A non-traditional research paper outlining fundamental principles and concepts of Syilx Okanagan Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). It will provide background in historical applications specific to the Syilx Okanagan. Syilx TEK refers to a category of local extensive knowledge in the ecology of their specific area of occupancy and encompasses both historical and current uses.
The question of how such principles and concepts might be considered in contemporary practice is central to the coherent utilization of TEK.
Historical TEK applications resulting from food harvesting management and production techniques provide valuable approaches as a systems approach to ecological sustainability. The presentation will provide examples of knowledge applications specific to location, occurrence, population densities, distribution and range, change factors. Examples will be provided on knowledge applications related to different habitats taking into consideration terrain and topography and how they relate to habitat features and composition change as in relation to soil, slope, altitude and wind pattern and differences and affects on growth cycles, densities, occurrences and distribution. General applications examples of Syilx concepts related to habitat as “whole” system include the relationship to watershed retention systems and anticipated change patterns to population occurrences and range in drought years and rainy years. Overview of TEK in long-term climatic cycles and changes chronicling historical affects on plant density and growth cycles and therefore knowledge of succession and disease patterns are also resident in TEK. TEK overview of Syilx natural technologies such as burn-off related to different seasons and effects on plant density and species population increase by flood or drainage interventions for growth opportunities as well as examples of harvest techniques relying on adaptive responses by plant communities and habitats to the human land-use will be provided.
Results/Conclusions
Syilx Okanagan TEK can be relied on to provide guidance and methodology in the work of resource management. Examples of contemporary projects in sustainable land-use, conservation, mitigation and restoration will be provided including the approach the Syilx Okanagan take to assertion and integration of their TEK methods into a variety of levels of work and policy. The Syilx TEK provides a fundamental basis for inclusion of TEK as demonstrated in land-use practice in the way its realities are observed, learned, communicated and applied to sustainment of ecosystems. “Indigeneity” from that perspective is not a delineation of human ethnicity but the application of knowledge and wisdom as a part of the scheme of perfect self-perpetuation that nature is.