by Melissa Van Veen
Dzenēs hoti’e—Good day! I am from the Tahltan Nation whose territory resides in the northwest corner of Turtle Island, which today we call British Columbia, Canada. Indigenous culture and practices, particularly around food sovereignty such as harvesting and preparation, has and is being lost to social, environmental, and economic factors. Today, the revitalization of these traditional practices is increasingly discussed on a local and global scale. This is exciting for modern, remote Indigenous communities, which have struggled to maintain food sovereignty and food security in a world that has historically shut out their voices and denied their rights to eat off their historical lands.
From September 4 to 7, I was invited to attend the Festival of Northern Fishing Traditions in North Karelia, Finland, where I witnessed and participated in Finnish traditional fishing practices and networked with international delegates who are working on cultural revitalization and preservation around food sovereignty and security. As a member of the Tahltan Nation, it was inspiring to participate in conversations and learn about the actions others are taking on these issues in an international setting and context.
Working with youth
I work with Tu’dese’cho Wholistic Indigenous Leadership Development (TWILD), a not-for-profit and non-governmental Indigenous led organization. We mentor Tahltan youth to help instill and inspire Tahltan traditional ways of being through land-based activities. My role with TWILD is an assistant guide for backcountry camping, a co-author of a Tahltan-based science curriculum for school-aged children, and the co-lead of our community-led environmental monitoring program. TWILD is collaborating with the Exchange for Local Observations and Knowledge of the Arctic (ELOKA) on the development of the Tahltan Atlas, which is an online interactive map of Tahltan territory that shows place names of culturally important areas, geographical landmarks, water systems, and related information by braiding western ecological science and Tahltan knowledge and stories. The Atlas will be primarily used as an educational tool for Tahltan school children and community members.
This September, while attending the Snowchange Festival in Finland with ELOKA, I met and learned from international traditional fishers, visited two restoration sites, and experienced the welcoming and warm Finnish culture. The festival highlighted Finnish traditional and cultural fishing practices, aquatic ecosystem restoration, and celebrated international delegate’s Indigenous fishing traditions. Festival delegates represented countries from all around the globe from places like Greenland, the Solomon Islands, Tasmania, Taiwan, the United States, the European Union, United Kingdom, and myself, from Canada. The festival was packed full of interactive and cultural activities, delicious homecooked Finnish cuisine, and the sharing of traditional knowledge. For example, we learned about the unique Solomon Island fishing method of dragging a spider web on the surface of the water to catch fish.
The intimate size of the festival gave attendees the opportunity to share thoughts, concerns, and life stories with one another, facilitating the development of lifelong relationships and connections. While the delegates came from all corners of the world, through our stories, we realized we face similar issues such as the decline of local ecosystems, the disappearance of community structure, such as the teaching of cultural traditions, particularly in practices around the gathering of food and care of our lands. Some of the underlying factors effecting these issues are anthropogenic effects from resource extraction, advances in technology, government interference, introduced pollutants and habitat destruction, all exacerbated by global warming.
The festival
The first day we attended a fisher’s market at the Snowchange headquarters, where delegates showcased their traditional fishing tools, methodology, and even offered fish food products to attendees. Snowchange staff made a delicious Finnish “fish and chips” lunch with lingonberry punch; every plate was cleaned and every belly was full.
The next day, delegates were whisked to the beautiful Ala-Koita Village, where under the careful supervision of Elder Reino Piitulainen and Snowchange river seiners, we participated in the traditional Finnish seining practice. The pulling of seine at the Koitajoki river felt peaceful and symbolic; international delegates working side by side, acting as one unit to bring in the fish. Following our memorable catch, Liisa Matveinen, a cultural keeper, performed traditional Karelian and Koitajoki songs while we feasted on fish cakes besides the flowing Koitajoki river.
Following our lunch, we watched the premiere of the Koitajoki Documentary film directed by Thomas Miller, which featured the traditional seining practices of North Karelian fishermen.
On the last day, delegates were brought to the Snowchange Linnunsuo Wetland Restoration Site. This site was historically farmed for peat, which destroyed acres of natural and pristine wetlands. Now, after Snowchange’s incredible restoration efforts, it is home to over 200 bird species, having a positive effect on climate change while purifying local waters by protecting rivers and resident animal species. I heard about this Wetland restoration site almost a year ago and fell in love. I vowed I would see it someday, and to my absolute delight, my dream came true. I had to snap a selfie so I wouldn’t forget this day or this magical place.
Our afternoon closed off at the quaint farmstead, home of the Rune Singers, on the shore of Lake Mekrijärvi, at Ryökkylä Village. Here, two Snowchange artists in residency, performed an ethereal piece in front of Lake Mekrijärvi. The audience was quietly captivated into a peaceful trance while the artists danced and sang among the trees. A highlight of the trip for me was when delegates took turns sharing their cultural songs, reflections, poetry, and music in their native language in an impromptu performance at the farmstead.
Cross pollinating ideas
Global collaborations such as Snowchange’s Festival of Northern Fishing Traditions highlight existing struggles and the need for honest conversations about these issues to change the trajectory of our communities. At the festival, our diversity was viewed as complimentary, and our unique strengths and traditional wisdom was welcomed and respected in these conversations.
Being a part of an international network such as Snowchange and ELOKA has broadened my perspective on what is possible when people connect, communicate and collaborate to tackle common ecological and social objectives. I appreciate the open and respectful approach these organizations have towards Indigenous and traditional knowledge holders, and the intentional creation of space where the traditional knowledge and western science perspectives are braided together. I am grateful to have attended this inspiring and encouraging festival. Medūh—Thank you.
