An exercise in Participatory Action Research (PAR) blending Traditional Ecological
Knowledge (TEK) and geospatial information systems to identify vulnerable plant species
valued by southern Louisiana’s coastal Native American tribes
Chief Chuckie, PACIT, discussing plants
Elderberry
Frances Roberts-Gregory
Spelman College
nd
2 Year SOARS Protégé
UNO-CHART
July 27th, 2012
Community Liaison Jamie Berdin in Pointe au Chien
 Establish rapport using PAR
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Objectives
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Pointe-Au-Chien Indian Tribe (PACIT)
Isle de Jean Charles Band of the Biloxi-ChitimachaChoctaw Confederation of Muskogees (BCCM)
Grand Caillou/Dulac Bands of the Biloxi-Chitimacha
Choctaw Confederation of Muskogees (BCCM)
 Design appropriate mixed methods methodology
 Identify vulnerable plant species
Le Jardín des Traíteurs at La Maíson Acadíenne
Vermilionville Living History Museum and Folklife Park
Historic Cajun/Creole Village Healer’s Garden
 Explore intergenerational ethnobotanical knowledge
transfer
 Investigate historical, current, and future implications
of geomorphological change and climate change
 Generate interest in preservation of both traditional
plants and local knowledge
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Community garden revitalization
1948 Isle de Jean Charles
Traiteur Joseph Bud Naquin Gardening
Operationalization
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 Ethnobotany
 study of relation between plants and people
 Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)
 indigenous and local knowledge, practice and belief concerning the use and maintenance of
natural resources that integrates the physical and spiritual into a holistic cosmology
 Participatory Action Research (PAR)
 applied, experimental research that promotes a collaborative information gathering process
between researchers and the people for their direct empowerment and benefit
 Grounded Theory
 social scientific methodology to discover theory throughout course of research through
analysis of data
 Mixed Methods Approach
 research methodology that combines both qualitative and quantitative approaches
Context
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Figure 1 Land/Water Ratio in 1956
Figure 2 Land/Water Ratio in 1978
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 Location:
 Southern part of Terrebonne and
Lafourche Parishes along Bayou
Pointe-au-Chien and Bayou
Terrebonne
 Lack of Federal Tribal Recognition
 Threatened TEK
 Historic suppression of Cajun
French/Native American
culture and language
 Loss of traiteurs (faith healers)
 Loss of plants
Figure 3 Land/Water Ratio in 2008
Endangered local plant species richness
 Changing weather patterns
 Storm surge and flooding
 Hurricanes
 Land loss, subsidence, saltwater
intrusion and coastal erosion
 Manmade canals and oil pipelines
 Contamination and pollution
 Lack of fresh water
 Reduction of barrier islands
 Hotter temperatures
Ideal Methodology: Mixed Methods
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iPhone used in fieldwork
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Materials and Supplies
Accomplishments
Participatory Action Research
Conversations
Semi-structured interviews
• Intergenerational knowledge
• Elders and traiteurs
Atlas-TI software
• Qualitative Data Analysis Software
Integration of ethnobotanical knowledge
with long-term scientific projections
Vegetation Maps
Frances Roberts-Gregory and Science Mentor
Andrew Barron at BTNEP
Future Directions
• Incorporation of local soil types,
elevation and geographical
coordinates of localities where plant
species are still found
• Participatory Mapping
• Cross-reference historical documents
with geographical range maps
housed in the USDA Plant Resource
Database and participatory maps
using Arc GIS software
Participatory Action Research
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Community defines goals of project
Cyclical; not straightforward
Flexibility, trust, honesty
Transparency and openness
Communication
Co-learning
Decolonization
Commitment against harm
Value local knowledge
Inclusion of entire community
Consideration of time
Utilization of familiar settings
Sharing of research
Implementing knowledge
to solve problems
Emancipatory
Democratic
Collaborative
Conscientization
Coastwide Reference
Monitoring System
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Figure 3 Vegetative Types in 1949
Figure 4 Vegetative Types in 2007
Over time, saltwater intrusion and rapid land loss has led to the retreat of freshwater marshes (represented in green) and the
conversion of once fertile agricultural and forested lands to open seawater (represented in dark blue). Many plants cannot grow
without suitable freshwater inputs and soil. All three communities are now dominated by saline vegetative types (represented in
red) and located far away from freshwater vegetative types. Healing plants have all but disappeared from many of the communities.
Cancer, rare diseases and other health ills are common in the region due to genetic, environmental and social factors.
USDA Plant Database
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Bitter Melon
Mexicain
Momordica charantia
The USDA Plant Database contains the
geographic ranges of many plants
species found in North America.
Unfortunately, the data provided is not
mapped at a fine enough resolution to
capture species change and land loss in
the Bayou communities. According to
the map pictured here, bitter melon
should be found in Lafourche and
Terrebonne Parish. However, according
to local residents, bitter melon has
disappeared from the region. We hope
our research can contribute to more
accurate maps drawn at finer scales.
