Developing a Cultural Resilience Framework to Preserve Traditional Apache Practices and Sustainability of Emory Oak Groves

• In Event: 20410 - Unsettling Race and Gender Through Indigenous Sociologies

Abstract

Western Apache elders have expressed concerns that changing ecological conditions undermine the traditional harvest of Emory oak acorns, a resource vital for sustenance and traditional ceremonies. Historically, acorns have played a central role in Apache identity, linking the community to ancestral lands and cultural heritage. To better understand the social challenges to maintaining traditional relationships between Western Apache tribes and Emery oak trees, our study introduces a novel social-ecological resilience framework built on connectivity, refugia, and diversity. Connectivity includes physical access to oak groves and the social networks that allow traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) to be shared across generations. Refugia emphasizes the role of tribal elders as cultural knowledge holders, whose engagement is essential for maintaining traditions. Diversity refers to the need for inclusive collaboration among tribal members, youth, academic researchers, and governmental agencies to support sustainable oak management. We build on previous research in the area of Indigenous Environmental Sociology (IES) to analyze our findings. We conducted 57 in-person, semi-structured interviews with Apache tribal elders from the White Mountain Apache and Yavapai-Apache Reservations in central Arizona. Interview results revealed a 78.3% decline in the number of acorn harvesting sites. Results also indicated barriers such as limited transportation, financial constraints, and private land development. Diminishing physical connectivity and weakening social refugia jeopardize the sustainability of traditional practices. This study builds on the growing body of literature in environmental sociology that emphasizes the importance of integrating Indigenous knowledge systems into environmental management practices. By centering the voices of Apache elders and their TEK, our framework contributes to the broader discourse on environmental justice and the preservation of social-ecological diversity.

Authors

• Anna Vaughn, Northern Arizona University

• Diana Stuart, Northern Arizona University

• Aden Stern, Northern Arizona University