New research sheds light on how the people of Nuchatlaht cultivated plants for centuries on the island of Nootka in BC.
The findings, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, challenge some common beliefs about plant cultivation in the territory and could have a significant impact on the Nuchatlaht First Nation’s claim to aboriginal title to more than 200 square miles of land in the country. Nootka Island, nearby. West Coast of Vancouver Island.
Chelsey Geralda Armstrong, an adjunct professor of indigenous studies at Simon Fraser University, says archaeologists and botanists have worked with Nuchatlaht knowledge owners to identify forest gardens, fruit ecosystems, berries and managed plant roots.
Armstrong says forest gardens can be easy to spot in a dense forest if you know what to look for.
“They can be like an orchard that you think in your mind: clear, well-spaced rows,” he said.
She says the research confirms what Nuchatlaht knowledge holders have known for a long time and challenges the idea that North American ecosystems were wild and intact “Gardens of Eden” before the arrival of settlers.
“When you look at these forest gardens, yes, they look wild, but now that you see these human impacts on them, you break that narrative,” he said.
LISTENING | Research sheds light on the cultivation of Nuchatlaht people on Nootka Island
The Early Edition7: 15The new research sheds light on how the people of Nuchatlaht grew plants in their territory
The findings, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, could have significant implications for the Nuchatlaht First Nation’s claim to Aboriginal title about 200 square miles from Nootka Island in BC Professor Chelsey Geralda Armstrong joins us in get more information.
The investigation comes as the Nuchatlaht are in the Supreme Court of British Columbia seeking an Aboriginal title over an area of land 300 kilometers northwest of Victoria, consisting mainly of Nootka Island and much of the surrounding coastline. .
The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) also plans the case, as BC passed legislation in 2019 to align its laws with a document that states that “indigenous peoples have a right to land, territories and resources that they have traditionally owned, occupied or used or otherwise acquired. “
The First Nation is one of the first to file a claim under the terms of an innovative three-point test set by the Supreme Court of Canada in 2014 to establish the aboriginal title.
To meet this standard, the Nuchatlaht must prove that they occupied the land exclusively in 1846, when the British claimed sovereignty through a treaty that gave rise to the current border between Canada and the United States.
Chelsey researcher Geralda Armstrong says the research challenges the idea that North American ecosystems were wild and intact “Gardens of Eden” before settlers arrived. (Nuchatlaht / Troy Moth)
Armstrong says archaeologists are increasingly involved in land claims.
Many indigenous communities, who have an oral tradition, find it challenging to meet the burden of proof in modern courts. Archaeologists are increasingly being asked to bridge the gap.
“Western scientific methods like archeology and historical ecology are really powerful tools for nations to prove, ‘No, we’ve been here, we’ve been using the land.'”
Research also shows the contributions of indigenous peoples to the creation and maintenance of ecosystems in the region.
“Science has been very good at spreading the message that biodiversity is a good thing in our forests, in our terrestrial and marine ecosystems,” he said.
“Many times biodiversity has been created and maintained by indigenous peoples. And we know that it is not only in the territory of Nuchatlaht, but also globally.”