Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) offers potential benefits in many areas, including biological and ecological research, resource management, and other facets of human interactions with the natural world. Realizing these benefits involves linked steps of documentation, analysis, application, and integration with other forms of knowledge. While previous research by P.I. Huntington on TEK of beluga whales has explored the semi-directive interview as a practical method for documenting TEK, further research is needed to (a) explore the potential for local documentation of TEK, (b) characterize the subsequent steps by which TEK can be used, and (c) develop models for doing both.
The proposed project addresses three related questions: Can the semi-directive interview methodology be successfully used or adapted for use in locally-managed efforts to document TEK? How is TEK used in the cooperative management setting of the Alaska Beluga Whale Committee? Can the results of (1) and (2) be generalized to other cases in Alaska, the Arctic, or the world?
To address these questions, the project has four objectives: Local Documentation of TEK: Conduct locally-managed documentation projects, using the semi-directive interview method, on TEK of beluga whales. Application of TEK: Examine the structure, management, and conduct of the ABWC and its meetings to assess the role that TEK plays. Analysis: Compare the results of (1) and (2) with existing information on other cooperative management bodies in Alaska, and other attempts to use TEK both in Alaska and elsewhere. Workshop: Hold a workshop in the final year of the project, to summarize and synthesize what has been learned, to assess how these results have contributed to understanding of TEK and its use, and to identify future research needs.
This research will develop models for documenting TEK and for using TEK to improve research on and management of natural resources. These models will identify significant factors influencing the documentation and use of TEK, including those that may influence the applicability of our models in other settings.
