Overview
Lesson 1: Introduction to Relationships between Humans and the Environment
Lesson 2: Berries in the Ecosystem
Lesson 3: Traditional Ecological Knowledge
Lesson 4: Historic versus Contemporary Landscapes
Lesson 5: Responsibility of Society
Standards
HISTORY
- SS.CM.HS.01—Reconstruct, interpret, and represent the chronology of significant events, developments, and narratives from history.
- SS.CM.HS.03—Recognize and interpret continuity and/or change with respect to particular historical developments in the 20th century.
- SS.CM.HS.07—Understand the causes, characteristics, and impact of political, economic, and social developments in Oregon state history.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
- EL.CM.WR.30—Synthesize information from multiple sources and identify complexities and discrepancies in the information and the different perspectives found in each medium.
CD Segments to Play
Background
The treaty had other provisions as well. Treaties are legal documents signed between sovereign nations and the United States government. Following decades of federal legislation aimed at totally eradicating tribal culture and traditional tribal leadership, a tribal government was established in 1938. Much like the United States government, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs has the right to determine its citizens (tribal members) and to govern within their Reservation. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs has created several departments to assist in this government, one is the Natural Resource Management Services; their mission (from the Warm Springs websitehttp://www.warmsprings.com/warmsprings/Tribal_Services/Natural_Resources/index.html
“Mission: Natural Resource Management Services exist to plan and execute a balanced direction for the protection, use, and enhancement of all tribal natural resources. Resources shall be managed as sustainable assets available for cultural, subsistence, economic and social purposes or opportunities in perpetuity consistent with the Confederated Tribes sovereign and treaty status.”
An important concept for students to understand is that federally recognized tribes such as the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, deals with the federal government in a government-to-government relationship. As a result of this relationship, the Natural Resource Management Services staff (under the direction of their Tribal Council) works with state and federal agencies.
Traditional Land Management is one area that the Tribe is working on. With regard to berries, controlled burns historically maintained the environment in a state of secondary succession. Recall the belief that tribal people are responsible to all living things. Using huckleberries as the example, huckleberries were a very significant resource, not only as a food, but as a dye in cornhusk baskets. Additionally, Huckleberry Feasts were (and still are) a significant spiritual ceremony that serves to:
- Honor the return of the huckleberries;
- Signifies the ability of tribal women to begin harvesting (and in doing so, controls the resource distribution);
- Honors a young girl’s first berry gathering and ensures (through ceremonial practices) her ability to gather abundantly and respectfully;
- Recognizes and honors the transition from child to young adult;
- Maintain strong familial ties throughout the community.
The huckleberries take care of the people by providing a very nutritious food source and the people take care of the huckleberries through burning practices that not only maintain a state of secondary succession, but also by returning nutrients to the soil (through the ashes left after the burn) and limiting insect infestations. With regard to other life forms, after an area has been burned, the first plants that emerge are those favored forbs and young grasses that deer and elk are attracted to and that would otherwise not be found in the late fall.
Suggested Strategies
Activities
1. Read
2. Discuss
Originally there were the Warm Springs, Wasco, and Paiute Tribes. These tribes were forced to cede their homelands in exchange for a Reservation. Pass out the pages from the Warm Springs websites regarding the tribes’ chronology and tribal cultures.
3. Research
Break the students into their research groups. Allow them a few minutes to discuss amongst themselves TEK and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. For a homework assignment, have each student write a one-page response to today’s lesson. Add it to their Berry Portfolio.
At this time let the students know that a guest speaker will be coming to the class and encourage the groups to think about questions that they may ask the speaker in preparation for their research project. Alternatively, let the students know that the next class period will be devoted to giving the students time in the library to do research; give each group time to do research on the internet including the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Websitehttp://www.warmsprings.com/warmsprings/Tribal_Community/History__Culture/Culture/.
If any of the groups are researching Traditional Ecological Knowledge; good places to start include: http://www.ser.org/iprn/tek.asp Indigenous Peoples’ Restoration Network homepage,http://www.carc.org/pubs/v20no1/utility.htm information on Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), and http://www.ienearth.org/ Indigenous Environmental Network homepage.
4. Research
This would be a good day to have a guest speaker. The students have been exposed to enough native information that a guest speaker would bring everything together.
Alternatively, give the small research groups time in the library, computer, and/or working together towards the completion of their report and presentation.
