# Presentation: 650956

## Tribal Perspectives on Biological Indicators

- Charlie Lippert, Air Quality Technician
- Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
- National Tribal Forum
- Las Vegas, NV	June 3–5, 2008

## Our Relationship andOur Understanding

- Our Relationship andOur Understanding

- 	Environmental quality changes and climate changes alter our _relationship with_ and _understanding of_ the life around us that we use to define
- our culture,
- our homeland and homes,
- our foods and medicines, and
- ourselves

## Definition

**Biological Indicators (Bioindicators)**
- species or chemicals used to monitor the health of an environment or ecosystem through observing their function, population, or status to determine ecosystem or environmental integrity, and monitored for changes (chemical, physiological, or behavioral) that may indicate a problem within their ecosystem.
**Primary Indicator**
- species used as an indicator that _directly_ exhibit chemical, physiological, or behavioral changes due to direct changes in health of an environment or ecosystem
**Secondary Indicator**
- Similar to “Primary Indicator” but have _indirect_ relationship

## Gidizhitwaawiminaan(Our Culture)

*Gidizhitwaawiminaan*(Our Culture)

- Change in our understanding of self
*Zagaakwaandagowininiwag*
- 	(Men of the Thick/Dense Brush)  =  Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
- 	identity linked to homeland but woodlands are becoming prairie
- Change in our understanding of seasons
*Iskigamizige-giizis*
- 	(Sapsugar-making Moon)  =  April
- 	sap-flow times changing; seasonal activities now must adjust
- Change in our understanding of geography
*Oshkibagi-ziibi*
- 	(New Leaf-growth River)  =  Minnesota River
- 	toponym  land function; toponyms must now change

**Notes:**
Due to expansion of the prairie to the north and east in Minnesota, areas traditionally either oak savannah or conifer forest are expected become prairie over the coming years.  The prairie’s edge is estimated to arrive in Bois Forte Band’s traditional lands by 2030.
Climate change will adjust the season lengths.  As the Anishinaabeg mark months by the primary activity of that particular month, movement in seasons result in adjustment of names of the month.

## Gidakiiminaan(Our Homeland)

*Gidakiiminaan*(Our Homeland)

***Gichigamiing,***** *****Mitigwaakiing ashi Omashkodeng  *****(Coastal, Woodlands and Plains)**
- Anishinaabeg have transitioned from Coastal to Woodlands and Plains due to:
- 	**√**	*Niizhwaaswayagaan mishkodeni-**	**niigaanaajimowinan* (Seven Fires Prophecy)
- 	**√***	**Bagamaadiziwin* (the Arrival)
- 	**√** 	*Wezhibii’igaazowinikaang* (Treaty Area)
- 	**?**	Shift in *Daawakiing* (Ecological zone)

**Notes:**
Picture =  doodem marker for the eagle clan
Picture = doodem marker for the crane clan (traditional Anishinaabe leadership clan)

## Ecological zones defined by

***a’aw akiing***** (terrestrials)**
- – *gitigaanan*		– *binesiwag/bineshiinyag*
-     (plants)			    (birds)
- – *manidoons*		– *awesiinyag*
-     (bugs/insects)		    (animals)
***a’aw nibiing***** (aquatics)**
- – *ataagibiin/washkoon*	– *zhiibshiibag*
-     (aquatic plants/reeds)		    (waterfowls)
- – *manidoosh*			– *giigoonyag*
-     (bugs/insects)			    (fishes)

**Notes:**
Ecological zones have 3 types of indicators:
Microbial/Chemical
2) Animal
3) Plants

## Endaayang (Our home)

*Endaayang* (Our home)

***wiigwaasaatig***** ****(birch)**
*mide-wiigwaasabakoog* (sacred birchscrolls)
***giizhikaandag***** ****(white cedar)**
*nookwezigan* (smudge)
***zhingwaakwaatig***** (pine)**
*mitigoon* (lumber)
***ininaatig****** (red maple)***
*ziinzibaakwad* (sugar)
***emikwaanaatig***** (ash)**
*aabajichiganan* (utensils)

**Notes:**
Pine = sensitive to pH changes
Picture = white cedar/arbor vitae hung from the above to ward off maji-manidoo

## Miijiman gaye Mashkikiiwan(Foods and Medicines)

*Miijiman gaye Mashkikiiwan*(Foods and Medicines)

