What is Traditional Knowledge?
Plant material harvested for a variety of uses.
Traditional knowledge is a cumulative body of knowledge, know-how, practices and representations maintained and developed by communities with extended histories of interaction with the natural environment. These sophisticated sets of understandings, interpretations and meanings are part and parcel of a cultural complex that encompasses language, naming and classification systems, resource use practices, ritual, spirituality and worldview.
Traditional Use Studies or Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge Studies generally consider two types of information: traditional use (TU) information and traditional environmental knowledge (TEK).
Traditional Use Studies or Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge Studies generally consider two types of information: traditional use (TU) information and traditional environmental knowledge (TEK).
What is the difference between Traditional Use and TEK?
Aboriginal trail
TU information focuses on activities as well as sites, areas and locales of cultural significance within traditional lands and territories. The types of activities or sites that may be identified can be classified under four broad categories:
TEK is the wisdom and understanding of a particular natural and cultural environment that has accumulated over countless generations. TEK also relates to the cumulative effects of past and existing activities on both culture and the environment. TEK may include observations of animal behaviour, seasonal changes, or other linkages between plants, animals and the environment.
- travel (e.g., trail systems, waterways, landmarks)
- harvesting (e.g., registered trap lines, resource use and harvesting areas, special use sites such as fish camps, berry-picking areas, medicinal plant collection areas)
- habitation areas (e.g., occupation areas, meeting areas, gathering places, cabins, campsites)
- spiritual sites and sacred landscapes (e.g., burial sites, sacred sites, spiritual sites, sacred geography)
TEK is the wisdom and understanding of a particular natural and cultural environment that has accumulated over countless generations. TEK also relates to the cumulative effects of past and existing activities on both culture and the environment. TEK may include observations of animal behaviour, seasonal changes, or other linkages between plants, animals and the environment.
Sharing TU and TEK.
Identifying culturally sensitive areas
The sharing of TU and TEK relevant to a proposed industrial project can lead to the development of strategies to avoid, reduce or mitigate potential effects of the Project on sensitive cultural areas. Ideally, TEK is shared with practitioners of technical scientific disciplines to provide an alternative perspective for establishing baseline conditions and assessing project effects while the project is in development. TEK is relevant to various project components (e.g., design, safety, aesthetic considerations, reclamation and abandonment), the biophysical environment (e.g., wildlife, vegetation, fisheries and aquatic resources, hydrogeology, geology and terrain, climate, soils, palaeontology, noise and air), and the human or socio-cultural environment (e.g., Aboriginal culture, health, socio-economics, TU, archaeology and heritage).
and TEK information remains the property of the Aboriginal group that provides the information and can be shared in its entirety or in ways that protect the sacredness or confidentiality of the information while still providing enough information for a company to make informed decisions. Balance between sacred and secular needs will be maintained.
and TEK information remains the property of the Aboriginal group that provides the information and can be shared in its entirety or in ways that protect the sacredness or confidentiality of the information while still providing enough information for a company to make informed decisions. Balance between sacred and secular needs will be maintained.
A young traditional knowledge holder sharing his information
Intellectual Property
Silverking understands that knowledge is power and is honoured to have been chosen by communities and individuals for receiving the gift of knowledge. Full respect will be given to each communities' information by Silverking. All information shared by the community is owned by the community. Sensitive or confidential information will be protected as directed by the community or the individual sharing the information as most appropriate. All original materials are returned upon study completion unless otherwise directed by the community.
Silverking understands that knowledge is power and is honoured to have been chosen by communities and individuals for receiving the gift of knowledge. Full respect will be given to each communities' information by Silverking. All information shared by the community is owned by the community. Sensitive or confidential information will be protected as directed by the community or the individual sharing the information as most appropriate. All original materials are returned upon study completion unless otherwise directed by the community.
Why Traditional Use Studies?
Traditional use studies broaden the information base considered in environmental assessments and provide understanding about the potential effects of a proposed development on Aboriginal people's lands, waters, resources and activities. The consideration of potential effects of a proposed project on traditional lands and activities is of cultural, environmental, and, ultimately, socio-economic relevance, because it pertains to the social and physical well-being of affected Aboriginal communities. Government agencies have come to rely upon Traditional Use Studies to inform their decisions. Companies can utilize information provided in a Traditional Use Study to create a better project, avoid potential impacts or mitigate impacts to aboriginal rights and practices that cannot be avoided should a project be approved. Traditional Use Studies can also be a starting point to building long-term relationships between industry and aboriginal communities and be a tool to facilitate effective consultation.