台灣自然保育的「西雅圖酋長化」：一個從原住民傳統生態知識出發的基進觀點

This paper examines some possible ways and values that indigenous peoples` ecological knowledge could contribute for nature conservation. On one hand, this study indicates possible connections between that knowledge and nature conservation. On the other hand, it also illustrates how each influential thought on nature conservation would have its specific locality which involves a process of its originality and ways of globalization. Therefore, it is worthy to note that process. The paper starts with a discourse analysis of mass culture consumption views of “the statement of Chief Seattle” in both English and Chinese worlds. The analysis goes on to point out the complexity and non-indigenous multi-authorship of “the statement” and that it reflects a strong image of innocent, natural, and land-akin attitude depicted by nature conservationists. This image seems to be over-romanticized, static, and full of good-old-days remembrance but has nothing to do with deeper understandings of actual indigenous societies implicated with ecological problems of political, economical and cultural differences. The second part of the paper, based on reviewing international research on indigenous ecological knowledge, highlights an alternative reading of the statement, namely a knowledge constructivist`s approach by the indigenous subject itself. The third part of the paper traces the discussion of traditional ecological knowledge and attempts to de-construct the globality of nature conservation in Taiwan. It indicates that locality always lurks behind thoughts of nature conservation. Truly, in Taiwan, it is “western” locality more than globality. In sum, this paper aims to radicalize “the statement of Chief Seattle” so as to point out the importance of knowledge subject`s position when constructing a meaningful nature conservation for the people concerned.