How can we expect to be designers of ecological culture if we dont have a clear understanding of our past? Permaculture gives us the ability to design resilient homesteads, farms, villages, towns and economies so that we have the ability to weather the storms that come our way, whether they are economic or ecological in nature. But it is very much the opposite of what agricultural systems are today, which tries to kill everything except the plant that you want to grow. Science rather than trying to count carbon, should work to explain to the Western scientific world why these stewarded places are so important and why these practices should be continued. There are stark differences between agricultural systems in indigenous communities and agricultural systems in contemporary communities. You name it: housecleaning, selling jewelry, and, of course, growing and trimming marijuana (which is what probably eighty percent of West Coast activists and artists have done to sustain themselves for decades.). By this definition, just about every landowner in the permaculture community is a settler/colonizer. If resource extraction or industrial infrastructure needs to happen, none of us are immune to being displaced. But the federal agency said, Theres a fence there, and it says no trespassing. Decolonizing Agriculture & Our Understanding of Biodiversity More information about our Privacy Policy can be found here. Decolonizing Permaculture Information Session - School of Integrated Living He helps facilitate PDCs with Lisa Fernandes of The Resilience Hub. An example of a novel ecosystem with forest garden polycultures and a diversity of plants and flowers. Disclaimer: The problem with this type of list is that it asks the privileged reader to discover a sense of empathy based on altruistic inclination: I am asking you to forego the privilege that seems to benefit you, and to give up some of your power and position, in order to build a more just society for everyone else. I maintain a permaculture design/build practice for residential and farm clients. When we talk about decolonizing regenerative agriculture, we are looking at that initial definition. ARTY: What does it mean to decolonize agriculture and how does that pertain to regenerative agriculture? Rather than being burdened with that task, the idea that we respect the unknown helps people deal with it. The easy absorption, adoption, and transposing of decolonization is yet another form of settler appropriation. I come from a background of union activism, art & philosophy, direct-action environmentalism, public school education, and building trades. To me its weird because in indigenous epistemologies people are a part of the environment, and its the same with the microbiome. So, my definition of regenerative agriculture is one that includes a true history of land and the environment and peoples health that starts prior to contact. How can we translate and communicate that to members of our colonial culture who may have forgotten? Podcast: Decolonization & Sudden Oak Life By Melissa Ott Fant February 15, 2021 Education broadacre permaculture, decolonization, permaculture design course, Sudden Oak Life, traditional ecological knowledge Current PDC student Danielle created two podcast episodes from audio recordings at our Broadscale Permaculture weekend in February 2021. ARTY: In the webinar you hosted as part of a First Nations Development Institute series on land stewardship, you said that agroecology is a non-indigenous term; its an interpretation of an indigenous way of farming, but not an interpretation by Indigenous People. Decolonizing PermacultureExploring the Permaculture Principles through an Equity LensSaturdays, May 22 - June 1911am - 1pm Eastern TimeOnlinehttps://www.scho. Cherokee) earth-based (non-European) language, and the common uses at Earthaven Ecovillage. I recognize that these issues need to be studied and dealt with through an intersectional lens. And imagine what I could do now if I had a piece of my own land instead of 80 grand in student debt. Decolonization matters because it is the right thing to do in a moral sense. Decolonizing Permaculture Permaculture is a fantastic curriculum and a beautiful pedagogy a wonderful system of knowledge that has been distilled down from a much larger traditional ecological body of knowledge originating all around the world and I think many of us within the movement acknowledge that. I see an agenda of decolonization coupled with land use based on permaculture design as a positive way forward toward a time of greater ecological and social health, in which we may rediscover how to live in right relationship to a place while simultaneously repairing and healing historic crimes against humanity. The Navajo people do different things than Kiowa people. And we dont want you to feel bad about it. Currently, Tyson is cultivating an apothecary for ethnobotanical accessibility and developing a broader collective to support traditional ecological knowledge. Decolonizing Permaculture Whitewashed Hope: A Message from Indigenous Leaders and Organizations on Regenerative Agriculture and Permaculture "Whitewashed Hope" is an open-source document intended for sharing. Another proposal is that we should seek genuine and longstanding relationships with existing First Nations. But its a fallacy to think that we can imitate a system that has been in existence for hundreds of thousands if not millions of years. Special thanks also to gkisedtanamoogk (Wampanoag nation), Canupa Gluha Mani (Lakota nation), and Ana Oian Amets (Aquitainian proto-Basque ancestral recovery) for the same. Thats the only way were going to ensure that we are within the cycle of whatever natural systems were a part of. In order to be successful farmers, we have to learn how to adjust to those environmental changes from the beings in that natural environment. Decolonizing Permaculture. - LinkedIn She served as garden educator and camp director at the Truly Living Well Center for Urban Agriculture for eight years. Our intention is to invite proponents of western ecological agriculture (e.g., regenerative ag / permaculture) to go deeper and encourage their peers to go deeperto not just 'take' practices from Indigenous cultures without their context, but to also encompass the deeper Indigenous