“Our county data are based primarily on the literature, herbarium specimens, and confirmed observations.
However, not all populations have been documented, so some gaps in the distribution shown above may not be
real. Remember that only native and naturalized populations are mapped!”- USDA Plant Database Website
USDA Plant Database
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Red Bay
Petit Laurier
Persea borbonia
Bristle Mallow
Mauve
Modiola caroliniana
Bitter Melon
Mexicain
Momordica charantia
Hackberry/Sugarberry
Sassafras
Black Nightshade
Bois Connu
Gombo Filé
Morelle
Celtis L.
Sassafras albidum
Solanum americanum
“Our county data are based primarily on the literature, herbarium specimens, and confirmed observations.
However, not all populations have been documented, so some gaps in the distribution shown above may not be
real. Remember that only native and naturalized populations are mapped!”- USDA Plant Database Website
Medicinal/Culturally Valuable
Plants Still Found in the Bayous (Limited/Scarce)
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Cactus
Isle de Jean Charles
Spanish Moss
Dulac
Hackberry
Pointe au Chien
Fig
Pointe au Chien
Basil
Pointe au Chien
Cattails
Dulac
Perils of Fieldwork
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Voices from the Community
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Deputy Chief Crystlyn Rodrigue
Community Partner
 “I see a day when holistics will be tested, controlled and regulated…we should practice this right and
freedom before they attempt to take even that away…when we have to rely on others to care for us we
will truly not get the proper care we deserve to preserve the knowledge of our ancestors.”
- Jamie Berdin (PACIT)
 “Plants are highly important to our existence. We depend on the trees for air and many other plants
provide our food and medicine. We must protect each precious one for we cannot exist without them.”
- Chief Shirell Parfait Dardar (Grand/Caillou Dulac)
 “We figured out very quickly that to fully understand the plants we also had to understand the
people that used them. We visited elders and younger members that were able to explain plants that
were and still are available and what they were used for. It was evident that we have lost much, but
that there was hope to bring lost plants back to our people…..It is crucial that we try and develop a
plan to save the healing plants we still have and bring back the ones we have lost. We didn't have
enough time to fix the problem, but it has given us a good start. Thank you for caring!”
– Deputy Chief Crystlyn Rodrigue (Grand/Caillou Dulac)
Conclusion: Does No Land = No Plants
= No Culture? NO!!!
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Isle de Jean Charles 1970s
Chris Brunet in Isle de Jean Charles
Shucking peas in Pointe au Chien
Isle de Jean Charles 2012
Chief Albert Naquin and Family in Isle de Jean Charles
Archival Research
Conclusion: Community Resiliency
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• Individuals and Communities have Agency
• Culture Sits in Places but is Complex and Changes over Time
• Steps can be taken NOW to prevent further land loss and
rediscover/preserve Traditional Ecological Knowledge
• Awareness Campaigns
• Indigenous Rights and the United Nations
• Technical Solutions + Policy Solutions
• Interdisciplinary Science + Native Science
• Inclusion in Levies
• Respect Indigenous Property Rights
• Community Empowerment
• Mitigation + Adaptation
• Grants and Fundraising
• Need for Community Management and Council Approval of
Total Group Relocation to Higher Ground for Isle de Jean
Charles Community
Elevated Raised Bed
Gardens in Grand Bayou
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Potential Solutions
 2010-11 Coastal Garden Collaborative
 14 (4x3x15’) elevated container
gardens
 Model for other communities
 HESCO-BASTION containers
 provides a barrier which helps
protect against erosion and
flooding
 reduces the effect of storm surge
 Tree plantings
 provide habitat for wetland and
migratory birds as well as edible
and medicinal plants for
communities
 Educational Tool
Future Directions
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Transcription and Coding
Nazia Dardar Gardening in Pointe au Chien
• Community Learning Opportunities
• Extend Project
• Language Classes
• Historical Cross-referencing
• Walking Tours
• Multiple Community
• Learning Aids
Liaisons
• Community Gardening
• Group Sessions
• Eat 4 Health Grant (Obtained!)
• Transcription of Data
• Recognize Climate Justice Communities
• Atlas.ti
• Environmental Justice (EJ) issues
• Arc GIS
• Long Term Investment Needed
• Soil Data and Coordinates
• More Inclusion in Louisiana’s 2012
• Validation of Results
Coastal Master Plan
Future Directions
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Environmental Protection Agency
Utilizing Environmental Justice View
Future Directions
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Creating Personalized Habitat Maps in Arc GIS
Thank You!
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Diversity Gathering Room Panel
2012 Rural Sociological Society 75th Annual Meeting
Chicago, Illinois
Acknowledgements
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Acknowledgements
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This work was performed under the auspices of the
Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research
and Science Program.
"SOARS is managed by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research and is funded by the
National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Cooperative
Institute for Research in Environmental Science, and by the Center for Multiscale Modeling of
Atmospheric Processes .“