Chapter 2. Understanding Climate Change Through Indigenous Eyes
Climate change is often presented in mainstream media through charts, statistics, and technical terms – melting glaciers measured in centimeters, temperature targets in degrees. But how do we understand these changes through an Indigenous lens? Through Indigenous eyes, climate change is seen as a relationship issue, a sign of imbalance in the natural world that has deep cultural and spiritual implications (5). It’s not merely about greenhouse gases; it’s about our responsibilities to the land and the consequences of breaking those sacred responsibilities. Many Elders across Canada describe the climate crisis as a “world out of balance” (5) – a phrase that reflects how far we have strayed from living in respect and reciprocity with nature.
“A World Out of Balance.”
In Indigenous worldviews, humans are part of an interconnected web with the earth, water, air, and all living beings. For generations, our knowledge keepers have observed the seasons, listened to the animals, and maintained practices that honored this balance. Indeed, Indigenous peoples were among the first to notice the subtle signs of climate change (5). Long before climate models made headlines, Inuit hunters spoke of thinning sea ice and new species appearing far north, and First Nations berry harvesters in B.C. noticed changes in plant timing and health. Such observations come from intergenerational experience: decades and centuries of living closely with the land and climate. When Elders say the “world is out of balance,” they mean that what they are witnessing today – unpredictable weather, disappearing species, extreme events – deviates from the patterns and natural laws that Indigenous knowledge has understood and respected for ages (5).
For example, Regional Chief Terry Teegee (BC Assembly of First Nations) has witnessed how unsustainable industrial practices and ignoring traditional knowledge have intensified climate impacts on forests. He notes that rampant clearcutting combined with a changing climate led to forests that are drier and prone to massive fires – a clear sign of imbalance in our relationship with the land (5). In his words, Western approaches often “disregard traditional Indigenous knowledge about forest ecosystems,” contributing to a land that cannot heal properly (5). Many other Elders echo that climate change is not just an environmental process but also reflects a disturbance in human values and behaviors (5). In other words, the climate crisis is as much a spiritual and ethical crisis as it is an ecological one. This perspective urges us to restore balance – by reviving respectful relationships with the natural world.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in Action
Indigenous communities have their own sciences – often referred to as Traditional Ecological Knowledge – that provide rich insight into climate processes. TEK is based on long-term observation and experience, often encoded in oral histories, ceremonies, and daily practices. It includes knowledge of how animals migrate, how plants behave with the seasons, and how the weather patterns cycle over years or generations. By listening to our knowledge holders, we gain a nuanced understanding of climate change on the ground. For instance, Anishinaabe communities in the Great Lakes have observed the effects of erratic weather on wild rice (manoomin). Manoomin is a sacred food that grows in lakes and wetlands. Elders have noted that manoomin beds are suffering from more frequent droughts and unpredictable water levels, as well as upstream impacts like dams (2). Scientists later confirmed that warmer temperatures and heavier rainfall events are affecting these waters. But local Anishinaabe knowledge had already flagged the decline of manoomin and interpreted it as a warning sign – a loss not just ecological but cultural. “When the wild rice doesn’t grow well, it’s telling us something about the water and our relationship to it,” one knowledge keeper explained.
Likewise, in northern Canada, Inuit hunters have observed changes in sea ice thickness and timing that have made hunting routes more dangerous. They talk about “the ice is sick”, indicating that something is deeply wrong. These Indigenous observations have often preceded formal scientific studies. In fact, through the advocacy of Inuit like Siila Watt-Cloutier (an Inuk author and Nobel Peace Prize nominee), scientists and policymakers began taking seriously the changes happening in the Arctic (5). Indigenous voices sounded the alarm early, noting that climate change was not a distant future issue but a present reality disrupting their lives. This underscores how critical Indigenous knowledges are for navigating and adapting to climate change (5). We know our local environments intimately; our cumulative knowledge can complement scientific data, providing early warning signals and context that satellite images or computer models might miss.
Impacts Seen from the Land
Through Indigenous eyes, the impacts of climate change are measured in very tangible ways: by the well-being of the land and the availability of traditional foods and medicines. Community members often describe what they see in terms of relationships: fewer salmon in the river, more spirits to appease; less snow on the mountains, more concern for the water beings. These are not just poetic expressions – they reflect a worldview where each environmental change has a ripple effect on culture and spirituality.
One concrete example is the impact on traditional hunting and food gathering. As temperatures warm and weather becomes erratic, many hunters report that animals are behaving differently or not showing up at usual times. In Northern Ontario and Yukon, hunters have shared that unpredictable weather now hampers their ability to safely travel on the land using traditional knowledge (6). Trails that were reliable for generations (like frozen rivers or lakes in winter) have become precarious because freeze-up comes late or thaws early. An experienced hunter might say, “In my father’s time, we knew by the snow and stars when it was safe to go out. Now, the signals are all confused.” This illustrates climate change in real terms: it disrupts Indigenous peoples’ capacity to practice our ways of life. When winter roads made of ice become unreliable, remote communities can no longer hunt or even transport supplies as before, leading to hardship and anxiety (6). We see climate change in the empty smokehouses that once would be filled with salmon, in the berry patches yielding less after a drought, and in the unusual illnesses appearing in our forests and wildlife.
