Indigenous Knowledge Circle (IKC) of the NBCKC

While the focus of this Indigenous Knowledge Circle is on Boreal Caribou, this group convenes in solidarity with other stewarding nations focused or working with other caribou herds.

Our goal is for First Nations, Métis and Inuit to have relationships with caribou for harvesting, sharing, social and ceremonial purposes, to restore balance to the people and caribou today and into the future.

More specifically, we work towards:

1. Improved understanding and respect for Indigenous Knowledge and Indigenous Knowledge Systems about caribou in order to foster collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, governments, and organizations and to influence cooperative relationships and decision making about the management of caribou.
2. Ensuring that western science and IK equally inform all decisions regarding caribou.
3. More holistic community involvement for caribou research, planning, recovery, and management that reflects a broader understanding of ecosystem wellness reflected in community.

We meet every second month to gather and share information, provide input to NBCKC projects, and advance our own projects. Our work focuses on:

1. Gathering and sharing information, experiences, and teachings from stories with NBCKC, and IKC members about:
   • ​​​Indigenous-led work towards caribou recovery - what’s working and not working

   • working collaboratively and respectfully with Indigenous peoples on research, monitoring, planning and management

   • the cultural importance and value of Indigenous Knowledge, and its appropriate inclusion alongside scientific information in decision-making

2. Connecting and supporting Indigenous leaders working towards caribou recovery

3. Providing guidance and feedback to the NBCKC on the recognition and the appropriate use of  Indigenous Knowledge Systems alongside Western Science as the foundation of caribou conservation and recovery.

We recently launched Beyond Conservation: A Toolkit for Respectful Collaboration with Indigenous Peoples. It is the result of more than two years of effort by the IKC and is quickly becoming the go-to place to find guidance and resources for collaborating with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit partners on conservation and stewardship. The toolkit contains guiding principles, hundreds of tools and resources, and tips and advice to help non-Indigenous people repair relationships, open doors, build trust, and increase capacity with their Indigenous partners.

The IKC's membership includes representation from ~40  Inuit, First Nations, and Métis organizations, communities, regional governments, and co-management boards who are actively involved in the conservation, recovery, and management of caribou. Many IKC members are also members of the NBCKC along with government scientists, academic researchers, industry experts, and representatives from environmental organizations. Both the IKC and the NBCKC are supported by a central secretariat within Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). The IKC is co-facilitated by Amanda Sheedy, a private consultant, and Kristin Clark with the NBCKC Secretariat.
 

We welcome any new members who have relationships with caribou and would like to connect and collaborate with others working to protect caribou. We especially welcome the wisdom and experience of Elders and Knowledge Keepers. If you would like to join the IKC, attend our meetings and contribute to our projects, please contact Kristin Clark at the NBCKC secretariat at kristin.clark@ec.gc.ca