Alexis C. Bunten: Indigenous Economics and the Power of TEK


​Alexis C. Bunten: Indigenous Economics and the Power of TEK

​Alexis Celeste Bunten, PhD, is an Aleut/Yup’ik researcher, author, and advocate specializing in Indigenous economic development, sovereignty, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). As a co-director of the Bioneers Indigeneity Program, she has become a leading voice in how nature-inspired solutions can provide a roadmap for environmental and social restoration.

​Academic Foundation and "Indigenous Capitalisms"

​Bunten earned her PhD in Cultural Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley. Her seminal work, So, How Long Have You Been Native? Life as an Alaska Native Tour Guide (2015), offers a critical analysis of the "experience economy." She explores how Indigenous communities can engage with global markets—such as tourism—while maintaining their cultural identity, preventing commodification, and ensuring that economic benefits remain within the community.

​Biomimicry and Nature-Based Design

​A central pillar of Bunten’s current research is the intersection of biomimicry and Indigenous worldviews. She argues that Indigenous cultures have practiced "original biomimicry" for millennia by emulating nature’s time-tested patterns. Her work focuses on:

  • ​Climate Adaptation: Implementing land management that mimics natural disturbance cycles.
  • ​Social Biomimicry: Applying the organizational principles of healthy ecosystems to human community structures to foster equity and long-term health.
  • ​Regenerative Economics: Moving away from extractive models toward systems that prioritize the health of the local environment.

​The Science of Perennial Resilience

​In her advocacy for regenerative systems, Bunten highlights the biological importance of perennial food crops. Unlike annuals, these plants develop permanent, deep root systems that act as "carbon sponges," pulling CO_2 from the atmosphere and storing it in the soil—a process known as carbon sequestration.

​These deep roots also stabilize the soil and create efficient nutrient cycling systems, which are essential for restoring biodiversity in regions facing desertification or soil exhaustion.

​Global Advocacy and Data Sovereignty

​Through her book Indigenous Tourism Movements (2018), Bunten has documented global case studies, including heritage management among the San in Botswana and the Maasai in Tanzania. Her international work emphasizes:

  • ​Indigenous Data Sovereignty: Ensuring that Indigenous communities own and control their ecological narratives and scientific data.
  • ​Intellectual Property Rights: Protecting traditional knowledge from being exploited by outside corporations.
  • ​Leadership Frameworks: Utilizing concepts like "The Brain Pilot" to describe the executive cognitive functions needed to lead through complex climate and social crises.

​Selected Bibliography

  • ​So, How Long Have You Been Native? Life as an Alaska Native Tour Guide (2015)
  • ​Indigenous Tourism Movements (Co-Editor, 2018)
  • ​Keepers of the Earth: Indigenous Wisdom and Scientific Knowledge (Contributor/Editor)

​

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