Traditional Ecological Practices for Fire

During this talk, we learn from Pepperwood’s Indigenous Education Coordinator, Clint McKay, about how native people have cared for their land, water, and wildlife with fire for centuries. Clint will highlight Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) around fire, and relate it to how we can think about shifting our current land practices to reduce and rethink the impacts of wildfires.

Clint is the descendant of several important local culture bearers that include the late Laura Fish Somersal and the late Mabel McKay. He is a Native speaker of the Wappo language and he also speaks some Pomo and is himself a culture bearer with extensive Native historical knowledge, not only of Pepperwood but also of the entire region. McKay is a capable naturalist with a deep understanding of plant communities and traditional Wappo methods of nurturing them. He is a gifted basket weaver and has served as Chair of the California Indian Basket Weavers Association for two terms. McKay is also a traditional Wappo spiritual leader and he is the headman of a traditional dance group. McKay has a Master’s Degree in Indigenous Education.