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Short abstract:

The purpose of this presentation is to illustrate how the process of selecting the GSSP candidate for the Anthropocene series at Crawford Lake, Canada, is intertwined with Indigenous traditions and practices, as well as non-Western epistemological approaches.

Long abstract:

In July 2023, the Anthropocene Working Group announced Crawford Lake in Canada as the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) of the Anthropocene. Crawford Lake, located in a conservation area, on land that historically belonged to the Wendat Indigenous community, was selected from sites around the world to determine the lower boundary or the beginning of the proposed geological time unit.

This study aims to show how contemporary Anthropocene research, following established stratigraphic procedures, is entangled with non-Western ontological and epistemological approaches, and incorporates Indigenous traditions and knowledge. The presentation outlines the research process at Crawford Lake, including the collection of core samples from the lake and the incorporation of Indigenous ceremonies; the procedures used to obtain permission to drill in the lake; the communication strategies used by Western researchers with Indigenous communities; and the attempts to respect the Wendats' relationship with the lake and the environment. It discusses the motivations of Western researchers working with Indigenous communities; the challenges of integrating Indigenous knowledge and practices, and the implications of recognizing Indigenous lands as central to global Anthropocene research. It also highlights the opportunities and risks associated with incorporating non-Western epistemological approaches into academic research.

I draw on in-depth interviews with Francine McCarthy, leader of the Crawford Lake site, and Monica Garvie, an Indigenous team member representing the Anishinaabe community; as well as participant observations made while attending events presenting the preliminary findings of the GSSP research at the HKW in Berlin in May 2021.