Alanna Syliboy is the community liaison for the Apoqnmatulti’k project in the Bay of Fundy, and is the community liaison officer for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq.
Alanna Syliboy at work in the Sipekne’katik River.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in my home community of Sipekne’katik First Nation.
What is a typical day like in this job?
A typical day at my job can get busy. I can be found in the office, in the communities hosting meetings or workshops, interviewing Elders and community members, collecting TK [traditional knowledge] in meetings around the province or country. You can also find me in the rivers helping with projects, catching and tagging fish, electrofishing, planting trees, community clean ups, smolt wheel, salmon swim throughs or salmon releases.
What do you enjoy most about your role as Community Liaison?
Being able to connect with my people, learning from Elders and other knowledge holders, working with youth, working with fish and other species and being outdoors.
How is your role with Apoqnmatulti’k different from other projects that you’ve been a part of?
For Apoqnmatulti’k, I am co-chair of the project steering committee, on the communications sub-committee, and am the community liaison for the Bay of Fundy side of the project. In ways, it’s similar and different. It can get busy, and I’m still trying to learn and fit into these roles.
What does Apoqnmatulti’k mean to you?
To me, Apoqnmatulti’k means sharing, growing, and learning for the future of our environment and all that is needed to sustain life for the next seven generations.
Alanna checking out spots along the Shubenacadie River to place receivers.
Why do you think animal tracking is important?
Us as Mi’kmaw people use the seasons and environment around us to know when it’s the right time to harvest what is needed during that time. The environment is starting to change and we need to use other methods of tracking and monitoring to help strengthen the Traditional knowledge we already know.
What is something most people may not know about tomcod and/or eel in the Bay of Fundy?
These are both traditional foods of the Mi’kmaq people, tomcod is the frost fish and keeps us fed from January to March when food is scarce. Eels are good for food and medicinal purposes; there are traditional stories and legends about the eel and tomcod.
Alanna in a live fish cage that MCG built to hold the fish during sampling in the Shubenacadie River.
What is something new you learned from the past year?
How to do fish surgery to insert acoustics tags into fish.
What are you most proud of with Apoqnmatulti’k?
The appreciation for Mi’kmaw Traditional and Ecological knowledge from all partners involved, the willingness to understand and include this knowledge and information and to have the chance to learn from academia and local knowledge systems.
What do you like to do outside of work? (e.g. hobbies etc.)
I'm a full-time mom of 3. When I'm not working, I like to bead, play baseball, garden, walk, do crafts, and spend time in nature, hunting and fishing.