Tasting and Testing: Addressing Aboriginal Concepts of Berry Contamination in Alberta’s Oil Sands Region

Fort McKay is a Cree, Dené and Métis community in the heart of the oil sands in northern Alberta, Canada. In partnership with the Wood Buffalo Environmental Association,  Fort McKay designed a long-term research project where they visit intact berry patches to share stories and TEK. The research team also observes berry health and quality and records perspectives on contamination. Many local berry patches have been disturbed and people do not trust berries that grow near oil sands developments, so people are now traveling greater distances to harvest. In 2013 the research team introduced scientific testing into the project by setting up passive air monitors in berry patches and sending berries to laboratories for testing. We will discuss the results from the testing, while contemplating the implications of verifying traditional knowledge with science in a context where expert knowledge, government regulations, and environmental impact assessments are driven by profit.