inquisitive and to want to know more, as long as I come from a place of respect and reciprocity and intend to do work in a “good” way. Additionally, Andrea mentioned that neither Indigenous peoples nor westerners are “monoliths” and that there are still different ways of knowledge and communication within groups. This further emphasizes that it’s alright not to know everything about a community to have a meaningful conversation. Even Andrea does not know about all the traditions of different nations and is sometimes viewed as an outsider. I’ve realized that it’s alright to be inexperienced and unknowledgeable because we are all still learning every day; however, it’s not okay to be ignorant and closed-minded. What is more important is a willingness to learn and to utilize as many different resources as possible. Even if I read all the available material on Indigenous knowledge, it would not be enough because a lived experience provides another way of thinking and seeing.

Because I want to work in conservation in the future, awareness of First Nations traditions and knowledge is crucial. Because Indigenous people have lived in harmony with nature for millennia, there is so much to learn from them, and they bring to the table an immense amount of experience on sustainable living. For example, the way Indigenous people use kelp to harvest herring roe generates is sustainable by generating a minimal amount (if any) bycatch, but the western way of fishing the herring creates an incredible amount of bycatch through the males. Without a doubt, there are countless other examples of sustainable Indigenous practices with unsustainable western equivalents. If only the world were able to use more Indigenous approaches, the state of the ocean would undoubtedly be much better than it currently is. Learning about two-eyed seeing and how it can create more sustainable practices gives me hope that we can repair some of the damage done to ecosystems with effective co-management. Furthermore, Indigenous people are such an essential part of Canadian history, so working alongside and learning from them will be a vital skill to have going forward. That being said, there are risks associated with the misuse of two-eyed seeing, such as assimilation. Therefore, while it is imperative to learn about Indigenous knowledge, it is equally important to be mindful of our positionality and recognize that two-eyed seeing is not the solution to every problem. Because two-eyed seeing is more about the process than the outcome, having open discussions with Indigenous communities and listening to their wants and needs is crucial for creating solutions. One of the most important things I learned from the tutorial is the value of having different perspectives at the table because everyone brings different lived experiences. It is also just as important to be open-minded and to listen than to speak.

I would love to explore the Fisheries Act and the history of Indigenous peoples in BC further. Because I have some background knowledge now, it doesn’t seem as intimidating to delve into the topic and get down to the nitty-gritty. I recognize that there is still a ton for me to learn about Indigenous people, but I have to start somewhere, and the more I explore the topic, the more confident I will be in my ability to connect with and learn from First Nations. I remember seeing news articles on the burning of the Mi’kmaw lobster pound, but I did not read them, let alone look into the history underlying the contention. Therefore, I am making it a personal goal to keep up to date on Indigenous issues and conflicts to remind myself that I should not be ignorant of the fact that I live on traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory.