The Assumption of Kringda in the Land

The Land's Natural Resources

This is what The Assumption of Kringda in the Land states: The land's resources include soil, the surface topography and climate. These factors interact in a complex manner and change as we use and manipulate them.

These resources are a matter of constant debate. It has been at the forefront for land policy for decades. The United States Supreme Court reversed a decision from the Appellate Court that interpreted the economic value of natural resources as being limited. Justice Joette Katz in her opinion in this case cited a number legal and policy reference as well the legislative history CEPA to argue that a resource of natural resources is not restricted to a certain standard of economic benefit (235 Conn., at 457).

The two main types of natural resources that are most valuable are biotic and abiotic. Biotic resources include flora, fauna and plants that provide food and water for people. They provide nutrients that encourage biodiversity and are also sources for nutrient cycles.

Abiotic resources refer to those that aren't derived from living organisms. These resources can be renewable or non-renewable as in petroleum in sedimentary rock.

This revised edition includes updated listings organized by industry sector, a new Chapter on Current Land and Natural Resource Policies and many other features. This book can be accessed online by students, educators and researchers via the Salem Press/Grey House site.

The Land's People

Peoples who have lived in the same area for centuries and are still doing so are called "Indigenous" and "First Nations". People today associate Indigenous with Native American tribes. But the term is also used to identify the continent's ancient inhabitants. These peoples live on the land as their ancestral home, and are the first to prosper there.

Indigenous communities across the globe have been practicing land management for generations. Many institutions, companies, organizations and individuals are now beginning to integrate this practice into their work. These land acknowledgments, also called land statements, are intended to recognize Indigenous peoples as well as their ongoing relationships to traditional territories.

Luhui Whitebear, assistant professor of culture, language and society (OSU), says that acknowledging land should be the beginning for an organization's relationships with local tribes. It should be specific for the location or institution where it is spoken.

A land acknowledgment can remind us that we have much to learn from Indigenous people who have lived there for so many generations. It can bring attention to the history of violence and dispossession, and can remind listeners that Indigenous communities can thrive despite all odds.

Native Lands provides valuable information on identifying the original occupants and is a good starting point to learn more about the lands we inhabit. It is still a work in process but can be a great resource.

Culture of the Land

Aboriginal people regard the land as a very important part of their culture. It's their home, where they work and where they play. It is also where they raise their children, celebrate their culture, or practice their religion. It is their source of water, fuel and food. It is the location that has a special meaning to them because it reflects their connection with their ancestors.

This land is home a wide range of historical and cultural icons. These include relic walls and old farmland, Uluru as well the moon and stars. Some of these are obvious such as a relic in the form a boat, or a large stone that is vital for Aboriginal ceremonies. Others are subtler such as a small lake filled with fish or star-shaped rocks in the shape of a Sun. It's all still there, which is the best part. Uluru, Australia's oldest surviving natural monument, has been a significant part of Indigenous culture for over one million years.