Indigenous Knowledge

In the Inuit culture, there is something called Inuit Societal Values (called Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit [IQ] Principle). One of the values is “respecting others, relationships and caring for people” (https://www.gov.nu.ca/information/inuit-societal-values). I would discuss with my students how they should be acknowledging their land to recognize what their ancestors have done for us. I would also focus on the Southern culture to show students that they must respect the other cultures as well, not only Indigenous culture.

In math, Department of Education made K-3 math textbooks that incorporated Inuit cultures (http://nunavuteducators.com/math.htm). For example, for problem solving addition and subtractions, they have added Arctic animals (e.g. caribou [tuktu], polar bear [nanuq]) and Inuit names to make connections. In literacy, we did a Read Aloud on a book called “We Live in the North” where it talked about children’s daily lives.

From a teacher in Northern Ontario:

In my community, for instance, traditional knowledge is at odds, in some cases, with the practices in the community. Connection to the land, for example, is developing but not every family hunts or goes to 'camp'. As recently as a few years ago, the Moose Factory Island District School Area Board decided to follow the provincial school calendar, taking out of their local school calendar the traditional hunting breaks (October Hunt Break and April Spring Goose Hunt Break). This seems to be in contradiction to the ideas being presented in the readings. As a result, I appreciated the cautions in What Works? Research into Practice monograph - "Avoid Sentimentalism and Romanticism". As a teacher, this has always been my fear. That I would be seen as Disneyfing indigenous culture. I feel it is important that we take the lead from the Indigenous communities and the elders wherever possible.

I often try to leave the indigenous stories to the Native Studies class but I see that these are very important and my students can learn about themselves or the world around them.

In geography, there are so many implications from the monograph. I thought about using the documentary, Angry Inuk to jump start a unit on local sustainability issues.

Every year the grade 10 Native Studies class take the train to the Onakawana River, and spend a week at the camp there. I have never thought of taking my English or Geography students but perhaps I will advocate for that.

From a teacher in rural Southern Ontario:

Module 2:

What Works? Research into Practice monograph Teaching for Ecological Sustainability

-typical western scientific mode of teaching to learning through cross-cultural science teaching

I still need to look up exactly what the differences are between the 2 modes of teaching: Western Scientific vs Cross-cultural Science?

-Indigenous philosophies about human interactions with nature provide lessons that can help mainstream Canadian society reconnect with nature and establish mutually beneficial and reciprocal relationships. In the drive for a new ecological ethos, Aboriginal epistemologies can provide a framework for engendering an ethic of stewardship and sustainability.

-Yes, it seems obvious that using Indigenous philosophies about human interactions and nature are a great starting point. Having said that, I already live and breath very closely with nature on a daily basis but for those who suffer from nature deficit or have severed their connection to nature, due to where and how they live, being inspired by Indigenous values and practices makes total sense, and would be quite empowering to say the least. What's good for Aboriginal people will be good for all Canadians and the world at large, I'm certain.

-common aspects of Aboriginal peoples’ environmental philosophies. Our research in the Walpole Island First Nation, in southwestern Ontario found an emphasis on:

1. inseparable relationship between people and the natural world

2. respect for all aspects of the environment, everywhere – not just in the community

3. recognition of the dependence of people on the physical environment

4. view of the land as sacred

5. responsibility to future generations

6. respectful and responsible use of resources

7. preservation, conservation, and enhancement of the natural environment

8. belief in the link between environmental quality and quality of life

Other than #4: view of the land as sacred; I was taught these by the adults in my life. Weren't most people taught this? This information is not new to me at all. I practice an understanding of these concepts by composting, growing a large garden, turning lights off, buying almost no highly processed food, preserving/baking lots of food, putting a HUGE amount of my money into a piece of vacant land that we're making rich for both animals and people, rain or shine my family and I go outside to play almost everyday, we NEVER idle our cars, sew/fix clothing, we don't litter, pollute the water, spray the soil on our land, we don't buy plastic toys, my children say thank you to mother nature a lot.... the only show my children watch is Planet Earth or the likes. It inspires them!

Maybe the difference is that many people know this stuff but CHOOSE not to live by it, including many Aboriginal people. I know from my experience living and teaching on a Reserve.

But again, if more teachers learn how to integrate these ideas into all main stream subjects under the name of Indigenous teachings, for the sake of our Aboriginal peoples, then so be it, and it will be better for all, and the planet. :)

I partly think it's sad though, that there are so many teachers out there not doing this already, not talking the talk OR walking the talk, regarding our relationship to nature...

