Indigenous Fish Philosophy As a Guiding Framework for Sustainable Fashion
In the ever-changing tides of the fashion industry, we can take on a transformative journey toward sustainable fashion by embracing Indigenous Fish Philosophy. Coined by Dr. Zoe Todd, this framework beacons us to feel with our whole bodies, to engage our gut feelings and intuitive thinking, and to cultivate self-awareness. Against the backdrop of material capitalism, we must explore our emotional well-being, drawing inspiration from fish and their remarkable adaptation to the colonization of land and people. By understanding colonial resistance, Indigenous Fish Philosophy, and the complex relationship between fashion politics, colonization, and capitalism; we can better understand how to tackle social and environmental issues. This blog article will explore how to embrace an Indigenous Fish Philosophy to create a harmonious dance toward a sustainable fashion industry.
Fish and Their Importance in Sustainable Fashion
Photo Credit: Mišela Šehurina
Fish are an integral component of living sustainably and thoughtfully, especially within unceded territories. Their existence transcends the simplistic categorization of mere food sources and specimens for scientific research, beyond being collateral damage in environmental degradation. According to Zoe Todd, fish are vessels of memory and narratives, and non-human entities with their agency, dreams, and humor. She explains that fish are interconnected with our existence, within 'micro-sites' of engagement where they are active participants in this dynamic, and should be treated as kin. Fish share territory with us and inherently deserve reciprocal respect and care.
"non-human beings choose how they reside, interact and develop relationships with other non-humans. So, all elements of nature possess agency, and this agency is not limited to innate action or causal relationships." Watts 2013: 23)
We must recognize the connection between settler colonial expansion and their historical control over Indigenous land and fish. This invisible, oppressive force is also deeply embedded in the fashion industry. Confronting the ongoing and future repercussions of colonial expansion in all of its forms is essential to creating a more sustainable world. Boycotting fast fashion brands as a way to confront colonial force. We must resist by moving towards alternatives for a sustainable fashion industry. Fashion should speak to the call for environmental responsibility and ethical considerations in our society. Adopt a slow fashion lifestyle centered on using what we own, mending broken items, and choosing clothing intentionally. When we do this as a collective, we move towards ethical-moral-governance paradigms essential to mitigating historical harm.
Global Indigeneity and Fish Guidance in Fast Fashion
Turn towards global indigeneity efforts to further consider the interplay of intersectionality within the fashion industry. Numerous Indigenous experiences have been shaped by centuries of historical and geographical contexts, which can provide us a nuanced understanding of indigeneity. According to Erle Ellis, an American environmental scientist, the current global distribution of vertebrate species and key biodiversity areas are linked to the history of human habitation and past Indigenous land use. It also shows how pivotal Indigenous values and laws were in governing these landscapes. Current biodiversity issues have been caused by the colonization, appropriation, and intense use of land across the globe. If we turn back to Indigenous land governance, we return to environmental stewardship essential to conserving biodiversity across the planet. And, despite how fish and land governance seem disconnected, there is an inherent connection. Fish cannot flow without care and a deep connection with their human counterparts. So, if we hope to move towards sustainable action, we must take notes from Indigenous land governance and how elements like fish flourish under their historic, harmonious guidance.
"Our understandings of the world are often viewed as mythic by "modern" society, while our stories are considered to be an alternative mode of understanding and interpretation rather than "real" events. Colonization is not solely an attack on peoples and lands; rather, this attack is accomplished in part through purposeful and ignorant misrepresentations of Indigenous cosmologies." (Watts 2013: 22)
Environmental stewardship has never been more important amid a climate crisis. According to Naomi Klein, change is required in our relationship with nature and each other. This should be considered as a gift versus grim penance, where we can catalyze and transform the current economic and cultural conditions of our world. Turning to each other would heal the past from historical colonial wounds. Tackling the climate crisis is a call to go beyond colonial rule, that speaks to ruthless capitalism, competition, and individualism. Fast fashion is a child of colonialism and capitalism, it upholds and benefits from our current economic system that only makes more and more. We must not let moral wrongs get away in the name of big money. We need to engage in dialogue with fish and embark on a journey of reciprocal, caring, and meaningful relationships with water to become part of the change.
Contemplate what it means to inhabit space, time, and fashion with care and tenderness, reciprocity, and kindness. All the while, the fashion industry is not separate from the Anthropocene, a geological epoch that emerged in the 50s. Coined by the late Nobel Prize-winning chemist Paul Crutzen, it describes the most recent period in Earth’s history when human activity started to have a significant impact on the planet’s climate and ecosystems. As we face numerous environmental crises, the Anthropocene needs to be Indigenized. We can learn from Indigenous communities that resist, refuse, and transform catastrophes. Fish are and should be our profound teachers, guiding us toward sustainable worlds that guarantee a future for generations to come.
