BLUE ECOLOGY OFFERS HOPE AND REMOVES THE FEAR OF RECONCILIATION: “As long as you show a genuine curiosity, the willingness to learn, cross-cultural conversations blossom,” stated Michael Blackstock, Independent Indigenous Scholar and co-founder of the Blue Ecology Institute Foundation
Note to Reader:
Waterbucket eNews celebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. The edition published on September 26, 2023 announced release of the Blue Ecology video documentary titled Watershed Moments 2023: A Pathway to Water Reconciliation and Resilience at the Local Scale. The video features Michael Blackstock, independent Indigenous scholar.
Watershed Moments 2023 showcases a free-flowing conversation, with Richard Boase steering the process. This allows the chemistry with Brian Carruthers and Michael Blackstock to take its natural course. Brian and Michael have direct experience in interweaving two cultures. This makes the documentary relevant, timely and timeless. The Watershed Moments message is compelling.
BLUE ECOLOGY 101: Local is the scale where actions matter
“So, we made Blue Ecology the theme for the 2017 workshop in Metro Vancouver. Again, Blue Ecology resonated. And we commenced the process of mainstreaming awareness of Michael Blackstock’s work and ecological philosophy into the local government setting. Watershed Moments 2023 is the latest evolution,” stated Kim Stephens, Executive Director, Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, and Co-Chair of the Watershed Moments Team.
“The Partnership and Watershed Moments Team are on a journey with Michael Blackstock. It is taking us time to build trust and relationships with First Nations to the point of being able to showcase Blue Ecology in action. But that is okay. Our philosophy is that it is more important to get it right than to get it done.”
TO LEARN MORE:
To read the complete story, download a copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia; Blue Ecology offers HOPE and removes the FEAR.
Non-Indigenous people are afraid of saying the wrong thing, or breaking Indigenous cultural protocol, so they back away from meaningful dialogue out of FEAR.
“As long as you show a genuine curiosity, the willingness to learn, cross-cultural conversations blossom,” observes Michael Blackstock. He is an Independent Indigenous Scholar, former member of a UNESCO Expert Panel on Indigenous ecology, and co-founder of the Blue Ecology Institute Foundation. His professional career has been with government as a treaty negotiator.
Watershed Moments 2023: A Pathway to Water Reconciliation and Resilience at the Local Scale, was released to a global audience on World Rivers Day, September 24th. Legendary BC environmental leader Mark Angelo shared this testimonial with his international network…
Watershed Moments 2023 seeds the idea that hope lies within the spheres of influence for local governments — whether they are Indigenous OR non-Indigenous. At its heart, Blue Ecology is about embracing lessons learned from First Nations oral history, taking responsibility for care of the land, and passing on the intergenerational baton.
The Blue Ecology storyline for the documentary also seeds the idea that moving towards the hope spectrum requires a change in attitude in combination with a willingness to apply the five Blue Ecology water cycle principles embodied in the acronym SHRUB.
