TRIB A L PESTICIDES PROGR A M COUNCIL MEETING PRESENT A TION: PESTICIDES & C A LIFORNI A INDI A N B A SKETWE A VERS PRESENTED BY: REBECCA TORTES, MPA - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DIANIA CAUDELL - EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER
C A LIFORNI A INDI A N B A SKETWE A VERS A SSOCI A TION: A N INTRODUCTION CIBA was established in the early 1990's by a small group of weavers who were concerned that "master weavers" were beginning to pass on and with their passing, vital cultural and traditional ecological knowledge was at risk of being lost within our California tribal communities. CIBA’s vision is, "To preserve, promote and perpetuate California Indian basketweaving traditions while providing a healthy physical, social, spiritual and economic environment for basketweavers." One of the ways that we support this Vision is working to increase our weavers' access to traditional cultural resources on public and tribal lands and traditional gathering sites. Related to this work, we educate our members and partners on the negative effects that pesticide use has not only on the quality of our basketry materials but on the health of our weavers, gatherers, and others members of our tribal communities.
WHY IS B A SKETWE A VING IMPORT A NT TO US ? “Weaving connects me to my tribe, the land, and my elders.” “Weaving is all about community! My fellow weavers are my family and friends.” “When I weave, the rest of the world stops, it is all I can think of, it puts my heart and mind in a good place." Native Americans in California have used plants for thousands of years, they are cultural practitioners and traditional ecological knowledge carriers.
B A SKETS A RE USED FOR: Cooking | Eating | Wearing as Caps | Regalia | Baby Carriers Rattles | Harvesting | Catching Fish
S A N DIEGO COUNTY - EX A MPLE In San Diego County pesticides are widely dispersed at various times throughout the year to: Control undesirable insects or disease. Clear unwanted vegetation along roadsides. Control weeds and shrubs on private property. Image: Aerial spray in Rainbox, CA - 2012
B A SKETWE A VERS USE THEIR H A NDS , MOUTH , TEETH , A ND LIPS Weavers prepare basket materials for use by peeling the bark from the shoots or roots with their lips and teeth. Weavers also use their teeth as a third hand during weaving of larger baskets. Weavers often chew the ends of roots and sticks to prepare them to be added to the basket or to bend materials. Pesticide residues can remain in plant material for a year or more. Factors that can effect how long a pesticide remains include sunlight, temperature, the presence of oxygen, soil type, etc.
PESTICIDE EXPOSURE H A S BEEN Status of Pesticides in Indian Country - TPPC LINKED TO THE FOLLOWING: In fact, the exposures and effects Skin and Eye Irritation Leukemia of pesticides on culturally Headaches Lymphoma relevant plants and animals have Dizziness Soft Tissue Sarcoma caused adverse health effects to Nausea Parkinson’s Disease Muscle seizures tribal members who come in Generational Reproductive viability contact with these plants and transmission animals. Tribal members who gather plants such as poison sumac have received sub-lethal doses of pesticides through the ways that they gather and use these plants. Pg. 23
CIB A' S POLICY ST A TEMENT ON PESTICIDES A dopted on March 5 , 1994 The web of life that connects all living things is harmed when poisons are applied to our environment. The biological diversity of our forests and wetlands is diminished when pesticides are applied to our environment. Many of these same plants provide us with our food and teas, are used in baskets and for healing, ceremonial and other traditional purposes. When we harvest and use these plants, or take fish or game, we want to know that they are free of poisons. We want the assurance that we are not endangering our health or that of our children and unborn generations. Pesticides contribute to the poisoning of water tables and watershed and the destruction of fisheries. The licensing and regulation of pesticides favors pesticide manufacturers and users over public health and environmental well-being. The long term effects of pesticides currently being used are not known. There is mounting evidence that pesticides are contributing to an increase in human cancers and to reproductive disorders throughout the animal kingdom. We condemn the policy of acceptable risk, which maintains that there is an acceptable level of human suffering and environmental degradation that can be balanced out by the benefits of using pesticides. The costs of pesticide use to people, wildlife, and ecosystems is immense, often personal and tragic, and can never be justified by economic gain
IN OUR WE A VERS ' WORDS "I was gathering sedge in Fallbrook about 10 years ago, in an area where spraying was done on poison oak approximately three years prior. I had my eyes swollen shut by 6pm,and major facial swelling for about 5 days. Went to emergency room treatment with steroids. Sedge was trashed and juncus grew over the area. We don't gather juncus in that area anymore." Lydia - San Luis Rey Luiseno - Mission Indian "The first lesson l learned was never gather along the roadway. Maintainance workers regularly spray for weed control all over California highways. And drift from aerial spraying can carry for miles is something l learned later. This puts basketweavers at risk all over the valley floor here in California. I never put sticks in my mouth. When l first learned basketweaveing l chewed the ends of my sticks to fan them out, which helps secure them. I use a small pair of pliers now because l just dont want to take a chance on chemical exposure." Athena - Wintu " I see a lot of crappy, diseased plants when I gather." Tima - Chumash
SIGNS OF PESTICIDE EXPOSURE IN N A TIVE Wilted, Dropping, or Burnt Looking Leaves PL A NTS Patches of dead or deformed looking plants Pinkish tint on plants
WH A T IS CIB A CURRENTLY HOW C A N THE EP A WORK BETTER WORKING ON ? WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ? WH A T Developing informational flyers RESOURCES A RE NEEDED ? focusing on Southern, Central, and Understand that each Tribe has its own Northern tribal areas. customs and traditions related to Indigenous Stewardships Methods (land management) – Encouraging weavers to advocate for There is not a one size fits all approach. pesticide education within their tribal Invite Native people to speak and present at communities through the creation of EPA events, not just tribal EPA events. simple "advocacy & education talking Work with Native people to develop culturally points." competent outreach and education materials. Creating a digital and print, "Resource Create grant opportunities for grant funding Guide," listing pesticide-free gathering to address pesticides and how to identify areas. For example, Cache Creek pesticides affects on native plants. Conservancy's Gathering garden.
Status of Pesticides in Indian Country - TPPC Section 4.1.4: Successful ways to address Pesticide Exposure Reservation-wide workshops and trainings about pesticide exposures and effects. Monthly education and outreach activities at existing tribal events - Earth Day, Pow-Wow, Per Capita Day, etc. Establishment of pollinator habitats free of pesticides. Pg. 25
CIBA MAILING ADDRESS DIANIA CAUDELL GET IN TOUCH BOARD OF DIRECTORS - 428 Main St . Woodland , CA 95695 TREASURER INSTAGRAM EMAIL ADDRESS dicaudell @ aol . com @ ciba . baskets ciba @ ciba . org FACEBOOK REBECCA TORTES , MPA PHONE NUMBER www . facebook . com / groups / ciba . org EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 530 . 668 . 1332 rtortes @ ciba . org
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