Indigenous Land-Based Approaches to Well-Being: The Niska (Goose) Harvesting Program in Subarctic Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Historically, goose harvesting provided a source of culturally significant, safe, and nutritious food for the Omushkego Cree of subarctic Ontario, Canada. Disruptions stemming from colonization and climate change have led to a decrease in harvesting, resulting in higher rates of food insecurity. The aim of the Niska program was to reconnect Elders and youth to revitalize goose harvesting activities and associated Indigenous knowledge within the community. The program and evaluation were built using a two-eyed seeing (Etuaptmumk) and community-based participatory research approach. Salivary cortisol, a biomedical measure of stress, was collected before (n = 13) and after (n = 13) participation in the spring harvest. Likewise, cortisol samples were collected before (n = 12) and after (n = 12) the summer harvest. Photovoice and semi-directed interviews were employed after the spring (n = 13) and summer (n = 12) harvests to identify key elements of well-being from an Indigenous perspective. The changes observed in cortisol levels for the spring (p = 0.782) and summer (p = 0.395) harvests were not statistically significant. However, there was a noteworthy increase in the subjective well-being observed through the qualitative measures (semi-directed interviews and photovoice), highlighting the importance of using multiple perspectives when assessing well-being, especially in Indigenous peoples. Future programs should incorporate multiple perspectives when addressing complex environmental and health issues, such as food security and environmental conservation, especially in Indigenous homelands worldwide.

Why and how is photovoice used as a decolonising method for health research with Indigenous communities in the United States and Canada? A scoping review

“…Other authors may have identified as Indigenous but not noted it within the article text. Materials and methods (meaningful data collection, research) As data collection instruments, studies employed digital cameras ( n = 22), disposable cameras ( n = 12), or cameras of an unspecified type ( n = 10) for photo‐taking. Other methods included smartphones (Brown, 2016; Holliday et al, 2018; Spiegel et al, 2020), a GPS with camera capabilities (Isogai et al, 2015), GoPros (Ahmed et al, 2022, 2023), or a tablet shared between all participants (Kahn‐John et al, 2020). Six studies did not specify the photo‐taking method used.Nine studies combined other data collection methods with photo‐taking.…”

“…As data collection instruments, studies employed digital cameras ( n = 22), disposable cameras ( n = 12), or cameras of an unspecified type ( n = 10) for photo‐taking. Other methods included smartphones (Brown, 2016; Holliday et al, 2018; Spiegel et al, 2020), a GPS with camera capabilities (Isogai et al, 2015), GoPros (Ahmed et al, 2022, 2023), or a tablet shared between all participants (Kahn‐John et al, 2020). Six studies did not specify the photo‐taking method used.…”

Two-Eyed Seeing Application in Research Analysis: An Integrative Review

“…In 2011, Two-Eyed Seeing was adopted to guide the vision and mandate of the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and the Institute for Aboriginal Peoples' Health (CIHR, 2015). There has been an increase in the use of Two-Eyed Seeing to guide environmental sciences (Ahmed et al, 2022(Ahmed et al, , 2023Leonard et al, 2022), program development (Dunn et al, 2022;Marsh et al, 2022;Nicholson et al, 2021), education (Acharibasam & McVittie, 2022;Heuckmann & Zeyer, 2022), social justice (Cullen & Castleden, 2022), and discussions for cultural competency (Chatwood et al, 2015;Wright et al, 2019b). Moreover, there remains variation in how Two-Eyed Seeing is applied within the literature.…”

Indigenous land-based approaches to well-being: The Sibi (River) program in subarctic Ontario, Canada

“…This is one of the factors contributing to the high rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and overall poorer physical and mental health [ 10 , 16 , 17 ]. Some studies have attributed this shift to climate change [ 10 ], and economic and social factors [ 18 , 19 ] such as the loss of language as a result of the residential school system [ 20 ]. The decline in the use of the Cree language has far-reaching implications, affecting social relationships, connections to the land, food security, land use, and economic development [ 18–20 ].…”

“…Discussions with FAFN leadership and community members have highlighted the need for more on-the-land programs aligned with the seasonal harvesting practices of the Omushkego Cree. Previous initiatives, such as the Amisk (beaver) [ 18 ] and the Niska (goose) [ 19 ] harvesting programs, were harmonised with the seasons and were shown to revitalise cultural practices, facilitate healing from intergenerational trauma, and provide opportunities for knowledge dissemination from Indigenous perspective. The Sibi (river) program was the next harvesting program that followed the Omushkego Cree seasonal cycle and focused on fishing activities along the Albany River system.…”