The GIS Yarning mapping has been co-designed to integrate and visualize our data, providing a decision-making tool that can be shared among Indigenous community leaders, local communities, stakeholders, and government sectors at local, regional, and national levels. Yarning is a conversational process that involves sharing stories and developing knowledge, prioritizing Indigenous ways of communicating that are culturally prescribed, cooperative, and respectful.

Yarning mapping involves understanding and documenting the intricate web of relationships, stories, and cultural knowledge within Indigenous communities. Indigenous leaders, RICOP members, and the research team have co-designed a tool that combines GIS mapping with narrative text, images, and multimedia content. This approach simultaneously combines spatial understanding with Indigenous communities’ ontologies and knowledge values in responding to environmental challenges. We are utilizing ArcGIS software and ArcGIS Online to support this initiative.

Here you can access our project mapping and track our progress live: GIS Yarning mapping.