The Great Bear Rainforest. Sacred wisdom sits here. It’s a place of magic and mystery, where ancient stories blanket great valleys.

“The grizzly bear in our culture symbolizes power and especially authority. I always have a saying. Rather than letting the authority be the truth, let the truth be the authority.”

This is a story about the life and death of a young grizzly bear in the Broughton Archipelago, British Columbia’s largest marine park. During one of the most impactful global events in recent history, a physically-distanced world saw a joint effort by First Nations, the Grizzly Bear Foundation and the provincial government to save a wayward male grizzly: Mali.

“Mali comes from Malilikulla, and that's the ancestor of this place where we're sitting. That's why they're called Mamalilikulla. It’s plural for the future generations of Malilikulla.”

Mike Willie of the Kwikwasutinuxw/Haxwa’mis First Nation and owner/lead guide of Sea Wolf Adventures considers how Indigenous governance can lead to more effective conservation and help strengthen our connection to each other and to the natural world.

If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please consider supporting our efforts with a financial gift to help safeguard the lands grizzly bears roam, the food they eat, and the wild we share.