Indigenous cartography describes the principles, practices, and artifacts used by aboriginal and native peoples to record their surroundings. It differs from "Western" or "conventional" cartography in that it expresses a deep and intimate knowledge of the landscape, rather than a catalog of resources. These forms of cartography operate historically as a control mechanism for [[Culture of Supremacy|cultures of supremacy]], wherein the defeated or uneducated are furnished with paperwork revoking their historic claims to territory or [[property]]. >[!quote] Steve DeRoy >The underlying notion of a map is an exertion of power—the person holding the pen ultimately decides what gets put into the map and what is excluded. Indigenous cartography traces the "affect space" of a territory as informed by [[Preconquest Consciousness|pre-rational consciousness]]. In this mode of awareness, place-names [emerge](http://ranprieur.com/readings/preconquest.html) from distinctive emotions evoked by landmarks, the plants or animals residing there, an interesting event that occurred there, or the memory of someone associated with the site. Navigating affect space is a non-linear means of wayfinding, incorporating feeling and environmental variables. Practitioners of indigenous cartography advocate [returning](https://atmos.earth/indigenizing-cartography/) to an ethic of map-[[Principles of Making|making]] that prioritizes communication and collaboration, as well as a recognition of the emotional quality of a landscape. It documents "terrain of consciousness" emphasized by [[bioregionalism]], while assigning responsibility to individuals. As a contemporary practice, [indigenous mapping](https://www.indigenousmaps.com/ourstory/) synthesizes systems of Indigenous knowledge with modern tools such as GPS and satellite data. One consequence of this is allowing Indigenous peoples to reclaim the traditional names of features within their historic territories. This perspective recognizes landscapes as cultural keystones with natural economies of sustainability. It is a [[Paradigms|paradigm]] of flourishing and balance with the environment.