Frances Roberts-GregorySpelman College

2nd Year SOARS ProtégéUNO-CHART

July 27th, 2012

An exercise in Participatory Action Research (PAR) blending Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)  and geospatial information systems to

identify vulnerable plant species valued by southern Louisiana’s coastal Native American tribes

Ethnobotanical Conversations Along the Bayou

 

Chief Chuckie, PACIT, discussing plants Elderberry Community Liaison Jamie Berdin in Pointe au Chien

Establish rapport using PAR

Pointe-Au-Chien Indian Tribe (PACIT) Isle de Jean Charles Band of the Biloxi-Chitimacha-

Choctaw Confederation of Muskogees (BCCM) Grand Caillou/Dulac Bands of the Biloxi-Chitimacha

Choctaw Confederation of Muskogees (BCCM)

Design appropriate mixed methods methodology

Identify vulnerable plant species

Explore intergenerational ethnobotanical knowledge transfer

Investigate historical, current, and future implications of geomorphological change and climate change

Generate interest in preservation of both traditional plants and local knowledge Community garden revitalization

Objectives

1948 Isle de Jean CharlesTraiteur Joseph Bud Naquin Gardening

Le Jardín des Traíteurs at La Maíson Acadíenne

Vermilionville Living History Museum and Folklife Park

Historic Cajun/Creole Village Healer’s Garden

Ethnobotany

study of relation between plants and people

Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) indigenous and local knowledge, practice and belief concerning the use and maintenance

of natural resources that integrates the physical and spiritual into a holistic cosmology

Participatory Action Research (PAR) applied, experimental research that promotes a collaborative information gathering

process between researchers and the people for their direct empowerment and benefit

Grounded Theory social scientific methodology to discover theory throughout course of research through

analysis of data

Mixed Methods Approach research methodology that combines both qualitative and quantitative approaches

Operationalization

Location: Southern part of Terrebonne and

Lafourche Parishes along Bayou Pointe-au-Chien and Bayou Terrebonne

Lack of Federal Tribal Recognition Threatened TEK

 Historic suppression of Cajun French/Native American culture and language

Loss of traiteurs (faith healers) Loss of plants

Context

Endangered local plant species richness Changing weather patterns Storm surge and flooding Hurricanes Land loss, subsidence, saltwater

intrusion and coastal erosion Manmade canals and oil pipelines Contamination and pollution Lack of fresh water Reduction of barrier islands Hotter temperatures

Figure 3 Land/Water Ratio in 2008Figure 2 Land/Water Ratio in 1978Figure 1 Land/Water Ratio in 1956

Ideal Methodology: Mixed Methods

Accomplishments• Participatory Action Research• Conversations • Semi-structured interviews

• Intergenerational knowledge• Elders and traiteurs

• Atlas-TI software• Qualitative Data Analysis

Software• Integration of ethnobotanical

knowledge with long-term scientific projections

• Vegetation Maps

Future Directions• Incorporation of local soil types,

elevation and geographical coordinates of localities where plant species are still found

• Participatory Mapping• Cross-reference historical

documents with geographical range maps housed in the USDA Plant Resource Database and participatory maps using Arc GIS software

iPhone used in fieldwork Frances Roberts-Gregory and Science Mentor Andrew Barron at BTNEP

Materials and Supplies

Participatory Action Research• Community defines goals of

project• Cyclical; not straightforward• Flexibility, trust, honesty• Transparency and openness• Communication• Co-learning• Decolonization• Commitment against harm• Value local knowledge• Inclusion of entire community• Consideration of time• Utilization of familiar settings• Sharing of research• Implementing knowledge to solve problems • Emancipatory• Democratic • Collaborative• Conscientization

Coastwide Reference Monitoring System

Figure 3 Vegetative Types in 1949 Figure 4 Vegetative Types in 2007Over time, saltwater intrusion and rapid land loss has led to the retreat of freshwater marshes (represented in green) and the conversion of once fertile agricultural and forested lands to open seawater (represented in dark blue). Many plants cannot grow without suitable freshwater inputs and soil. All three communities are now dominated by saline vegetative types (represented in red) and located far away from freshwater vegetative types. Healing plants have all but disappeared from many of the communities. Cancer, rare diseases and other health ills are common in the region due to genetic, environmental and social factors.

USDA Plant Database

“Our county data are based primarily on the literature, herbarium specimens, and confirmed observations. However, not all populations have been documented, so some gaps in the distribution shown above may not be real. Remember that only native and naturalized populations are mapped!”- USDA Plant Database Website

Bitter Melon Mexicain

Momordica charantia

The USDA Plant Database contains the geographic ranges of many plants species found in North America. Unfortunately, the data provided is not mapped at a fine enough resolution to capture species change and land loss in the Bayou communities. According to the map pictured here, bitter melon should be found in Lafourche and Terrebonne Parish. However, according to local residents, bitter melon has disappeared from the region. We hope our research can contribute to more accurate maps drawn at finer scales.