In every subject I have taught, I ALWAYS emphasize kindness, environmentalism, and hard work... from showing students my super green lunches to telling them stories of me chasing down a "raccoon killer" to the fall fair! ;)

-For educators unaccustomed to teaching Aboriginal content in mainstream classrooms, infusing Aboriginal ecological perspectives may seem intimidating.

WHY? It must only be because they don't think or practice these ecological perspectives themselves. Maybe we should be make a course for teachers to learn this stuff more thoroughly so that they won't think twice about teaching it to kids of the future. If they practiced it at home and at school then they wouldn't be able to help modelling it for their students.

-The terms indigenous and Aboriginal are not always interchangeable. Indigenous is a broad category, which refers to the original inhabitants of any given region. In Canada, Aboriginal peoples comprise First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

Aha, yes, I'm still confused with all the terminology but this is a start.

-Use factual accounts of the lived experiences of Aboriginal peoples to teach concepts like climate change. Stories of indigenous groups in the Canadian and American Arctic provide a rich source of cultural evidence of climate change, as manifested in impacts on economic livelihoods. 12 Examples include: negative impacts of changing ice conditions on hunting, trapping, fishing and ecosystems; wildlife exhibiting atypical consumption behaviours, which are linked to a diminishing supply of their traditional food sources; alterations in the migration pattern of birds and other animals, which adversely affect food security for local peoples; changes in animals’ behaviour, fur condition, and meat colour and flavor, as a result of their feeding in polluted areas.

Cree and Inuit hunters’ traditional knowledge of animal anatomy enables them to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy animals.

Again, I've got umteen stories myself and don't need to use Aboriginal stories to teach concepts like climate change... For example, I've had my students enter the classroom to find it all dark except for the projector focused on an image of a huge field with NO trees. Their confusion was cleared after I went on a rant regarding the fact that someone last night cut down 2 huge, Sugar Maple trees right in the middle of that field! Why? So his huge machinery could go around them easier and he could make just a little bit more money from his pesticide corn!!!!! (I took a picture of that field during my commute to work on the morning I noticed they were gone. I was horrified! One day they were magnificent, the other day they were gone!

Then I went on to teach them how to draw trees!!!

However, I will certainly add more Aboriginal stories to my bank, as I learn them... or write some more Inuit style parenting stories to share. More of that to come in another post. ;)

Having said all that, I will happily share some of the Aboriginal stories I learn about too. I'm curious to learn more about the 'traditional knowledge of animal anatomy as I was both a Visual Arts and Wildlife Biology student.

Invite Aboriginal persons into your classrooms

Now that makes most sense! I have taken my students to a Reserve near my schools on a few occasions, always to draw from nature and then participate in a Talking Circle with an elder.

I will plan to do more of this and invite them into my classroom.

Indigenous ecological perspectives are relevant in mainstream education and can be incorporated into elementary classrooms. This is important as “limiting ourselves to science as a way of knowing our world is myopic ... there are other, sometimes more relevant, ways of thinking, understanding, and constructing our world”

I can't agree more! Can we then change the entire Ontario curriculum, please. ?!?!?!?

indegenousknowledgepaperbymariebattistecopy.pdf

Indigenous knowledge (according to the Lodge of Indigenous Knowledge & Protecting Indigenous Knowledge articles ) is believing

a)in a greater power than yourself that is connected to our ecosystem

b)all living things are dependent on each other

c)reality is expressed through languages

d)relationships are imperative to bonding living things

e)keepers of knowledge have the responsibility to share the knowledge with others and

f)passing their knowledge on through generations

It is also scientifically valid, spiritual and adaptable among different environments, groups of people, language and the social climate.

By believing that we are apart of a greater power we humble ourselves and must understand that we have been created alongside all other creatures. We all have a purpose on this Earth and as science can prove, ecosystem that are altered have an impact on the environments and relationships it is connected to. This also shows that Indigenous knowledge is 'systemic' and cyclical. Battiste describes Indigenous knowledge as what we observe, think and adjusting to all different settings. A great learning experience for students in science, envionrmental studies or Indigenous Studies courses would be to learn Indigenous teachings to "help develop mechanisms to protect the earth’s biological diversity" and compare them to what the Eurocentric methods are today. They may discover that it is challenging, if not impossible, to combine both ways of thinking, as they are on a completely different path.

If you study the word formation of Indigenous languages, all the letters and word placements are very purposeful. They are not only extremely descriptive but also conceptualize people, places and ideas very differently than a Latin language. For instance, Mi'kmaq language is based on interconnectedness and relationships. If this is the way you talk to each other, that is the way you think and therefore behave. Knowing this, helps me better understand how Indigenous people live by the concept of "all things are equal". Learning and incorporating Indigenous languages or storytelling into Literacy, Indigenous, art, or science courses would truly enhance students learning and help them understand Indigenous knowledge. For instance, students could listen to an Elder give a teaching a describe or illustrate what the heard.

