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| "The Creator has given us the responsibility to protect the lands on which we were placed. We are to take care of and nurture everything that the Creator has given as a trust and duty to future generations of Pikangikum people.” - From Pikangikum People Sustaining Our Livelihood on the Land |
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Livelihood from the Forest
Since time immemorial, the people of Pikangikum have cared for the land; in return, that land has provided abundantly for our way of life, providing resources for domestic household needs and commercial livelihood pursuits.
Today the Whitefeather Forest continues to provide for the domestic household needs of Pikangikum people. Bush foods including fish, moose and berries continue to be a significant part of the diet of our people. The forest continues to provide medicines. And it continues to provide wood for home heating and as a raw material for construction.
Historically, the Whitefeather Forest cultural landscape has also provided commercial livelihood pursuits for our people through the fur trade and commercial fishing. After the collapse of the fur trade and commercial fishing in the 1980’s, our First Nation began establishing alternative livelihood opportunities for our members. These have included ten outpost cabins, built and owned by individual community members and the First Nation.
 The Whitefeather Forest Initiative is continuing in this tradition of caring for and, in return, being provided for by the forest. From generation to generation, the people of Pikangikum have protected the Whitefeather Forest cultural landscape with the future in mind. That is why today, the forest still has the potential to provide new livelihood opportunities for our youth at a time when these needs are most pressing. Guided by our Indigenous Knowledge tradition through community stewardship, these opportunities will be realized in a manner that ensures the continued protection of the diversity and abundance of the forest as it has been cared for by our people since time immemorial.
The Whitefeather Forest Initiative is rooted in a commitment to meeting the livelihood needs of Pikangikum First Nation while continuing to conserve and foster ecological diversity and abundance of the forest. |
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