ID: 1794
Presenting Author: Audrey-Ann Tremblay
Session: 654 - Culture's Role in Impact Assessment
Status: pending
The presentation will focus on how to produce culturally appropriate tools to effectively communicate the research findings of a CEA to indigenous communities.
Culturally relevant cumulative effects assessment (CEA) often implies the mobilization of indigenous community members. When they come to an end, a lot of invaluable information has been shared and stored in technical documents. However, following OCAP principles, this data is owned by the community and should be returned to its members. How can the results of CEAs be shared in a way that is accessible and relevant to Indigenous communities? In Shipeku-Uinipeku, this question led to the creation of a participative mobile exhibition to promote the knowledge and artistic creations resulting from the project.
Shipeku-Uinipeku (sea, river and littoral in Innu Aimun) is a culturally grounded cumulative effects assessment of maritime activities on Innu communities along the St. Lawrence River. It has been carried out collaboratively by researchers from Université Laval and Innu representatives and Elders from seven communities.
By giving direct return to communities, the exhibition seeks to change what communities call ‘extractivist’ research, where researchers come to collect data and never return. The exhibition fosters transparency and shared understanding of the research findings, ensuring that accurate information reaches community members. Using a participative and inclusive approach, community members actively take part in the production and diffusion of the exhibition. The latter contributes to the well-being of Innu communities by creating dialogue and sharing spaces that strengthen social ties and promote cultural and linguistic continuity (Innu-aitun/Innu-aimun).
Audrey-Ann graduated in land planning. With a background in cultural mediation, she feels privileged to contribute to the exhibition, which makes research findings accessible to Innu communities.
Coauthor 1: Roxane Lavoie