Exploring Indigenous cultural connections

When learning about environmental science, cool places and the plants and animals that inhabit them, we believe it is equally important to understand how humans have lived in relationship with these lands and beings since time immemorial. Indigenous stewardship has adapted in many ways with increased climate impacts across the landscape. Sierra Club BC aims to honor Indigenous voices and to ensure that unique Nations and worldviews are respectfully acknowledged.

While we’ve shared some publicly available resources below as a starting point, it’s best to engage with local Indigenous communities. Each Nation has distinct perspectives, cultures and governance systems, meaning that different communities will have different connections with this species. Many Nations have websites with a wealth of publicly shared knowledge that you can check out, or you could attend a public event hosted by the community. If you don’t know whose territory you live on, you can visit Native-Land.ca to learn more.

• Learn more about the brilliance of beavers from an Anishinaabe perspective
• Read Leanne Betasamosake Simpson’s book, A Short History of the Blockade: Giant Beavers, Diplomacy, and Regeneration in Nishnaabewine
• Learn how to say beaver in the language of the Indigenous community on whose territory you live. Visit FirstVoices.com to find words, songs and stories about beavers from different First Nations.