Battiste's argument that the Eurocentric view of Indigenous knowledge is antique is very clear in some learning environments. Like science, Indigenous knowledge is ever-evolving. But unlike science it is not categorized in a narrow way of thinking. It encompasses "science, art, spirituality" etc all while being maintained by accumulating experiences and "non-formal experiments". Examples of these experiments include Indigenous people "routinely [taking] steps to increase the biodiversity of their territories". Their methods of hunting and harvesting evolved over time based on people learning from one another, sharing knowledge and ensuring balance through ceremony. These methods were effective and therefore valid in scientific terms. In science, students could study species introduction/ re-introduction studies and the impact this had on the ecosystem. The class could then discuss why some experiments were successful and how this relates to Indigenous knowledge.

Take care of each other - take care of the Earth are the over-viewing circular dynamic of Indigenous Knowledge.

It is important that students be able to answer the question of "How does this relate to me with - how does this relate to us?" Through encouraging apprenticeships (focus programs and co-op) students can connect classroom content to its "real world" application free from the Eurocentric disconnect of compartmentalization and separation of academic boxes. Through the support of the community and experienced adults (Elders) students should be given the opportunities to explore their interests through hands-on, practical experiences and applications. Students should also be encouraged to engage in pursuits that benefit and give back to their community.

Another area students could be encouraged to explore is health and nutrition with collaborative exercises with classes like Hospitality, Eco-Science and Gym. Students could engage in the physical exercise of planting a school garden, learn about organic practices that respect the soil and create healthy meals with the harvest. A "from ground to table" practice is a rich exercise in learning how to respect the earth and respect their bodies.

Dr. Marie Battiste describes in part, “Indigenous knowledge is systemic, covering both what can be observed and what can be thought.” (4) It is essentially interconnection or the relationship between all things - and involves a deeper connection between oneself and the world in the past, present and providing for future generations. It can’t be parcelled out though Eurocentric scholars have attempted to do so repeatedly. In chapter 2 “What is indigenous knowledge?” In Protecting Indigenous Knowledge and Heritage text, Cajete is referenced as stating, “Eurocentric approach to studying human culture systems has fragmented the unity of Indigenous worldviews into the distorted perspectives of arts, science, and culture.” (40) I’m reminded of an NFB movie “Qallunaat! Why White People Are Funny” by Mark Sandiford (2006) a humorous take on Eurocentric study methods of Inuit people. The Inuit, in the film, ‘study’ the Qallunaat (white man) in the same way the “white man” has studied them in the past resulting in a lack of understanding because of the two strikingly different world views. It is a humorous look at a topic that is not particularly funny.

One overarching theme throughout both articles is that Indigenous knowledge is the whole. The whole can be interpreted and observed through differing lenses but it is still all of the knowledge that one is interpreting or observing. It is not to be disseminated and viewed from only one angle to theorize and try to validate. It is always the whole. The closest I can come to connecting this to Eurocentric teachings would be the Biblical representation of the body of the church as found in 1st Corinthians 12:12 and 12:22-26. “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts…” It continues to describe each part having equal concern and representing no hierarchy. Though, this passage, in general speaks only of people and not the environment around them. (I add this as I found it very interesting in thinking about my community, as most of the indigenous population is Christian.)

Examples of indigenous knowledge include:

Ecological knowledge as a whole (people, plants, animals, climate, spirits and landforms) as found in the Dene culture. (44) This is the location and people specific and includes a complex understanding of how each part relates to others.

Harvesting involves the harvesting and collection of plants for food, medicine, ceremony, material and cultural life as well as wildlife. (47) Traditional foods are an important part of daily life as well as ceremony, relationship building, healthcare and so on. In Moosonee, it’s an important part of education in the youth.

Education and transmission of Indigenous knowledge is shared through oral tradition, and the verb/descriptive-centred languages, ceremony and family (whether family by custom or kinship).

While reading, I noticed many similarities between the Mi'kmaw child and elder centred culture to the Mushkegowuk culture. For example, kids are often raised by siblings, grandparents and aunties. There is a definite community approach; The 'village', if you will, is the norm. Children and Elders are visible at most community events. They attempt to ensure, for instance, that the elder and children are catered too.

