Blue Ecology

Blue Ecology and UBC Press

Michael has just completed an exciting new piece for the upcoming book "Aboriginal Peoples and Forest Lands in British Columbia and Canada".  The University of British Columbia Press will publish the book in the fall of 2012.  In his chapter "Blue Ecology: A Cross Cultural Ecological Vision for Fresh Water", Michael brings fresh content and insights to how indigenous peoples like the Gitxsan, Secwepemc, and Inuit view water.  This chapter evolved and was polished over an eight year period.

The book itself will become a tome-of-choice, and is very timely as resource management issues bubble away across the landscape,  with ever increasing frequency, because there is a lack of cross cultural understanding and respect.  The editors of this book, especially Dr. David Tindall, have tirelessly worked to create this much needed educational tool.  The contributors to the booked worked, unrenumerated, to craft their contributions. To Elders, education is the most important gift we can offer our youth.  This book will be a gift to future generations.

Ecopoetics and Michael D. Blackstock

The Capilano Review (TCR) has just published a special issue entitled "Ecologies".  Michael Blackstock discusses the "why" of his writing and art, as a member of the "Ecologies Panel". 

You will gain insight to the timescale at which he thinks, and what generations he targets his writings and art for....Who is Blue Ecology for?

 

Blue Ecology and New UNESCO Book

UNESCO-IHP has just published a book entitled "Water, Culture, and Global Environmental Change".  This book was produced by the UNESCO-IHP Expert Adivisory Group on Water and Cultural Diversity, of which I am a member.  This book is an excellent overview of how cultures from around the world perceive water and its role in their day-to-day lives, and of how the differences in perspectives affect geo-politics.

 

I wrote a piece in the book (pages 132-33) entitled "Blue Ecology, the unifying potential of water."  I emphasize that the vision and principles of Blue Ecology offer hope and a bridge between cultural perspectives. 

Additionally, I worked with youth from around the world, as an art curator, to have their voices heard in the book.  The front cover art for the book features a scene of Mount Paul, reflected on the South Thompson River, Kamloops, BC, Canada -- where I live.  The painting was done by a grade nine student, studying at Kamloops Secondary School.

 

Poetry e-book: Oceaness available on iTunes

If you like humour, music, love and life, with an environmental focus on water, then Oceaness is for you.

 

• Oceaness is now available as an e-book on iBookstore @iTunes!

 

 

 

Haida: A freshwater spring and an earthquake?

I listened carefully, this past Sunday, to  Robert Budd, on the CBC radio show, North by Northwest.  He introduced the Imbert Orchard, 1962, interview of Anges Russ, Haida Elder, 105 years old. Robert has written a book "Voices of British Columbia".

She told of how a flood came to her family's village on the West Coast of Haida Gwaii.  This story was passed down by her grandmother's grandmother. The flood came and they got in their canoes and tied to the rocks on mountain top, behind the village.  There, her ancestor put her cane in the ground and she began singing songs belonging to her family.  When she was done, she pulled the cane from the ground and a freshwater spring shot up.  It is still there today, on the mountain behind the village.

I began to do the math backwards from 1962, to when the grandmother's grandmother would be alive.  I figure it would be a circa 1700 story.  Interestingly enough, there is evidence of an earthquake of 9.0 on the richter scale in 1699, that caused a huge Tsunami along the coast of British Columbia.  Very interesting!

If there are some Haida folk out there reading this, I would like some help locating the spring and pursuing this story, further. E-mail: michael@blueecology.com

Oceaness now available as an e-book

Michael Blackstock's new book "Oceaness" is now available as an e-book (ePub)!

Oceaness is a book of short essays, short stories and poetry, accentuated by the author's art.

Water is the theme running through the book. Social commentary is dappled with entertainment and humour.

Awakening

The last poem in my new book Oceaness, is a First Nation s beauty and discipline secret, of sorts.  It talks about the ritual of putting on a fresh look by splashing cold water on your face, every morning. This of course requires discipline and routine, which are one of the secrets to the fountain of youth.  First Nations had rituals that taught discipline as a root of strength.  Try it, a cold shower, and see what you think.

 

Oceaness: New Book by Michael D. Blackstock

Wyget Books is pleased to publish Michael D. Blackstock’s (Ama Goodim Gyet) new book of poetry titled “Oceaness”.  This entertaining book of social commentary includes poems, essays and art works by Michael.  He is a Gitxsan citizen, writer, visual artist and forester.  His first book of non-fiction was published in 2001 by McGill-Queen’s University Press (Faces in the Forest).  His second book, a book of poetry titled “Salmon Run” was published by Wyget Books in 2005. Oceaness is his third book.

Michael is a member of the UNESCO-IHP Expert Advisory Group on Water and Cultural Diversity.  This book includes his new theory of Blue Ecology which was developed with Elders, by interweaving their perspective with that of Western Science.  His theory will be published in an upcoming book by UNESCO.

The themes of this book are: water; ecology; oral history; human rights; music; and humour.  Primary audiences include: aboriginal people; university students; environmental leaders, and Canadiana scholars.

• Oceaness Soft cover  online @Lulu.com or Amazon.com 
• In Kamloops BC, The Art We Are, carries "Oceaness"
• In Prince George BC, Books and Company carries "Salmon Run" and "Oceaness"