In this spotlight, we dive into the groundbreaking research of Gavin Woodburn, whose work with the Kwiakah First Nation is redefining scientific research.
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Gavin is a member of the Kwiakah First Nation located outside of Campbell River on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Gavin completed his undergraduate degree at Carleton in Geoscience and is currently working towards a PhD at the University of Calgary. He has worked with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), with Environment Climate Change Canada (ECCC) in the Indigenous Science Division and recently took part in the Clear Seas Indigenous Internship Program. As part of his internship with Clear Seas, Gavin studied Loxiwe (clam gardens) and their role as an Indigenous technology and sustainable food source for the Kwiakah People. During this project, Gavin worked alongside his family and community to learn more about marine stewardship practices, through both Western and Indigenous scientific approaches.
Can you tell us about your research project on clam gardens?
This Loxiwe project is approached using 3-eyed seeing, which is the lens of Indigenous science, Western science, and the environment, meaning our knowledge and approach is based on what the environment is telling us, and our methods are created to help us listen. This means using important protocols such as those outlined in Ownership, Control, Accessibility, Possession principles (OCAP) and free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC), as well as placing Indigenous and Western science as equals. Therefore, the methods used involved interviewing Elders and Knowledge Keepers, mapping the intertidal area, surveying clam gardens, and other observational methods to better understand the Loxiwe. The next important part was to make sure that the knowledge gained was open and accessible, so we had a videographer film the research and make a video and a graphic recorder create visuals from interviews to help share and teach others about the project. Also, I had the opportunity to speak at community events and I am working to get an academic peer-reviewed paper published.
Can you tell us about the process of organizing a project like this and what kind of logistics were involved?
There was a lot of work that went into this project, but it started with choosing an idea that was personal to me: clam gardens and fisheries in my nation. The first step was talking to my community to make sure that I had permission and support to do this project, and to confirm that the community may benefit from this research project. During this time, I was employed with the Indigenous Science Division at ECCC. They were highly supportive of the project and provided funding and mentorship throughout the fieldwork and planning processes. I then created a research plan that blended approaches rooted in both Indigenous science and Western science. For the Indigenous science side, one of the most important parts of the project was interviewing Elders and Knowledge Keepers, because they have the most personal and in-depth knowledge of the land and water and understand how things have changed from then to now. The processes involved contacting Knowledge Keepers in the Kwiakah Nation, getting funding to give them honoraria for the interviews, finding other local experts in this field, as well as guides to take us to the clam gardens. Consent forms were then created for people we were working with from the different communities. These forms are very important when working with First Nations communities and Elders, as they are used to acknowledge that the knowledge being shared is theirs and it is not owned by anyone else. When we store the data, they have the right to withdraw anything at any time, choose what information is shared and specify what is to be kept private. It was clarified that the government, or any other external organization, does not own the knowledge and data being collected during this research project. For myself, the project involved a lot of learning along the way, but at the end of the day the most important part was communication with the First Nation communities.
What inspired you to learn more about clam gardens in your Nation’s territory?
Initially the reason I wanted to work alongside my Nation came from not having grown up in my territory. This project gave me the opportunity to learn about my ancestral territory, understand what is on our land, how it functions, and connect with the community. The more I learned about the environment and geography of my Nation, I noticed clam gardens and other Indigenous technologies in the area. Learning about the history of my people and the land management practices allowed me to explore science and research in a different way. This included not only learning about my culture as a Kwiakah person but also learning how to approach and understand science through a different perspective in a different way. This project provided the opportunity to accomplish all of that in my community.
What key findings came from your research?
What stands out as one of the biggest findings from my research project came from creating a unique and individualized process on how you can bring together Western science and Indigenous science into a scientific research project. Other researchers can apply this framework to their own project, starting the process on the foundation of OCAP principles. I think the unique thing that came from my project was the approach of going about scientific research in an inclusive way, so that different understandings of the world can be discovered together.
What are some of the highlights from the field work?
One of the highlights for me from this research project was the ability to be out there with people who are as excited as I am about Indigenous technology. I had family members come out to participate, which provided another personal connection to the clam garden project. Other project partners from Clear Seas and the federal government also joined us doing fieldwork. It was fun to bring people together, especially those who otherwise might not have had the opportunity to go to that remote area of B.C. to study the clam beds and technology created by the community living there. Including passionate partners like the ones listed above creates more energy for the whole team whenever we were out on the beach, having fun and learning some important traditional knowledge. A big highlight was having the opportunity to be able to explore and learn about my passions with other people who were feeding off that energy.
What’s next for you in your research career?
The next step for me is to do my PhD at the University of Calgary. I am going to be part of a larger research project that involves Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia, University of Victoria and the University of Calgary. The focus of this project will be on the overarching goal of regenerative forestry and looking into how we can take a second growth clear cut forest and give it back old growth characteristics. My role within the research project is going to be rebuilding the Kwiakah First Nation knowledge systems, especially about land management. I will have the chance to interact with the partners involved in the project and assist in translation from Western science to Indigenous science. There will be additional opportunities to advance my own research, such as looking at the shell middens in the territory. Shell middens are essentially a place where everything is dumped from a community’s day-to-day activities. Here you can see layers of shells, animal bones, fire cracked rocks, beads, spear tips, and other materials they used daily, layered in these large piles. I would like to explore more of this scientific, historical ecological component of the area to better understand the Kwiakah People’s relationship with the land.
