Main Project Contact:
Annika Trimble
Project Start Date:
2013
Project End Date:
Ongoing
Project Name:
WESTERN ARCTIC RESEARCH CENTRE ETHNOBOTANY GARDEN: Highlighting the plants of the Mackenzie Delta and their traditional uses
ARI Team:
Annika Trimble
Pippa Seccombe-Hett
ARI Technicians and Summer Students
Local Volunteers
Overview:
The goal of this educational garden is to highlight the traditional uses of plants found in the Mackenzie Delta region. Using traditional knowledge from both the Inuvialuit and Gwich’in, we see that the plants are not just a part of the scenery: they are food, fuel, tools, medicine, and more. They are critical to life on the land.
Ethnobotany is the study of the traditional knowledge and customs of a people concerning plants and their uses. In this garden, you will find traditional names and knowledge from the Gwich’in and Inuvialuit perspectives regarding plants which span the traditional territories of both groups, and which helped them survive for millennia. While the garden features plants from a variety of local habitats, it is not meant to be a comprehensive collection of local species, but a representation of those plants which are the most common and important to the people of this area.
Objectives:
The goal of this garden is to highlight the traditional uses of plants found in the Mackenzie Delta region. The space is meant to be used by visitors and residents alike, from the very young to the very wise. For those with limited access to the land, the garden features plants from a variety of local habitats: wet spruce forests, shrubby tundra, dry birch stands, and rocky outcrops. The garden highlights the traditional names and uses of these plants, and underscores the important connection between plants and people in this region.
Methods:
This has been a collaborative effort, from preparing the space, gathering and caring for the plant materials, developing the interpretive materials, and guiding groups through the educational garden – various community organizations and college programs have contributed to its success. Guided tours and classes are offered to visitors as well as local organizations such as daycares, school groups, college classes, and elder programs.
Schedule:
Task | Date |
Education Garden Concept Developed | 2013 |
Garden Beds Built | 2014 - 2015 |
Planting | 2015 - 2017 |
Ethnobotany Tours Offered | 2016 - present |
Interpretive Signs and Gazebo Installed | 2017 |
Release of Webpage with Virtual Tour of Garen and Additional Cultural Context |
2019 |
External Partners:
Gwich'in Tribal Council - Department of Gwich'in Culture and Heritage
Inuvialuit Regional Corporation - Inuvialuit Cultural Centre
Aurora College - Environment and Natural Resources Technology Program
Inuvik Community Greenhouse
Canadian Museum of Nature
Canadian Museum of History
Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program
Keywords:
Plants, Ethnobotany, Language, Traditional Knowledge, Education, Garden, Berries, Shrubs, Trees