Contribution short abstract:

This paper discusses Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in indigenous practices of viticulture to ensure a sustainable, “honorable harvest” (Wall Kimmerer). How might interdisciplinary work between Art and Anthropology assist in sharing such practices with non-indigenous communities, if at all?

Contribution long abstract:

This paper will discuss an artistic response to the wild and fallow zones of a former vineyard as an entry point into a consideration of the way in which indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) has shaped viticulture practices past and present. Could indigenous communities be said to un-write settler colonial traditions by instituting practices of listening to other species and giving thanks to the earth in particular ways as part of the wine making process? Or is the notion of un-writing ill-equipped to deal with the messiness of de-colonisation, instituting a binary of inscription and erasure that fails to acknowledge complex relations, a degree of continuity of viticultural practice within some indigenous communities over time and the sense of re-emergence and un-earthing such practices engender. Further, might an art practice informed by Anthropology constitute a means of supporting those who are not indigenous to place to learn TEK practices, paying respect to and learning from the knowledge traditions of indigenous communities, while respecting their rights to privacy and opacity (Glissant). Alternatively, is it vital that such practices are taught by indigenous communities themselves and shared in the context of respectful collaboration?