Author Description

Indigenous ways of understanding and interacting with the natural world are characterized as traditional ecological knowledge. Derived from emphasizing relationships among species, it has proven to be an effective means of exploring the natural world. The World Wolf Made is an examination of this traditional knowledge and its strengths in relation to Western ecological knowledge and evolutionary philosophy. In the first book on traditional ecological knowledge written by a scientist who has academic appointments in both natural science and Indigenous studies, Raymond Pierotti examines the scientific basis of this approach, focusing on different concepts of communities and connections among living entities, the importance of understanding the meaning of relatedness in both spiritual and biological creation, and a careful comparison with evolutionary ecology. Pierotti then turns his attention to applications of the themes and principles informing this knowledge, offering a fascinating look at the complexities of his career conducting research informed by an Indigenous perspective and the reluctance of many university Native programs of study to recruit natural scientists. Following an assessment of the role of literary storytelling in promoting this knowledge and their derived concepts, Pierotti then squarely addresses two key controversial issues―the heated debate over Shepard Krech’s book The Ecological Indian and the use of scientific research findings by Vine Deloria Jr. In conclusion, Pierotti discusses the need for traditional ecological knowledge in providing valid alternatives to troubling problems today.