I am deeply connected to the land of five rivers, that is called Punjab. It is situated in North-Western part of India. Punjab is renowned for its rich and fertile land, making it a significant agricultural hub in India. It’s often referred to as the breadbasket of the country. It is a land full of vibrant colours and rich cultural history. The regional language of this place is Punjabi. I deeply appreciate the richness of traditions and cultures of this land. It is a land of traditions, values and a profound sense of community. It has a  distinctive blend of traditions, values, and heritage that defines the identity of the state of Punjab.  This is a place where I grew and have spent my life with my family, friends and relatives. I am full of gratitude for this land that has helped me grow into a human being that I am today.

Indigenous land based education is not only outdoor learning by students, but it centers on respect, reciprocity, reverence, humility, and responsibility. The values are intrinsically tied to the land through Indigenous knowledge systems. Land based education emphases on the interconnectedness of knowledge and its origins in the land, including water, sky, and all that they encompass. Land-based learning allows us to understand our role and relationship with the Land, how to care for it, respect it and give back to it. The Land gives us everything we need to survive. It provides education that resonates with Indigenous cultures and ways of knowing. Land based learning involves learning certain skills involve physical activity which helps make connections to traditional ways language and knowledge. It provides hands-on experiences that demonstrate how we are supposed to use everything.

Resource: Land as teacher: understanding Indigenous land-based education 

My reflection for this module on kin relations is that it is very important to re-establish the relational dimension of teaching and learning, a learning in which living with and as a kin to land, water and place must be at its core for positive learning environments. From Indigenous point of view, attachments, kinship, and family tell us who we are and where we come from. They give us a sense of dignity, a sense of belonging, right from birth. In Indigenous cultures, family units go beyond the traditional nuclear family living together in one house. Families are extensive networks of strong, connective kinship; they are often entire communities. If a child is orphaned or if their biological parents are unable to care for them, the broader family takes over the primary rearing of that child. Instead of having one mother, the child could have a number of maternal figures. But if a child is taken away from their parents, their extended family, their community, they suffer multiple losses.

Resources: The Power of Indigenous Kinship, By: Tanya Talaga 

In Module 2, I learnt about how Indigenous Peoples have relation as a kin to land, water and all the natural world around. How they believe in balance with nature and communal harmony. I gained broader vision of two-eyed seeing, how to take strengths of both and Indigenous world and colonized world and how we see through the best perspectives of both the worlds together. Not only this, learning about Indigenous pedagogies was very helpful to understand different ways to implement Indigenous ways of learning in todays classroom environment.  Land based learning, Kinship, Indigenous wisdom and Indigenous leadership resources have helped me deepen my understanding about Indigenous perspectives.