The wolf teaches us to be humble and to protect the balance of nature, elder says

Unreserved46:09Sacred Seven: The Wolf Carries Humility

For Ojibway and Mohawk elder Hazel Dixon, humility is about valuing everyone's role in the community — like a wolf does. 

"Some may be hunters, others might be protectors, others may be nurturers," she told Unreserved. "A wolf that has hunted food will take it back to the den to eat with the pack before it takes the first bite of food. So none is better than the other." 

In the Ojibway Seven Grandfather Teachings, the wolf represents humility. Dixon says the teaching encourages us not to gloat or brag, as well as to respect the balance of nature where every individual and species has a role to play.  

She points to Yellowstone National Park in the U.S. as an example of when that balance is disrupted.

By the late 1920s, grey wolves which were native to the area had been eradicated from the park, as they were considered a threat to other wildlife like elk and deer. As a result, out of control elk and deer populations stripped the land of vegetation. The wolf's reintroduction in 1995 caused a cascade of regeneration, with the return of plant life, trees and many species of animals to the park. 

"That goes to show us that when the balance of nature is changed, everything else is affected," Dixon said. "It doesn't matter what it is."

Lessons from sea wolves 

William Housty says wolves also protect the natural balance in Heiltsuk territory, on the coast of British Columbia. 

Housty is the director of the Integrated Resource Management Department for the Heiltsuk Nation. He frequently encounters the local coastal wolves, a unique subspecies also known as sea wolves. Smaller and sleeker than other wolves, they hunt for seals and fish as well as deer and mountain goats, and have a knack for swimming. 

"The outer coast of our territory is made up of a large archipelago of islands," Housty said. "They're utilizing that skill to be able to hop from island to island." 

"It's amazing to see. It almost looks like a human doing a backstroke."

Housty is part of efforts to study the sea wolves in non-invasive ways, in accordance with his nation's values. The community and western researchers have partnered together to collect fur and scat samples, and record audio and video to help them identify individual wolves. This gives them a better picture of the wolves' habits and genetic makeup. These findings then inform their approach to co-existing with the wolves. 

While studying them, Housty has been struck by parallels between Heiltsuk knowledge and western scientific findings. The Heiltsuk see sea wolves as protectors and warriors. Housty says their role in the ecosystem is similar to their cultural one. 

Like the wolves of Yellowstone National Park, sea wolves regulate populations and create space for a diversity of species. 

"If you go to some of our outer islands, there's not a piece of vegetation from six feet and under because the deer eats it all. And so as the wolves sort of regulate the deer population, it's maintaining that biodiversity of plants and trees and all sorts of things, all throughout the different landscapes," he explained. "Achieving that balance is kind of protecting them and looking out for that overall health of the ecosystems."

Seeing Heiltsuk knowledge echoed by western science reaffirms for Housty how insightful his ancestors were. "They knew this thousands of years ago and we're just sort of putting our finger on it now."

"They left us with this knowledge. So now that's taught me that I need to turn around and leave that for my own children, my own community, my own people."

Housty believes more collaborations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous science, and more conservation that centres Indigenous world views, can lead to a better world for animals and humans alike.

"All we want is for the world to realize that if we have the love, care and respect for these animals, and take care of them, and take care of their habitat and the world around them, it's going to make for a better world for us too, and that we're all a part of the same loop."

Endangered relatives 

To Rahnàwakęw Donnie McDowell the wolf's role as a protector who looks out for every member of the community is mirrored in the Tuscarora Wolf Clan, one of seven Tuscarora kinship groups. 

"If you look at a wolf pack, they take care of each other," said McDowell, a member of the Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina. "They lead; they're strong."

"Wolf Clan is one of those family units that adopts and takes care of others who come in that may not have a clan family."

Along with shared traits, McDowell says his people and wolves have parallel histories.

Colonial policies targeted both the Tuscarora and the red wolf population they hold sacred to clear their lands for settlers. "We see that the population of the red wolves, as they decline, the Tuscarora nation's population declines." 

The red wolf is one of North America's most critically endangered species. Only 16 remain in the wild. In 2006 the population had reached a peak of 130 wolves.   

McDowell is part of the Save the Red Wolves campaign, a partnership between several non-profit organizations and the Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina — but its future remains unclear.

The campaign pushed for wildlife crossings to be built across highways to ensure safe passages for the wolves and other wildlife. Highway traffic is a large threat to the remaining red wolves. 

The campaign was awarded a federal grant of $25 million US in December to go towards constructing wildlife crossings. Since then the Trump administration's sweeping pause on federal funding has left the future of the project uncertain.

McDowell refuses to give up hope. "We can't give up hope because in the red wolves we see a reflection of the Tuscarora ourselves," he said.

"Everybody has a responsibility to do this and take part in it, because there is a benefit that will come generations down the road, that our people and the community and the environment and the wildlife can benefit from."

This story is part of a series from Unreserved called Sacred Seven. The series explores the seven sacred teachings and introduces us to Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers and community members who are putting those teachings into action.