Bridging Knowledge Systems – Two-Eyed Seeing
There is a growing understanding that addressing climate change effectively requires braiding Indigenous knowledge with Western science. Many Indigenous communities advocate a “Two-Eyed Seeing” approach: one eye sees through Indigenous knowledge, the other through Western science, and together they give a fuller picture. In British Columbia, for instance, the First Nations Emergency Services Society (FNESS) works with communities on wildfire management by integrating traditional practices with modern tools (7). One traditional practice is cultural burning – the controlled use of fire at the right time of year to clear underbrush and renew ecosystems. Historically, many First Nations in B.C. would light small fires in a patchwork across the land every few years to prevent the build-up of fuels and to stimulate new growth of berries and grasses for wildlife (7). Elders recount how these burns made forests healthier and reduced the risk of the kind of massive wildfires we see today (7). However, colonial governments banned Indigenous burning for decades, considering it “wasteful” or dangerous, not realizing that suppressing these fires was disrupting ecological balance (7). As a result, forests grew overly dense with fuel, contributing to extreme wildfire seasons under climate change (7).
Now, Western fire scientists and government agencies are beginning to relearn what Indigenous experts have long known: traditional ecological knowledge is part of the solution to the wildfire crisis (7). Collaborations are emerging where fire crews work with Indigenous fire keepers to do preventative burns in the traditional way, and to incorporate Indigenous land stewardship principles in climate adaptation plans. Similar stories are playing out in water management (e.g., using Indigenous knowledge of wetlands to mitigate floods) and in wildlife conservation (e.g., integrating traditional fishing protocols to sustain fish populations). By braiding knowledge systems, we respect the wisdom of our ancestors and strengthen climate resilience. As one knowledge holder put it, “Science is catching up to what our old people knew. We can work together, but we must always include the teachings of the land.”
Seeing the Path Forward
Understanding climate change through Indigenous eyes gives us not only a diagnosis of the problem – imbalance and broken relationships – but also guidance for solutions. It teaches us about respect, reciprocity, and responsibility. Our creation stories and oral histories remind us that Earth has her cycles, and human actions have consequences. When we view climate change through our own cultural lens, we might frame it as a “learning” or “teaching” moment from Mother Earth: she is telling us we need to change our ways. This perspective can be empowering. It moves the narrative from one of helpless victimhood to one of active relationship repair. Instead of just asking, “How do we stop climate change?” Indigenous framing might ask, “How do we heal our relationship with the land and each other so that the harmony can be restored?”
In practical terms, that means elevating Indigenous leadership in climate research and action. It means governments and scientists listening to and working with Indigenous communities, whether it’s to design marine protected areas guided by Indigenous law, or to plan relocations of villages in a culturally respectful way. It also means recognizing Indigenous rights – to land, to self-determination – as essential to climate justice. After all, if climate change is partly rooted in colonization and loss of Indigenous stewardship (a world out of balance), then supporting Indigenous sovereignty and land management is a path to re-balance the world.
Through Indigenous eyes, we see both the stark reality and a hopeful path: we see that the land is hurting, but we also see that our knowledge and values are keys to healing it. By understanding climate change in this holistic, relational way, we lay the foundation for the resilience strategies and healing practices discussed in the coming chapters. In Chapter 3, we will delve into the emotional and psychological side of this experience – the grief, anxiety, and mourning that come with witnessing our world in upheaval, and how naming these feelings is a crucial step in healing.
Below are some helpful resources related to the content in this chapter:
Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada – Climate Change – An educational resource (available online) sharing Inuit and other Indigenous perspectives on climate change. Written in a first-person voice, it describes observed changes – melting sea ice, shifting animal patterns – and explains how climate threats to the land are also threats to cultural identity, food security, and mental health. For example, studies show Inuit cut off from seasonal hunting and fishing suffer impacts to their sense of self and well-being. This Atlas entry situates climate science in the context of Indigenous lived experience and knowledge.
Indigenous Climate Action (ICA) – A prominent Indigenous-led organization and network in Canada devoted to climate justice. Guided by Indigenous knowledge keepers and land defenders, ICA asserts that Indigenous Peoples’ rights and knowledge are critical to solving the climate crisis. It supports community-based climate solutions rooted in traditional values and self-determination. Educators can use ICA’s site for examples of how Indigenous nations frame climate action in their own terms, through teachings of stewardship and sovereignty.
National Inuit Climate Change Strategy – A climate action plan created by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) representing Inuit across Canada’s Arctic. This strategy outlines Inuit-defined priorities in five areas (like food security, infrastructure, mental wellness) and details how Inuit are responding to the climate emergency to protect their culture and way of life. It is a clear example of self-determined climate leadership – “the collective Inuit plan for climate action,” focused on safeguarding Inuit health, environments, and intergenerational knowledge.
Chapter Highlights
Indigenous worldviews frame climate change as a relational imbalance, not just an environmental issue.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) holds critical insight into seasonal changes, species behavior, and long-term land health.
Indigenous observations often predate scientific recognition—proving Indigenous knowledge is science.
Practices like cultural burning and wetland restoration are vital tools for resilience, and are now being integrated with Western science via “Two-Eyed Seeing.”
Understanding climate through an Indigenous lens centers respect, reciprocity, and responsibility—core values for healing the Earth.
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