***odoonibiig *****(tullibee)**
- ↑temperature, ↓tullibee
***ogaawag***** ****(walleye pike/pickerel)**
- ↑organophosphorus insecticide spray drifts, ↓larval walleye growth
***moozoog***** ****(moose)**
- ↑temperature, ↑pests, ↓moose

**Notes:**
Picture = doodem marker for the pike clan

## Miijiman gaye Mashkikiiwan(Foods and Medicines)

*Miijiman gaye Mashkikiiwan*(Foods and Medicines)

***waakonishag***** ****(lichens)**
- ↑SOX and ↑PM2.5 in the air, ↓lichens as medicine
***mashkodiisiminibagoon***** ****(bean leaves)**
- leaves susceptible to O3 and NOX damage
- 	↑ injured bean plants, ↓ bean nutritive quality/yield
***maniwegoonsan***** ****(bristly buttercup)**
- thrives in mild NH4+ enriched atmosphere
- 	↑ growth along roads
- 	↓ medicinal use due to herbicide applications

**Notes:**
Picture = doodem marker for the splitwood clan
Three sisters = mandaamin (maize), mashkodesimin (bean) and akwisimaan (squash)

## Mino-ayaawin (Health)

*Mino-ayaawin* (Health)

- 	Ultimately, we ourselves are also biological indicators, *aakoziwin* (disease) can manifest
***E-giishkanaamoshkaawaad***** ****(COPD)**
- 	Asthma and other breathing difficulties from SOX, NOX, PM2.5 and O3 in the air
***Miskwiwaaboo-niisaakonaan***** ****(blood chemistry)**
- 	Changes in food/medicine chemistry and atmospheric chemistry affects our blood chemistry and our body function

**Notes:**
Picture = doodem marker for the snake clan

## ConcludingThoughts

- ConcludingThoughts

- 	Man did not weave the web of life – he is merely a strand in it.  Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.
- Chief Seattle, 1854
*	**Miigwech.  Mii sa go i’iw.*  (Thank you.  That is all for now.)

## Sample References

**Books**
- Carson, Rachel (1962). *Silent Spring*. ISBN 0-618-24906-0
- Farr, Daniel (2002). “Indicator Species”, in *Encyclopedia of Environmetrics*. ISBN 978-0-471-89997-6
- Lagler, Richard B. (editor)(1998). *Recognition of Air Pollution Injury to Vegetation: A Pictorial Atlas*. ISBN 0-923204-14-8
- Shrivastava, Rahul (2007). “Indicator Species”, in *Encyclopedia of Environment and Society*.  ISBN 1412927617
**Websites**
- http://biomarkers.pnl.gov/
- http://www.biobasics.gc.ca/english/View.asp?x=740
**Journals and Journal articles:**
- Environmental Bioindicators – An Official Journal of the International Society of Environmental Bioindicators. ISSN 1555-5275 (print), 1555-5267 (online)
- Noss, Reed (1990). “Indicators for monitoring biodiversity. A hierachical approach”, *Conservation Biology* 4: 355-364

## Phone:	320-532-4704 / 800-709-6445 ext. 4704	Fax: 320-532-7514Home:	320-629-2126 / 651-271-4391e-mail:	charliel@millelacsojibwe.nsn.us (general correspondence) 	charliel.millelacsojibwe@gmail.com (data exchange)

**MILLE LACS BAND OF OJIBWE INDIANS**
- Executive Branch of Tribal Government
**CHARLES JIRÔ LIPPERT**
- Air Quality Technician
- Department of Natural Resources and Environment
- 43408 Oodena Drive
- Onamia, MN 56359-2236

**Notes:**
Biography:As a Chemical Engineer and Environmental Chemist, Charles has been working with Native American Tribes for over a decade and has been with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe for the past seven years. Charles' duties in safe-guarding the tribe's access to a healthy "Giizhigong" (Sky-World) have him cover the tribal interests in ambient air, indoor air, energy, and up to three-degrees of separation in interconnected activities that may affect the three areas of interest. On his off time, he is one of the editors to the Freelang® Ojibwe Electronic Dictionary and often contributes to Wikipedia®.