Learning about Moolks (Malus fusca Raf.): Ethnoecological findings from Gitga’at elders

This presentation presents preliminary ethnecological results from my masters’ research examining the cultural significance of moolks (Pacific crabapple, Malus fusca Raf.) in the Gitga’at (Tsimshian) community of Hartley Bay, BC.  Since botanists consider this plant to be a single species, but Gitgaa’t elders recognize up to five different varieties of moolks, I plan to merge western taxonomic and Gitga’at knowledge of moolks in this research. In the fall of 2011, I interviewed elders and key knowledge holders about moolks, its varieties and cultural relationships, and through these interviews have begun to learn about these culturally described varieties and to compare their ecological and morphological characteristics using botanical, taxonomic and phytogeographic parameters.  Goals that have been identified by the Gitga’at participants are to create an environment where the Gitga’at youth can learn about and apply crabapple management techniques from their elders, and eventually create an ‘orchard’ of the different varieties.