Critical Indigenous Fish Philosophy

Dr. Zoe Todd (Citizen of the Manitoba Métis Federation) is an artist-researcher who studies the relationships between Indigenous sovereignties and freshwater fish futures in the prairies. As a Red River Métis scholar trained in biology, anthropology, and sociology, Todd is keenly interested in the relationships between Indigenous sciences, law, governance and western science. Below are three separate ongoing research-creation and knowledge mobilization projects they are working on to raise awareness about freshwater fish communities in the waters that span the North Saskatchewan-Nelson River watershed Todd’s Métis ancestors lived in and moved through.

1. (en)closure: offerings for wayne (May 16-June 10, 2023. FAB Gallery, University of Alberta).

A tribute to the man who mentored Todd in Indigenous prairie fish science, the late Wayne Roberts, this installation was built around 3 specimens Wayne collected during his time as curator of the Museum of Zoology at the University of Alberta.

2. Alberta Freshwater Fish Series (2020-present)

Todd has been methodically creating art that tends to each of the 65 native and naturalized freshwater fish species that live in Alberta, to raise awareness about these species and connect with fish philosophers across the province who dedicate their lives to protecting these fishes’ habitats. They have drawn 18 artworks in this series since 2020.

3. The Bull Trout Show

As part of the 2019-2023 New Frontiers in Research Fund project ‘Plural Perspectives on Bighorn Country’, Todd worked with veteran Alberta science and environment broadcaster Cheryl Croucher to co-produce an ongoing podcast series that tends to the inter-related challenges that bull trout, Salvelinus confluentus, face in Alberta today. This is part of their ongoing collaborative work with Dr. Janelle Baker, Mr. William Snow, Dr. Lorelei Hanson, and Erin Slater on ‘restorying bull trout’ in south-western Alberta.

https://thebulltroutshow.buzzsprout.com/