Culture and Resource Conflict: Why Meanings Matter

Chapter Sixteen. Summary and Implications

Chapter Sixteen Summary and Implications “A group of Indians went out deer hunting. The custom was for a person to let out a whoop when they hit a deer and the others would come to help. As it happened, two braves saw the same deer between them and both shot at the same time. Both hit the deer and each let out a whoop. When they got to the deer they immediately started arguing. One said,`My arrow is closer to the heart and it killed the deer.’ The other said, `My arrow came first and the deer was already dead when your arrow hit it.’ The argument grew violent and one brave ended up killing the other. This led to very bad feelings amongst clan members. Finally the Great Spirit decided he must intervene. He brought flint and kindling to the tribe and showed them how to make fire in order to rekindle warmth.” —A Potawatomi tale recounted by a Menominee elder IT IS TIME to address ourselves to the potential implications of our research for policy. Along the way, we’ll discuss possible misconceptions concerning our goals and orientation. POLICY What would we like policymakers in the general area of natural resources to understand? In this section our focus is local, but most of our recommendations likely have generality. Meanings Matter We have argued that Native American and European American hunters and fishermen have differing approaches, different mental models, with 185 186 Culture and Resource Conflict respect to fish and game, and these differences lead to misunderstanding , stereotyping, and intergroup conflict. The more majority-culture sportsmen move away from seeking fish and game as a source for food, the greater the potential for conflict between groups. There may be some grounds for optimism. We noted earlier that the hunter-education manual for the State of Wisconsin has trophy hunting as the third stage of a five-stage development process that shifts to a focus on enjoyment of the process and the social dimensions of hunting. When passing up a buck in order to shoot a doe is commended as much by sporting magazines as releasing a trophy-sized musky, then the State of Wisconsin should be well on its way to being able to manage its deer herd. The Whys Are at Least as Important as the Whats If mental models determine the meanings of different hunting and fishing practices, then it is critical for policymakers to pay attention to the motivations and understandings associated with behaviors. This is especially true for the media. As we mentioned earlier, in the case of the controversy surrounding Ojibwe off-reservation spearing rights, the media covered the fact of the conflict but essentially nothing about the underlying motivations of the Ojibwe and their associated conservation behaviors . When the Menominees seek to have fish ladders installed on the Wolf River dams, one potential interpretation of majority-culture fishermen is that they’d like to spear them or wrestle with one on their fishing line, for sturgeons put up a great fight. Responsible media owe the public an analysis of the role of the sturgeon in Menominee culture. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize Menominee and majority-culture hunters and fishermen generally are so similar in their practices that it is easy to focus on comparing the two and to interpret any differences as reflecting inappropriate values, privileges, and practices. What makes this most striking is that the two groups share the superordinate goal of wanting to preserve fish and game for future generations and both see hunting and fishing as deeply meaningful activities that both reflect and instill deeply held values. Groups with such strongly shared goals and values should not be in conflict. Even more striking is the fact that there are genuine serious threats to this way of life that demand attention. Important factors in maintaining fish and game include loss of habitat, invasive species, practices that facilitate the spread of disease, and different sources of pollution. Presumably majority-culture and Menominee hunters and fishermen should be allies, speaking with a united voice on these critical issues. Summary and Implications 187 Don’t Treat Cultural Groups as if They Were Stable and Unvarying Natural Kinds Even in the small samples in our studies we found striking within-group variability. Although pretty much all of our participants condemn certain practices, Menominees are sharply divided on the issue of spearfishing...