L'interaction entre les savoirs écologiques traditionnels et les changements climatiques : les Cris de la Baie-James, la bernache du Canada et le caribou des bois

This thesis intends to identify the effects of climate change as it relates to the traditional activities of the Eastern James Bay Cree. Numerous studies have analysed climate change, however relatively few have studied its socioeconomic and socio-cultural effects on the subarctic populations of Quebec as does this one.  Exploring the integration mechanisms between scientific knowledge and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), this combination of knowledge being presented by many researchers as the next step in TEK research, this thesis utilizes the various perceptions that the hunters of the Cree Trappers Association have of the impacts of climate change. Emphasis was placed on their traditional activities in connection with the Canada goose and the woodland caribou, two culturally important species  The study uses an approach combining the theoretical aspects of ethnoecology with the practical aspects of case studies.  Various methods of data collection were used: literary and cartography reviews, questionnaires and long and short interviews.  The research demonstrates a variation in Cree observations of climate change and in their perceptions of the effects of these changes based on the location of the community in the James Bay region.  Certain effects are perceived in all communities, for instance participants from all communities worried about the dangers associated with an increased fragility of the ice formed on lakes and rivers.  However, it was primarily members of the coastal communities who worried over the Canada geese moving further inland.  Members of the coastal communities were also the only ones to not notice a reduction in the numbers of woodland caribou on their traplines.  Climate change seems to have an impact on the Cree’s traditional way of life associated with the Canada goose and woodland caribou and to affect the transmission of their traditional knowledge to the newer generations as it pertains to the woodland caribou.  Also highlighted is the fact that a combination of TEK and scientific data allows for a broader picture of climate and species evolution (e.g.: climate variations between the coast and the interior of the territory, presence of white-tailed deers and coyotes on the territory) and suggests new research questions and hypothesis (e.g.: causes for a change in the ice structure, evolution in the range and distribution of Canada geese subspecies, impact of bloodsucking insects on caribou health).  It also allows for a better identification and understanding of the stakes and adaptation processes currently going on in Eastern James Bay communities (e.g.: decrease in caribou consumption, maintenance of geese consumption, increased dangers during travel due to an increase in ice fragility or in unusual climatic events). The combined use of TEK and scientific knowledge allows for a better understanding of the effects of climate change and the complex sociocultural and environmental dynamics at play in the Eastern James Bay.

Keyphrases: Branta canadensis, Rangifer tarandus caribou, Cree, James Bay, Branta canadensis, Canada goose, Rangifer tarandus caribou, woodland caribou, climate change, traditional ecological knowledge