worldviews inspiring a consciousness shift that hopefully will You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. How we behave and interact with our ecosystems matters. She is now focusing on her writing and on EarthShine, a business that exposes children and teens to the wonders of the natural world. In places like the Amazon or here in California where the Mono people are still doing traditional burns, or places along the rivers where Indigenous People are stewarding the salmon and the salmon burial grounds, those are some of the healthiest soils. Its also important to remember that no group of people is monolithic, whether we are talking about the permaculture movement, people of color, or Native American peoples. A-DAE: Absolutely. There are a lot more specialized skills in the individual land plot scenario. This concept is complicated by the fact that the ancestors of some settlers of color have been brought here against their will, in the slave trade or as indentured servants. Permaculture Design Magazine Issue: 98 - Decolonizing Permaculture May 22: Decolonizing Permaculture Overview, May 29: Principle 1: Observe and Interact, June 5: Principle 2: Catch and Store Energy, June 19: Principle 4: Apply self-regulation and feedback. We understand that BIPOC experience more financial and institutional barriers to participation, and this is one way we are able to create more access. The tragedy is that such thinking offers permaculturist white people the opportunity to replace those indigenes and complete the project of settler colonialism, without those permies realizing that theyre doing so. They said you need to put fences around your fields so you can keep out all the animals that are going to eat your crops. It is an ethically bounded framework of ecological design that can be used to design everything from landscapes and farms to business enterprises and other cultural projects, on nearly any scale. Imagine that there are so many new and true connections out there, just waiting for you to step forward. We would do well to reflect on our role as ecosystem designers and designers of ecological culture, and to think of ourselves in our design and organizing work as culture jammers.[i] What then, are some responsibilities here (vis a vis EarthCare, PeopleCare, FutureCare)? Nobody should feel like a slave. In contemporary agriculture, there are individualized, commodified resources like land, you can buy water, at one point in our history you could even buy somebodys body and health. In an indigenous community, there are some things that just cannot be commodified land, water, air, animals, even the health of the people, all of which are considered collective resources. I dont tell you all of this to make you feel bad or to pity me. It needs to rip through the Permaculture Community worldwide. Not to say that racism, sexism, ageism and other -isms dont cause problems, but ultimately it is the control and ownership of money and property that allows people to abuse their other privileges. Download a sample from the Decolonizing Permaculture issue here (19MB). Bioneers 2023: Transformation, Regeneration, Celebration, Bioneers Statement on 2023 Conference Dates, 30+ years of leading edge/inspiring talks, conversations and shorts. A-DAE: Invite them to the table. Whether we turn our observational gaze to food systems, energy systems or economic and political systems, they are all overdue for a radical ecological revision. Amakiasu Turpin-Howze In light of Earth Care, People Care and Future Care, how can this be a valuable concept? Can you talk more about reverence versus exploitation? Faculty and SOIL Co-Founder She served as garden educator and camp director at the Truly Living Well Center for Urban Agriculture for eight years. How can we tend our own council fires in service to the community? I am deeply grateful for the space to explore this important topic in these pages, and I am grateful to the other participants in this conversation for their help in unpacking these ideas and figuring out how to apply them to our permaculture organizing efforts. Shes been living in rural, land-based community since 1995 and at Earthaven Ecovillage since 2000. Resources, News and Articles - Santa Cruz Permaculture I reached out to my close friends and eventually we found an article titled Decolonization is not a metaphor.[iii]. Indigenous People have created the idea of the unknown and the sacred and reverence for where we are as the youngest entity in this place. When we write about decolonization, we are not offering it as a metaphor; it is not an approximation of other experiences of oppression. These are things we cant see unless you have a microscope and unless you know what a carbon atom looks like. If responsibility falls to the intervenor, how does that affect contemporary land ownership for those who can afford it? Its a tall order, but I hope that you will embrace the challenge. Decolonizing permaculture - Shelton-Mason County Journal Each of these peoples have their own practices and stories that go along with these practices. My response to that? Permaculture on the edge: building an anti/despite/post-capitalist How do we remember that we are all indigenous to this planet, our Earth Mother, our Gaia? They are not extinct. 9/15/20 - Turning Fire Into Water: Fire Preparedness through Forest and Watershed Restoration. Articles covering the people, projects, and organizations creating lasting change in the world. They know how to see the health of the soil without needing a microscope. Allan Savory, the founder of holistic livestock management, was criticized by scientists because initially he didnt use scientific metrics to measure his success, but instead he used the overall improved health and biodiversity of the landscape. Its a very broad term. Well also discuss how to use these principles to transform ourselves, our values, our behaviors, our projects, and our society by interpreting them through a decolonized lens. In order to better understand the concrete ways in which permaculture can be colonizing and generally problematic within the context of social justice, it is important to get the facts from a reliable source i.e. Permaculture certainly appears to have been assembled from toolkits from all over the world and throughout history. As Moore (2015) points out, "all life rebels against the value/monoculture nexus of modernity, from farm to . The middle of the scale reflects the value we believe the program holds and the low-end offers a more accessible entry point. How do we organize for that kind of vision or dream? Friendships require vulnerability, compassion, patience, and most of all, effort. As I ruminated on the difference between recruitment, green missionary work, and relevance, I also started to ask how I could use my privilege and agency (as a white cis-male) to be an ally to marginalized Native communities. But we never had enough money for rent. It informs how I think about what part I can play to heal historical traumas. EarthShine also includes her Eco-Hood Design-and-Build Project along with Soulstice, which introduces young folks to careers theyve never heard of. someone with experience in conveying and working with these kinds of topics. Lee is a sustainability professional with twenty five years of experience envisioning, designing, and living innovative solutions to organic food systems, intentional community, and sustainability education. And a true friend gives all of this back to you, and so much more. Decolonizing Permaculture Workshop Description. The industrial machine is genocidal because it kills off whole nations and peoples. We now approach a closely related topic that, while important, is big enough that it warrants a separate article. The conversation usually goes something like this: Settler/landowner: What can I do to help the poor?, Me: Gift me a piece of land, and I will turn it into a seed sanctuary, food forest, and permaculture paradise that will feed and benefit the community for generations.. This framework would help us discern between solidarity projects and green-missionary projects, both here and abroad. resilience.org/stories/2016-02-19/decolonizing permaculture. It doesnt include indigenous people because only colonizers and settlers are considered farmers in America. Sometimes its public benefit; sometimes its through actual cash economy transactions. We dont need a Hero. A-dae was interviewed by Arty Mangan, Director of the Bioneers Restorative Food Systems Program. Contemporary agriculture doesnt have the same base. ARTY: The late Joseph Campbell, professor and author of books on mythology, said that Indigenous Peoples refer to the natural world and all in it as thou, as sacred. Decolonizing . That was my choice and I dont regret it, but the burden of those loans is crippling. Wilderness Skills - Santa Cruz Permaculture When youre trying to move an entire community of white people and as a non-white person, it is really, really hard and tiring. kcet.org/shows/tending-nature/the indigenous science of permaculture. Indigenous communities embrace the environments that were in. Whenever I get questions about agriculture, I always get a little squirmy because I realize most people are coming from the perspective of the American historical narrative where Indigenous People are excluded. We need small, steady change built upon strong, healthy connections. To me, it boils down to two things: A view of oneself as somehow superior in knowledge and ability to others, and a lack of the sincere trust that one needs in order to build authentic relationships. I was like: What is this? We can probably shoot for mimicking nature, but the idea that we could actually achieve it is a fallacy to me. By using this lens of understanding, you can look at these systems and choose your leverage points. Indigenous people, in general, dont use pesticides. On the surface, permaculture is often about designing eco-groovy, perennially edible landscapes, gardens and farms. Decolonizing Permaculture: Bridging the gap between privilege and 5/7/22 - Our Permaculture Community Comes Together - A Reflection on Weekend One of the PDC. How should this principle inform the actions of ethical people who benefit from skin and gender privilege in general? If permaculture has as its ethical foundation Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share or Future Care, what do those words mean in this light, given the fact that people like me passively benefit from systematic forms of oppression and genocide that continue today? No portion of the original content on this website may be reproduced, in any language, without express written consent. Dont use the ethics and principles for excuses to avoid difficult conversationsuse them as tools for navigation. When we talk about decolonizing regenerative agriculture, we are looking at that initial definition. A-DAE: Agriculture, as were told in the American narrative, is the delineating line between civilization and the wild Indians. The shorthand is that Takers are people of industrialized growth-based societies and Leavers are people of tribal, small-scale, village-based or nomadic societies. I dont have time to deal with people criticizing me. Pomo people do different things than Navajo people. That means that when people are talking about correcting agriculture to a time when it was better, were going back to that definition of when settlers came to America and started agriculture. A-DAE: One of the reasons I entered into the organic community was because organic uses less chemicals to create a food system, and the use of those things by industrial agriculture really worried me. Tyson is a two-hearted and two-spirited person descended from the local indigenous matriarchy called the (A-ni-gi-lo-hi) based here in their aboriginal territory most commonly known as the Great Smoky Mountainsides. Friends are loyal, honest, and sincere. Its almost like the idea of wilderness being healthy if nobodys in it. Arty Mangan Food and FarmingIndigeneity Article. Jesse Watson is a permaculture designer, teacher and builder living and working in Midcoast Maine, occupied Penobscot territory. Isnt nature our best teacher? We have to remove the empire from our heads before we can remove the empire from any land base. . A-DAE: One of the major components I hear consistently in regenerative agriculture is this idea of carbon sequestration. We need to be relevant. A-DAE: Yes. The reason this matters is because the industrial systems we are embedded within and dependent upon are often deeply flawed and corrupt, in addition to being quite brittle.