1.
What are the central points of the piece, and how do they relate to what we’re engaging in
this class?
2.
How do themes and ideas from this piece relate to things you’re learning in and out of the
classroom at UC Berkeley?
3.
What questions do you have about the material, or what would you like to know more about?
Essay: Ecocultural Equality in the Miwko
Waali
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The essay, “Ecocultural Equality in the Miwko
Waali
”, highlights Indigenous ʔ
ʔ
stewardship of land found in the Delta, specifically by the Miwko
tribe. For hundreds of years, ʔ
Indigenous peoples have been mistreated, had their land stolen from them, and seen as second-
class citizens by those encroaching on their native territories. With this came a decline in the biodiversity and health of the ecosystems on these lands. While current conservation efforts are working to reduce the decline in various species, there isn’t much stewardship when it comes to equitable conservation resolutions that is “sustainable or ensures ecological resiliency”. The difference between governmental and local efforts in environmental stewardship and Indigenous stewardship is the kinship created between the Indigenous people and certain species. For instance, it is exemplified in the essay that declining numbers in certain species can be connected
to the genocide of Indigenous people. By intertwining nature and culture, Indigenous people create an appreciation for the planet and its resources. Through these practices, Indigenous stewardship has proven to be successful in maintaining global biodiversity in a way that is unachievable by other methods. This essay relates to what we are engaging in class because we have touched upon Indigenous stewardship, and how habitats have changed over time, as colonization encroached upon indigenous lands and proved to be detrimental to the ecosystems in these areas. For instance, we listened to a short clip about the Winnemem Wintu tribe, and how they were forced off a large portion of their land, which was near the McCloud river. Due to
this, the fish species in the river had no protector and their habitats changed drastically.
These ideas relate to a lot of the modern news that I see on the internet or on the TV because cultural reparations are finally being put at the forefront of a lot of social justice issues. I’ve seen many occasions of different Indigenous tribes speaking up about their injustices from the past, prompting many government officials to enact changes and programs to counteract the harm done in the past. By integrating Indigenous tries back onto their land, I predict that the surrounding ecosystems will thrive once again and be cared for properly.
After finishing the reading, I would like to know more about the different practices and ceremonies that the tribes performed in order to tend to their land and create that special connection they have with all the fish species and other animals. It is interesting to learn about how animals and creatures are incorporated into their cultures, and how Indigenous lifestyles revolve around them. Moreover, I would like to know how Indigenous stewardship has become integrated back into certain communities, as it was stated that they had their land stolen from them and were pushed out of their homes. I would like to ask the question of how this realization
