IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i14p8623-d863498.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Nibi and Cultural Affordance at Walpole Island First Nations: Environmental Change and Mental Health

Author

Listed:
  • Gerald Patrick McKinley

    (Schulich Interfaculty Program in Public Health, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada)

  • Regna Darnell

    (Schulich Interfaculty Program in Public Health, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada)

  • Dean Jacobs

    (Walpole Island First Nation, Wallaceburg, ON N8A 4K9, Canada)

  • Naomi Williams

    (Walpole Island First Nation, Wallaceburg, ON N8A 4K9, Canada)

Abstract

Through an application of the Environmental Affordance (EA) Model, this paper explores the impact of environmental degradation on the community at Walpole Island First Nation. We outline how a change in relationships, broadly defined within an Anishinaabek ontology, can impact not only access to the local ecosystem but also how the affordances offered are lost. We base our argument on the local knowledge that nibi (water) is the system upon which all life depends and should therefore be the centre of efforts to maintain community-level mental health. Through the EA model we articulate the need to shift the focus from a human-centered ecosystem services model to an Anishinaabek relational ontology where relationships within ecosystems are bidirectional. As such, when those relationships are damaged through environmental degradation, local mental health and wellness are put at risk.

Suggested Citation

  • Gerald Patrick McKinley & Regna Darnell & Dean Jacobs & Naomi Williams, 2022. "Nibi and Cultural Affordance at Walpole Island First Nations: Environmental Change and Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-13, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:14:p:8623-:d:863498
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/14/8623/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/14/8623/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paul A. Sandifer & Ariana E. Sutton‐Grier, 2014. "Connecting stressors, ocean ecosystem services, and human health," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 38(3), pages 157-167, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sharma, Rozi & Malaviya, Piyush, 2023. "Ecosystem services and climate action from a circular bioeconomy perspective," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:14:p:8623-:d:863498. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.