Gisele Maria Martin

@zazele.bsky.social

Indigenous Cultural Lifeways & Language Advocate, Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks Guardian, Dugout Canoe Skipper, Outdoor Guide, Seasonal Lecturer and Public Speaker🌿

Todays Nuu acronym while collaborating on more Indigenous Protected Areas: FCMT! 🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲 Work is ongoing to protect Culturally Modified Trees (CMTs) sites, but let’s also protect Future Culturally Modified Trees (FCMTs)!!

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“Naʔaataḥ “ (Listen Up!) doesn’t mean listen with your ears, it is “Observe with your whole being”. Not one eye or even 2, but with your heart, guts AND intuition. ʔiisaak is a law, meaning ‘Observe, appreciate and act accordingly’. Indigenous observing is not limited to using our eyes.

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'Sustainability' sounds like a colonial method for keeping nature on life support. Nuu-chah-nulth instead practiced 'Abundability', reciprocity with care for biodiversity and growing the next generations of life. eg: clam gardens have been built and maintained on the coast for over 5000 years

“sustainability?”  ….. “Abundability!”

Nuučaanuł ancestors practiced land care, protecting and growing Indigenous biological wealth over thousands of years. We have a responsibility to care for the next generations of future life, including next seasons insects, birds, bears and salmon. “Land Use Plan?….Longterm Land Care Instead!”

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Cultural tourism discussions are happening and while it’s important for our stories songs and existence to be audible, after all the colonial silencing i am not for ‘sharing’, but presenting and orating in defiance!

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