A particular example of this would be when bands come to town. In most places, the headliner band (most recently we had a White Horse concert) tends to go on stage at around 10 pm. Here, the headliner plays at 7 or 8 pm (never later than 9 pm) to allow the elders and children to watch and leave early should they need to go to bed. If you play in a band here, you never want to be slated for the 10 pm slot. No one sticks around for that. Parents have gone to take their little ones home, the elders have gone home to bed also. It shows how important children and elders are to the community.

There are so many different examples of Indigenous knowledge that exist in teachings and approaches to education. These include learning through observation and guidance, developing a sense of support and empathy for peers and those in your community, as well as learning from peers in group settings, away from the supervision of elders or adults in the traditional sense. This approach not only develops observation and critical thinking skills, but it also develops peer led education, resiliency, and leadership focusing on growing as an individual.

There were a lot of great points brought up that I just wanted to mention:

“…the process of understanding is more important than the process of classification” – I find that in Western approaches we love to classify and further compartmentalize our knowledge into the classification we assign to our knowledge. The fact that Indigenous knowledge focuses on the aspect of understanding instead is just amazing in the sense of complexity and connectivity one must be aware of in order to do this. The importance of understanding connections is definitely key here and I can appreciate how it serves a more rewarding system from a knowledge wealth stand point.

When the point “Typically, rather than attempting to understand Indigenous knowledge as a distinct knowledge system, researchers have tried to make Indigenous knowledge match the existing academic categories of Eurocentric knowledge” was brought up, I again immediately thought of Westernized and general behaviour when we try to understand something by relating it to our current knowledge. I feel that this is a great starting point in order to begin to understand what it is that we are enveloped in or studying, but that’s it. It’s just a starting point. To not move farther than that comparative aspect is quite unfortunate and does not do justice to novel systems we try to understand.

The excerpt:

“Indigenous thinkers in Canada know that to acquire an Indigenous perspective on knowledge requires extended conversations with the elders of each language group. To sustain Indigenous knowledge, one must be willing to take on responsibilities associated with that knowing, especially putting the knowledge into daily practice. When an Indigenous elder says, "I know," it is a temporary reference point. If such knowledge is to be contained or if the relationship is to be sustained over time, then the elder must not just know the relationship, he or she must respectfully live it and know how to renew it.”

- really focuses on the life long learner approach in my opinion. You cannot just claim to know something and be done with it. You need to live it, incorporate it into your life, and really be able to apply it in a fluid manner as necessary. The concept of knowing to renew a relationship also implies that relationships are not static objects, but ones that mold and change over time, requiring re-visiting their importance and concepts in order to continue to understand and appreciate the other person.

Another excerpt:

“Indigenous peoples have accumulated extraordinarily complex models of species interactions over centuries within very small geographical areas, and they are reluctant to generalize beyond their direct fields of experience… Indigenous people who have traditionally lived within particular ecosystems can make better predictions about the consequences of any physical changes or stresses that they have previously experienced than scientists who base their forecasts on generalized models and data or indicators from relatively short-term field observations”

- really touched a point with me that quality definitely trumps quantity. People with a Western mindset tend to focus on quantity of education (exemplified by the need to add more degrees, certificates, or titles to one’s name), however, is it not better to focus on the quality and to professionalize on a particular subject matter affecting your daily life (and that of your people), then holding a general knowledge over a vast area? This concept also really brought to light the aspect of experience vs theory. Would it not be more beneficial to learn from the past and from data observed and explained by out predecessors, then it is to apply a statistically based theory to an overall system and assume that a similar reaction will occur?

Below are my examples of integrating Indigenous Knowledge into our classrooms and reaching:

Example 1:

In any subject or grade level you could incorporate peer support or help groups such as peer tutors, “buddy systems”, or student led leadership programs and activities in order to allow a community to form between learners, as well as develop a sense of responsibility amongst older students (while fostering peer-led growth in the younger ones). This could be a study hall in preparation for an assessment, it could be reading buddies to encourage younger students to better their reading skills, or it could even be buddy intramurals were older students assist younger classes in sports and physical education through fun, health focused activities.

Example 2:

There was a quote from the reading that immediately made me think to science – “…Indigenous cosmologies generally describe the universe as chaotic, in the strict mathematical sense of a system defined by random as well as non-random forces.” This is entropy! We can easily tie this notion of connection to any field in science through the discussion of energy conservation be it in chemistry with outlining observations of reactions, physics which understanding motion and being able to apply understanding to collisions, or biology where we look at biochemical processes and metabolic rates and functions. All steps are connected, all reactants form products which then entire a cycle to become reactants once again, and repeat.