Lack of Ethics in Fast Fashion’s Capitalistic Roots
Fish are a guiding light in the face of global-level catastrophes that seem too big and daunting to tackle. We need radical change to confront the issues we face. Individuals against fast fashion have taken action through conscious consumerism, the idea that we can create change through our shopping purchases. They advocate buying from sustainable brands that use environmentally friendly materials, provide fair wages, and give back to local communities. Sustainable fashion brands also uphold certain values and principles to assert their moral goodness, which could include care, fairness, justice, and ethics. However, the fashion industry needs systemic change. Change will never come from upholding the system itself.
"Western science is largely aimed at exploration. Native science is aimed at sustainability. We exist in a very narrow gap as we've mentioned and the fish, for instance, nobody's talked about the fish in this congress. Not that I know of. But the fish has been around, think about it, way before the dinosaurs, way before the neanderthals, way before our time. The fish is still around. I wonder what scientific formula the fish has discovered, we should ask the fish, they've survived."- Leroy Little Bear, Congress of the Humanities, Calgary 2016
To fight against colonialism and capitalism, we need the support of philosophy and ethics. Despite the wake of the European Enlightenment era, which ushered in the age of reason, it further separated humanity from the environment. It even divorced human thought from the physical body. We must envision how to be enlightened in our conscious pursuit of a better world and become interconnected with our body, mind, and spirit. We can always take a look at the past for answers. Before the Enlightenment era, science and philosophy were seamlessly interwoven. Science was not even a distinct field, detached from the ethical and philosophical foundations that initially guided it. This severing has made science vulnerable in times of crisis where navigating challenges and seeking answers is crucial to our collective survival.
Our cosmologies (and the theories within them) are righteously different and cannot be separated from the stuff of nature. When an Indigenous cosmology is translated through a Euro-Western process, it necessitates a distinction between place and thought." (Watts 2013:32)
Sustainable Fashion Inspired by Indigenous Fish Philosophy
Fast fashion is reliant on the extraction and exploitation of natural resources and land in the Global South for the rapid production of cheap, trendy clothing. The land also plays a pivotal role for colonizers to assert control and power, while the colonized rely on the land not only for sustenance but as a symbol of purpose. Morality for the colonized can be a tool to confront the arrogance and violence of the colonists and eject the oppressor from their narrative. This is especially important to counter myths that have emerged in the creation of colonies, such as the universal principle of equality among all men, and supposed freedom for all.
Imagine if scientists and policymakers divested from the "white possessive" mindset, one that perceives everything as property through a sense of entitlement to existence. Breaking free from this mindset opens the door to embracing a courageous and open-minded approach that is receptive to new possibilities, steering away from harsh, individualistic, and apocalyptic visions of the future. So, let’s envision a sustainable fashion industry through the lens of Indigenous Fish Philosophy that draws inspiration from the symbiotic relationship between local communities and aquatic ecosystems, emphasizing harmony, balance, and respect for the environment.
At its core, sustainable fashion goes beyond mere aesthetics; it encompasses a holistic worldview that considers the entire lifecycle of clothing, from raw material sourcing to production, consumption, and eventual disposal. Drawing lessons from fish, the fashion industry can systematically learn how to minimize waste, prioritize ethical practices, and respect the biodiversity of materials. Systemic change from taking sustainable fashion action can look like local, traditional craftsmanship and artistry. Similar to the interdependence seen in fish communities, sustainable fashion inspired by Indigenous philosophy places a strong emphasis on community empowerment. This involves providing livable wages, safe and ethical working conditions, and the establishment of fair and equal partnerships that benefit local, Indigenous communities.
By weaving together the principles of Indigenous Fish Philosophy in the fashion industry, we build counter-narratives that transcend trends and foster a deep connection between humanity and the natural world. It also allows us a path towards a future where fashion not only adorns the body but also nourishes the planet and preserves cultural heritage and well-being for generations to come. So consider taking in your surroundings in a holistic manner, acknowledging the interconnectedness of all beings and the historical ties between colonization, capitalism, and exploitation of natural resources. Our fight for fashion is a fight for climate justice, and we must take notes from Indigenous resistance and resilience in the face of environmental crises. Embrace this framework as a means to take action and embrace a harmonious dance towards a more sustainable and ethical coexistence!