(singing)
(drumming) - [Narrator] For Indigenous peoples, the land where we are from is
at the heart of who we are. We are as much a part of the land and waters as the many animals and
plants of this Earth. When we look out over the land and waters we feel its spirit in our souls. It guides us and it cares for us. (acoustic guitar) and we are now in a time when we must do our best to continue
to care for the land just as our ancestors did before us. The impacts of climate
change, the decline of caribou, and the pressure on our fish
and waterways and our forests make it all the more
urgent to take action. The Indigenous Leadership Initiative is helping Indigenous Peoples with the responsibility of land stewardship in a way that is informed by our ancestors, with the tools of the modern world. We are doing this by being the watchers and guardians of our traditional lands and territories, to help manage wildlife areas, and protect the land
and to educate the world about the relationship between
humans and Mother Earth. - As an Indigenous Dena person, you know the way of the Kaskas, we're naturally land stewards. It's our inherent duty. It's a responsibility we have to protect our land. - And their role is to protect
the land in the summer, to protect the water, and to let visitors and
people that are in our area just share knowledge of
our traditional territory and stuff like that. Just protecting the land,
the animals, the fish, the water. - [Narrator] There are
currently more than 40 guardian programs throughout Canada. The Coastal Guardian Watchmen
is a network of guardian programs that protect the Pacific coasts and improve their communities. The Haida nation is one
of the network's members. They have the longest running modern guardian program in the country. - In the designing of the
program in the early years, we wanted the youth and the elder together because the elder would
be able to teach the youth during the time they're together and then the youth would
be able to help the elder, in the camp chores and
be able to make that, a place to enjoy. - So the work of the watchmen
reinforces Haida nationhood simply by us getting back [on the] land,
in the ancient villages and by managing human
activity on those lands. - [Narrator] Now, guardians
are caretakers of our traditional territories. They test water quality,
they restore wildlife, they monitor mines and big development and they're ambassadors of
our lands when tourists visit. This work blends both
traditional knowledge, with western science. There are many tools
available for guardians. - We work with the
institutions like universities, so in terms of monitoring land mass, in terms of contamination,
in terms of research, in terms of forest
management planning as well. - [Narrator] Communities
connecting to the land is also about teaching the next generation
to be healthy and strong in their culture, so that the
foundation of the community going forward is solid. - If there is healthy
people that are happy and strong in their culture and if they receive that from being on the land, then it's a huge investment, you're investing in a
society, a better society and a better tomorrow. - We're starting with
individuals that we train as guardians and those
individuals in turn inspire others in the community, the
community as a whole benefits by this program growing. - [Narrator] The beauty of
this type of land stewardship is that each community
can design a program for their own needs. And the programs have created much needed employment opportunities. - It went from just an opportunity to get into the territory to actually monitoring and finding out that I enjoy
that part of the job and being able to go back to the community and let people know what's
happening out in the territory. - Being a guardian is being
out on the land where your ancestors have lived for many centuries and just to reconnect with mother nature and how your people lived off the land, it's one of the best things
about being a guardian. - [Narrator] There are new
guardian programs starting across the country like
the recent Sahtu guardians winter gathering at a bush camp. - Being a guardian, to me,
is just helping one another. Growing a strong community,
not only for us now but for my grandkids when they
get older and knowing that they have a place like this to come to. - [Narrator] Many guardian
programs manage Indigenous Protected Areas, places
Indigenous Nations have identified for conservation. The Dehcho First Nation are
the latest with Indigenous Protected Area in the country. It also marks a new type of relationship between Indigenous Peoples and Canada. - It makes government stronger,
it makes industry stronger, it gives everybody a chance to make better decisions on land and how we're managing
our interactions with the land and water. - [Narrator] Indigenous
guardians are at the forefront of a movement. A movement growing up from
the land, from the elders, from the youth and from a
new crop of women leaders. All calling for Indigenous
leadership on land. By caring for our land and
waters, we are strengthening ourselves and our nations. The Indigenous Leadership
Initiative is proud to be a part of this journey.