Throughout the Can-Peat project, we will take a braided approach to our science. Researchers, partners, students, and staff will work with the Indigenous Advisory Council and Indigenous Peoples and Communities to ethically braid Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science. To achieve this, our specific goals are to:
- Co-develop and co-design ethical pathways for Indigenous engagement across the research lifestyle;
- Support environmental data and Indigenous Knowledge in one comprehensive database;
- Empower Indigenous Data Sovereignty through the creation of the Can-Peat network;
- Provide a framework for ethical Indigenous research partnerships and Indigenous-led peatland research;
- Support methods for co-creation and braided knowledge mobilization across the Can-Peat network.
This work will also be supported by Dr. Kelsey Leonard, her WAMPUM lab, Sara Anderson with the Office of Research, and Johnston Research Inc.
Sweetgrass is a sacred medicine among many Indigenous Peoples often symbolizing healing, gratitude, and peace. The sweetgrass braid represents our intention to work collaboratively to support reciporcal relationships for peatland protection and management. Each strand alone is not as strong as when braided together.