USDA Plant Database

Red BayPetit Laurier

Persea borbonia

Bristle MallowMauve

Modiola caroliniana

“Our county data are based primarily on the literature, herbarium specimens, and confirmed observations. However, not all populations have been documented, so some gaps in the distribution shown above may not be real. Remember that only native and naturalized populations are mapped!”- USDA Plant Database Website

Bitter Melon Mexicain

Momordica charantia

SassafrasGombo Filé

Sassafras albidum

Black Nightshade Morelle

Solanum americanum

Hackberry/Sugarberry Bois Connu

Celtis L.

Medicinal/Culturally Valuable Plants Still Found in the Bayous (Limited/Scarce)

Cactus Isle de Jean Charles

HackberryPointe au Chien

BasilPointe au Chien

Spanish MossDulac

FigPointe au Chien

CattailsDulac

Perils of Fieldwork

“I see a day when holistics will be tested, controlled and regulated…we should practice this right and freedom before they attempt to take even that away…when we have to rely on others to care for us we will truly not get the proper care we deserve to preserve the knowledge of our ancestors.”

- Jamie Berdin (PACIT)

“Plants are highly important to our existence. We depend on the trees for air and many other plants provide our food and medicine. We must protect each precious one for we cannot exist without them.”

- Chief Shirell Parfait Dardar (Grand/Caillou Dulac)

“We figured out very quickly that to fully understand the plants we also had to understand the people that used them. We visited elders and younger members that were able to explain plants that were and still are available and what they were used for. It was evident that we have lost much, but that there was hope to bring lost plants back to our people…..It is crucial that we try and develop a plan to save the healing plants we still have and bring back the ones we have lost. We didn't have enough time to fix the problem, but it has given us a good start. Thank you for caring!”

– Deputy Chief Crystlyn Rodrigue (Grand/Caillou Dulac)

Voices from the Community

Deputy Chief Crystlyn RodrigueCommunity Partner

Conclusion: Does No Land = No Plants = No Culture? NO!!!

Isle de Jean Charles 1970s

Isle de Jean Charles 2012Chief Albert Naquin and Family in Isle de Jean

Charles

Shucking peas in Pointe au ChienChris Brunet in Isle de Jean Charles

Archival Research

Conclusion: Community Resiliency

• Individuals and Communities have Agency• Culture Sits in Places but is Complex and Changes over Time• Steps can be taken NOW to prevent further land loss and

rediscover/preserve Traditional Ecological Knowledge• Awareness Campaigns

• Indigenous Rights and the United Nations• Technical Solutions + Policy Solutions

• Interdisciplinary Science + Native Science• Inclusion in Levies• Respect Indigenous Property Rights

• Community Empowerment • Mitigation + Adaptation • Grants and Fundraising

• Need for Community Management and Council Approval of Total Group Relocation to Higher Ground for Isle de Jean Charles Community

Elevated Raised Bed Gardens in Grand Bayou

Potential Solutions 2010-11 Coastal Garden

Collaborative 14 (4x3x15’) elevated container

gardens Model for other communities HESCO-BASTION containers

provides a barrier which helps protect against erosion and flooding

reduces the effect of storm surge

Tree plantings provide habitat for wetland

and migratory birds as well as edible and medicinal plants for communities

Educational Tool  

• Extend Project• Historical Cross-

referencing• Multiple Community

Liaisons• Group Sessions• Transcription of Data

• Atlas.ti• Arc GIS

• Soil Data and Coordinates• Validation of Results

Future Directions

• Community Learning Opportunities• Language Classes• Walking Tours• Learning Aids

• Community Gardening• Eat 4 Health Grant (Obtained!)

• Recognize Climate Justice Communities• Environmental Justice (EJ) issues• Long Term Investment Needed• More Inclusion in Louisiana’s

2012 Coastal Master Plan

Nazia Dardar Gardening in Pointe au Chien

Transcription and Coding

Future Directions

Environmental Protection Agency Utilizing Environmental Justice View

Future Directions

Creating Personalized Habitat Maps in Arc GIS

Thank You!

Diversity Gathering Room Panel 2012 Rural Sociological Society 75th Annual Meeting

Chicago, Illinois

Acknowledgements

This work was performed under the

auspices of the Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science

Program."SOARS is managed by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research and is funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science, and by the Center for Multiscale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes .“

Acknowledgements