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Maria M’Lot
July 8th, 2010By Erika Blackie
Growing up, Maria M’Lot witnessed various researchers and scientists come into her community of Cross Lake, Manitoba. The majority came, conducted their field work and left with little to no interaction with community members. “They came and left, never sending a report or summary of their work, so nobody really knew what they were doing,” says Maria. Years later, Maria is a researcher herself working with a First Nation-directed environmental non-profit organization, the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources (CIER), on environmental issues including the protection of the boreal forest. Unlike the researchers that came to her community, Maria recognizes the importance as well as immense value in working alongside First Nations, citing that despite her education and hands-on experience, “I am not the expert, the Elders and community members I work with are the experts.”
Growing up in the boreal forest Maria realized that “it is one thing to protect [the boreal] but it is getting people to enjoy it, respect it and experience it.” Interested in working outside to remain connected with the boreal forest Maria first acquired a Bachelors degree in Ecology. “I think nature and the land has so much to teach us. For me, it reconnects and re-inspires me, and gives me the encouragement to keep going. There is nothing like being in the forest and seeing, listening and smelling everything around you.” After completing her under-graduate degree, Maria worked as a Park Warden trainee in Kluane National Park of Canada in the Yukon, and later moved to Churchill, Manitoba to undertake graduate work.
Based out of Churchill, Maria worked with Wapusk National Park of Canada, York Factory and Fox Lake First Nations to help develop Cree place-name maps and landscape terms for the area. Part Cree, Maria is fluent in the Cree language and as part of her graduate work to obtain a Masters degree in Natural Resource Management, Maria met and interviewed Elders and community residents to learn how the Cree language was used to describe the surrounding landscapes, landforms, and waterbodies. “There is a lot of history behind names, Cree place names are very descriptive. Some names were given because of a species of animal, or the names were based on activities that they used to do there.” Regardless of her accomplishments Maria insists, “How can I have as much knowledge as someone who has lived in the area and has lived off the land for many years.”
Through their time spent in the community and on the land, Elders and community members provide insightful wisdom on many issues affecting their traditional lands and communities. Yet, control over the development of natural resources and other land uses by non-First Nation governments for example, has stifled First Nation involvement in local issues. As a result, Maria explains that perhaps one of the greatest challenges facing First Nations is the sense of helplessness and feeling of a loss of control over their traditional lands and communities. “[Communities] need funding, support, and encouragement to help motivate and empower them,” says Maria. Through her work with CIER, Maria provides technical support and helps First Nations set up programs, train individuals and also assists with finding funding to encourage community-driven participation in addressing their environmental issues. Maria’s efforts help communities regain a sense of empowerment. “It is important to get First Nations involved from the very beginning. When you work closely with the community, it has more merit, community buy-in and support, and long-term impact.”
Over the past year and a half, Maria has been involved with northern Ontario First Nations and finding ways to support them in planning for the boreal. In 2008, the Provincial Government of Ontario committed to protect half of Ontario’s boreal forest without including First Nations in the decision-making process or development of the commitment. Furthermore, First Nations have been asked to present land use plans for their traditional territories. However as Maria explains, the land use plans requested by the Province of Ontario do not correspond with how First Nations view the boreal. “We talk with the communities and to them, the boreal extends everywhere and gives them life – they don’t think of borders, rather the boreal is everywhere.”
The boreal region of Ontario flows through the traditional territories of numerous First Nations, so it is not uncommon for traditional territories, which are often based on traditional use and occupancy, to overlap with one another. This overlap is viewed as shared lands by the First Nations. “How can one community make a land use plan when there are shared lands. How is each [community] going to do an individual land use plan without it affecting those around them.” With help from Maria and CIER and other organizations, First Nations are taking their own approach and are developing their own boreal vision, “A unified voice amongst communities with the goal to ‘protect’ and plan for the whole boreal.” This broad vision hopes to inspire and provide direction for all First Nation communities to not only participate in planning for and protecting the boreal forest but to take control and make decisions that are community-driven and based.
Compared to First Nation community members and Elders, Maria does not consider herself to be an expert on First Nation environmental issues, yet, it is evident that her own personal experiences and knowledge is extensive. In her desire to help protect the boreal forest, the encouragement to respect as well as experience the boreal region has provided her with motivation to help assist First Nations to take control over their traditional territories. With Maria’s help, the wisdom and knowledge of Elders and community members will not only be heard but, furthermore, will help support the quest to develop a national, unified vision for the boreal forest.
