G-WOW (Guiding for Tomorrow) Changing Climate, Changing Culture Initiative

The “Gikinoo’wizhiwe Onji Waaban” (Guiding for Tomorrow) or “G-WOW” Initiative is a unique approach to increasing awareness of how climate change is affecting Lake Superior’s coastal environment, people, cultures, and economies. G-WOW integrates scientific climate change research with place-based evidence of how climate change is affecting traditional Ojibwe lifeways and people of all cultures. The Initiative brings native perspectives and involvement to addressing issues of climate change by directly engaging native communities, educators, and students, providing learners with knowledge about what they can do to mitigate or adapt to a changing climate.

G-WOW provides what’s missing in most climate change training—the integration of science with place-based evidence to evaluate how climate is affecting the environment, people, and economies, especially pertinent to our Tribal Nations. This culturally relevant climate literacy model integrates place-based evidence with climate science. It uses climate impacts on cultural practices of the Lake Superior Chippewa (Ojibwe) Indians as indicators of climate change for all cultures. However, it is easily transferable to other cultures and locations.