Acho Dene Koe, Northwest Territories
Year(s) Funded: 2009-2010
Topic Area: Traditional Medicine
Title: Research of Edible and Medicinal Floral Resources within Acho Dene Koe First Nation's Traditional Territory and the Impact of Climate Change
Action: Acho Dene Koe (ADK) First Nation undertook a two month project to identify and locate traditional edible and medicinal plants within the ADK territory and to assess any potential impacts of climate change on such plants. Employees of ADK First Nation’s Land and Resource department, accompanied by several summer plant ecology students, conducted a series of interviews with local ADK Elders to gain an understanding of the uses of traditional plants, as well as the importance of such plants to the subsistence patterns of the ADK people. In addition, several field trips were made with local ADK Elders to Fisherman Lake, Bovie Lake, and Celebita Lake, for the purpose of identifying and locating traditional edible and medicinal plants within ADK territory. Results: The project made use of scientific methods to document traditional plants. The research comprised of interviewing Elders, mapped the medicinal territory and incorporated the information in an existing mapping system. The results of the interviews and fieldwork were documented and compiled into two tables entitled “Traditional Edible Plants” and Traditional Medicinal Plants”. In general, these medicinal and edible plants are still used by the ADK, although harvested edible plants are now supplemented by store bought food. Outputs: Two plant registries, one for Traditional Edible Plants and one for Traditional Medicinal Plants, were created. |