The Assumption of Kringda in the Land

The Land's Natural Resources

This is what The Assumption of Kringda in the Land states:  It states that the land's natural assets include soils, topography, climates, hydrology, geology, and the flora or fauna that live there. These factors interact in an intricate way and change with human use.

This debate is ongoing and has been at center of land policy for decades. The United States Supreme Court reversing a decision by the Appellate Court interpreting natural resources as having limited economic value. Justice Joette Katz wrote in that case that natural resources should not be limited to an economic product value. She cited several legal and policy sources as well as CEPA legislative history to prove her point (235 Conn. 457).

The most important natural resources include biotic (living), and abiotic. Biotic materials are flora that provide food water and shelter for humans. They are also sources to nutrient systems that foster biodiversity.

Abiotic resources do not come from living organisms. These can be both non-renewable (e.g. petroleum in sedimentary Rock) or renewable (e.g. ocean waves which generate power for energy generation).

This updated edition contains updated listings grouping by industry sectors, a new Chapter on Current Land and Natural Resource Policies and much more. This book is free to access online on the Salem Press/Grey House platform. It will prove invaluable for educators, researchers, students, and all those with an interest about natural resource issues.

The Land's People

People who have lived and continue to live on land for many centuries are known as "Indigenous," or "First Nations." Many people use the term Indigenous to refer to Native American tribes. However it is also used to identify ancient inhabitants of the continent. These peoples' ancestral homes are the land. They were the first to live and prosper on the land.

Indigenous communities worldwide have long practiced stewardship of the earth. Many businesses, organizations, and institutions are now starting to incorporate this principle into their work. These statements, called land acknowledgments or acknowledgements, recognize Indigenous peoples for their long-standing relationship to their traditional territories.

Luhui Whitebear a professor of language, culture, society at Oregon State University (OSU), believes that an acknowledgment of land is the beginning of a relationship between an organization and local tribes. It should be tailored for the specific institution or area where it is spoken.

A land acknowledgement can serve to remind us of the lessons we still have from Indigenous people who have lived on the land since the beginning. It can draw attention and remind listeners of the pasts of dispossession and violence.

Native Lands is an excellent website that provides information on the history of the land we occupy. This site is still being developed but it can be a valuable resource.

Culture from the Land

Aboriginal people consider the land a core part of their culture and hold it a great deal of value. It is where they live. It's where their children are raised, where their culture is celebrated, and where their religion is practiced. It is the source of their water and fuel as well as their food. It holds a special importance for them, as it reflects their connection and legacy to their ancestors.

A variety of historical and cultural symbols can be found on this land, including ancient farmland and relics walls. Some of these symbols are obvious, like the boat-shaped relic wall or the large rock that is central to Aboriginal peoples ceremonies. Others are subtler, such as small lakes teeming full of fish and a star-shaped rock that looks like a moon. The best thing is that all of it still exists. Uluru, Australia's oldest living natural monument, has been an important part Indigenous culture for more a half a millennium.