Current Projects
Archipelagos of Indigenous-led Resurgence for Planetary Health
The health of our planet, all Peoples, and all living entities is in crisis. The drivers of this crisis are colonization, capitalism, extractivism, globalization, and racism, underpinned by concomitant policies, systems, and structures that reinforce this worldview. If we want collective futures that sustain all planetary life, we must respond with urgency and creativity across political and epistemic boundaries toward reconciling the damage we have done to the planet’s health, our health, and the health of all our relations.
The aim of our Indigenous-led health project is to develop globally impactful research that demonstrates how place-based evidence for Indigenous-led resurgence for planetary health can be synergized across “Island” sites to create an “Archipelago” of transformative change. Our proof-of-concept approach is intended to support Indigenous resurgent practices focused on creating healthier lands and healthier people, by addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and food-water-energy insecurity.
Our goal is to develop globally impactful research that demonstrates how place-based Indigenous-led resurgence for planetary health can be synergized across “Island” sites to create an “Archipelago” of transformative change. To achieve this goal, we need long-term, large-scale external funding. We have funding from CIHR and SSHRC to support cluster meetings, four international symposiums, a new website and social media development, and a new podcast series called Indigenous Planetary Health. We have secured a new three-year grant of $2.3M from CIHR to implement our proof-of-concept project.
More details to come in Spring 2024!
Archipelagos Collective (Core Team):
Hōkūlani Aikau
Professor, Indigenous Governance, University of Victoria
Heather Castleden
Professor, Impact Chair in Transformative Governance for Planetary Health, University of Victoria
Naatoi’ihkpiakii (Melissa Quesnelle)
Kainai Community Scholar
Tiara Naputi
Associate Professor, Global and International Studies, University of California at Irvine
Carey Newman
Associate Professor, Impact Chair in Indigenous Art Practices, University of Victoria
Lisa Te Heuheu
Māori Community Scholar
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