How place names impact the way we see the place by B. Toastie

 In this article, they summarize and share how place names can have an effect on the place itself. Going back into history historic places were given names upon “founding” , and through a native perspective we can find these names as wrong and misleading. This creates a “parallel meaning system” Cash Cash says, this gives the place a fake identity and furthers from real history and meaning towards the site. 

My interpretation and connection towards this article connects through my understanding and known morals for what I believe is right. I agree with the author and believe that these native sites should be renamed towards names that are more fitting and can illustrate a proper true understanding of history within people's minds. This relates to identity because with these names given by the government they take away a sense of identity within native self whose homes are within these wrongly named places. (Toastie, B. “How place names impact the way we see landscape.” High Country News: Know the West, 1 May 2022, https://www.hcn.org/issues/54.5/people-places-how-place-names-impact-the-way-we-see-landscape. Accessed 27 August 2022.) 

Sharing one skin by Jeannette  Armstrong 

In this chapter of the book it summarizes and gives points on the Okanagan views and its contrast between practices of community. In this she shares her big connection towards environment, sanity, self, and place. She shares the four parts within self being physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. Another key point she reaches later is the difference of community and family within the Okanagan. For the Okanagan community and family is a strong bond going back into history. Overall she shares herself and her community as the Okanagan ties with tradition and mostly our earth.

My interpretation and connection to this chapter in the book is the relationship and understanding between the Okanagan view and my own communities way of living. Reading I found many connections, one being the main point with the importance of our environment and oneself and the deeper layers caring into it. “Okanagan say that heart is where community is”

(Armstrong, Jeanette. “Sharing One Skin: The Okanagan Community,” in Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith (eds), The Case Against the Global Economy. San Francisco, CA, Sierra Club Books, 1996. Pp 460-470.)

 The History of Native American Agriculture By An Ole Hicks View

This article talks about the history of native american agriculture. The article highlights the importance of connection of agriculture and wealth, health, and prosperity of Native American peoples . The article focuses on the early history within natives and how they took advantage of natural resources. Explaining how natives helped navigate european colonists learn to plant. An example they use is the planting of corn, squash, beans, tomatoes, and potatoes. 

My connection towards this article is the explanation to native peoples agriculture and history. It illustrated the ways native people farmed, explaining how they had technique to be able to farm without equipment. This part of the article impacted me by showing how they were able to use intercropping methods such as the three sisters to adapt to better planting styles.

“The History of Native American Agriculture.” An Ole Hicks View, 27 Apr. 2017, https://blogs.lt.vt.edu/ssh56/2017/04/18/the-history-of-native-american-agriculture/#:~:text=Upon%20European%20contact%2C%20Natives%20taught,such%20as%20the%20Three-sisters

Native American social work – Including family and community By Journal of Social Work                                                                                           This article pushes and provides evidence towards native children living within native communities. Social workers work and understand the urgency and importance of allowing native children to stay together. The article gives an example of the long term effects of colonization. They stand that native children should stay within naive communities, this is because it contributes to the individuals developing identity and past. “I think culture is who we are, '' the child states.                         My connection towards this article is the understanding of the importance of community and staying together. I also connect to the part of the article discussing boarding schools and the undergoing trauma natives face. The participants also talked about individual, family, and community dysfunction although also speaking of individual, family, and community strength and resilience together.           “The History of Native American Agriculture.” An Ole Hicks View, 27 Apr. 2017, https://blogs.lt.vt.edu/ssh56/2017/04/18/the-history-of-native-american-agriculture/#:~:text=Upon%20European%20contact%2C%20Natives%20taught,such%20as%20the%20Three-sisters

Living on Earth 

Living on Earth shares a discussion between Jeff Opperman, a global freshwater scientist on November 11th 2022. They discussed a study that shows there has been a 70% decline in wildlife population around the globe since 1970 due to habitat loss, over harvest,pollution, climate stress and more. Although this is stated Jeff shares his point of view on climate change not being a leading driver on declines in wildlife population. A major driver for this is habitat loss, degradation, over harvest, and invasive species. Tropical forests are one habitat that hosts the most animal species, once they are cleared out it causes a nature crisis. As tropical forests are seen being created they release great amounts of carbon, deforestation is also a leading cause to greenhouse gas emissions. My connection to this source begins with the understanding that all or most problems within the environment are connected. This shows that if one this is happening on the other side of the earth it can also have a negative affect within my community. Although this is an issue to dwell on it's also something we can be addressing, looking at both the nature crisis and the climate crisis in solution.

Living on Earth / World Media Foundation / Public Radio International, director. Living on Earth, 11 Nov. 2022, https://loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=22-P13-00045&segmentID=4. Accessed 16 Nov. 2022. 

Hellmann, Melissa. “Indigenous Solutions to Climate Change Could Inform Nationwide Policies.” Center for Public Integrity, 28 Jan. 2022, https://publicintegrity.org/inside-publici/newsletters/watchdog-newsletter/indigenous-solutions-climate-change-policies/. 

Indigenous Solutions to Climate Change could Inform Nationwide Policies by Melissa Hellmann

Indigenous Solutions to Climate Change could Inform Nationwide Policies written by Melissa Hellmann, November 19 2021 is an article addressing the idea that native americans have been for years used to adapting to environmental changes. Natives have over years obtained heavy amounts of traditional knowledge on ecosystems. For this reason Mellissa believes that the lessons from tribal efforts could inform nationwide climate policy. Because for centuries natives have been forced to move on reservations with low quality natural resources, climate change and other environmental issues impact native communities harder, the problems have an effect on native communities because they are not a leading contributor to the cause of the issue. Tribes like the navajo nation are seen facing lack of running water. They are forced to travel long distances to haul shallow clean groundwater, this is getting harder because of drought. Access to traditional foods and clean water are threatened by the rapidly changing ecosystems.  The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation say that climate change has threatened their subsistence practices, such as huckleberry gathering, elk and deer hunting and salmon fishing. I connect to this article by agreeing with Melissas idea and push towards using native ways as solutions towards the fight with climate change. Adaptations we as natives have already made like the use of waffle gardens are small but bigger steps towards bettering our environment, waffle gardens help to reduce water usage. They were also discovered due to the drought we face.