Abstract
Global declines in wildlife are increasing the vulnerability of Indigenous communities to food insecurity. Meanwhile, many colonial policies continue to ignore social-ecological relationships that have traditionally maintained a balance between wildlife and Indigenous Peoples’ subsistence needs. We provide a case study on perspectives and insights from three Anishinaabe Nations in Ontario, Canada on the importance of a traditional food, moose (<em>mooz</em> [Nishnaabemowin]; <em>Alces alces</em>), and how changes in the moose population are affecting food security, well-being, and ways of life. In partnership with each Nation, we conducted interviews with community members and related observations on change in the moose population to estimates of moose abundance and non-Indigenous harvest collected by the Ontario provincial government over a 16-year time frame (2001–2016). Moose was described as important for subsistence needs as well as for maintaining Anishinabek culture, traditions, and identity within each community. A decline in the moose population was observed by most participants, which corresponded with provincial data on moose abundance. Additionally, the number of non-Indigenous hunters per moose harvested on traditional territories increased linearly over time, and community members expressed concern over how the province was managing moose. The effects of moose decline in the communities included reduced food security and health, increased financial costs due to both relying more on store-bought foods and having to travel further to harvest moose, as well as a decline in the practice of traditions and ceremonies surrounding moose harvest and passing this knowledge on to younger generations. Despite the potential impacts on Indigenous subsistence harvest, there is a lack of collaborative decision-making with Indigenous communities on moose population and harvest management in Ontario. Using community perspectives and insights, we discuss how autonomous moose monitoring can support and facilitate co-management and collaborative decision-making to reinstate Indigenous food sovereignty.
Highlights
We provide a case study on perspectives and insights from three Anishinaabe Nations in Ontario, Canada on the importance of a traditional food, moose, and how changes in the moose population are affecting food security, well-being, and ways of life
As global trends in fish and wildlife populations continue to decline, vulnerability to food insecurity is exacerbated across many Indigenous communities that rely on fish and wildlife as traditional foods (Elliott et al 2012, Lam et al 2019, Little et al 2021)
The lowest proportion of community members that observed a moose decline was in Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, despite data indicating that the moose population had the greatest decline in the traditional territory of this community
Summary
As global trends in fish and wildlife populations continue to decline, vulnerability to food insecurity is exacerbated across many Indigenous communities that rely on fish and wildlife as traditional foods (Elliott et al 2012, Lam et al 2019, Little et al 2021). In Canada, off-reserve First Nation households are nearly four times more likely to be food insecure than non-Indigenous households (Willows et al 2009). Chronic diseases such as diabetes are more prevalent in Indigenous Peoples due to diet that has shifted away from traditional foods (Young et al 2000, Damman et al 2008, Hackett et al 2021). While Indigenous Peoples have historically relied on many fish and wildlife species for subsistence, traditional foods hold cultural and spiritual importance that contribute to well-being and maintaining ways of life (Berkes 2009b, Tobias and Richmond 2014). For example, is a physical and spiritual practice that is part of a traditional way Ecology and Society 27(1): 30 https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol27/iss1/art30/
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