Resource:

Battiste, M. A. & Henderson, J. Y. (2000). Protecting Indigenous Knowledge and Heritage: A Global Challenge. Saskatoon, SK: Purich.

I picked up on a few quotes that support our understanding of Indigenous Knowledge.

From what I have gathered from the readings we as Eurocentric thinkers have done a poor job of understanding it because we try to quantify/define it in terms of our knowledge, where we should be looking it it for what it is.

Here are some of the quotes that stood out to me, with comments following in italics, to explain my understanding

Indigenous knowledge is that knowledge is the expression of the vibrant relationships between the people, their ecosystems, and the other living beings and spirits that share their lands. (42) This fits with the video and readings from the last topic on world view, it shows the interconnectedness that exists in the thinking and understanding of themselves and their community.

All aspects of this knowledge are interrelated and cannot be separated from the traditional territories of the people concerned. (42) This speaks to the diversity of knowledge based upon where the nation's traditional territory was and how they interacted with the land, and how the land influenced who they are and what they know/came to know.

In Indigenous ways of knowing, the self exists within a world that is subject to flux. The purpose of these ways of knowing is to reunify the world or at least to reconcile the world to itself. (42) Acknowledgment that the world/land changes and that they must adapt and understand in order to support the world.

Indigenous ways of knowing hold as the source of all teachings caring and feeling that survive the tensions of listening for the truth and that allow the truth to touch our lives. (42) Speaking truths, when I taught in Cornwall the teacher who taught the Indigenous courses was careful to say she was speaking the truths as she knows/understands them and that they can and do change.

Developing these ways of knowing leads to freedom of consciousness and to solidarity with the natural world. (42) Continued focus on the natural world

Indigenous ways of knowing share the following structure: (l) knowledge of and belief in unseen powers in the ecosystem; (2) knowledge that all things in the ecosystem are dependent on each other; (3) knowledge that reality is structured according to most of the linguistic concepts by which Indigenous describe it; (4) knowledge that personal relationships reinforce the bond between persons, communities, and ecosystems; (5) knowledge that sacred traditions and persons who know these traditions are responsible for teaching "morals" and "ethics" to practitioners who are then given responsibility for this specialized knowledge and its dissemination; and (6) knowledge that an extended kinship passes on teachings and social practices from generation to generation. (42) gives us a broader view

knowing the complex natures of natural forces and their interrelationships is an important context for Indigenous knowledge and heritage. (43) This again speaks to relationships and how all things are related a very common theme/understanding

The traditional ecological knowledge of lndigenous peoples is scientific, in the sense that it is empirical, experimental, and systematic. It differs in two important respects from Western science, however: traditional ecological knowledge is highly localized and it is social. Its focus is the web of relationships between humans, animals, plants, natural forces, spirits, and land forms in a particular locality, as opposed to the discovery of universal "laws." It is the original knowledge of Indigenous peoples. (44) discusses the inter relationships in terms of ecological knowledge - how it is based upon the place - as in an above quote from page 42, this suggests that in each area it was developed based upon the relationship with the land there.

Indigenous knowledge is based on awareness, familiarity, conceptualization, and beliefs acquired about an ecosystem. Its relationships with an ecosystem are maintained by accumulating experiences, conducting non-formal experiments, and developing intimate understandings of the given consciousness and language, at a specific location and during a specific period of time. (48) Same comment as above

Since all things in nature are interrelated and interdependent, it is vital that each person views his or her relationships not just with other humans but with all of nature. Each person has an individual responsibility to sustain the renewable resources that enable the whole to survive. (56) this speaks to the importance of understanding and accepting the responsibility for the interconnectedness of our world in order to sustain it.

With all of that said I think that key to the definition of Indigenous Knowledge is the understanding of the interconnectedness with both people and the land, and the importance of caring for both.

How can this be incorporated into the classroom?

1 - creating a caring community

2 - developing an understanding of interconnectedness in the classroom

3 - In foods classes or in a high needs special education class we could complete the connection with the land by growing food and then preparing it. At my school in Colorado the Spec Ed department had hydroponic towers where they grew different veggies depending upon the season, the students would learn about them and then cook with them. Sometimes they would work with my foods classes to create a joint meal.

I found the task of trying to define Indigenous Knowledge very daunting after reading chapter 2 by Battiste. On page 40 she states “For any research to seek to give a comprehensive definition of Indigenous knowledge and heritage in any language system would be a massive undertaking, which would probably be misleading. Other scholars have also reached the conclusion that comprehensive definitions cannot contain the diversity of Indigenous peoples or their knowledge.” From the following sections my main take aways when defining Indigenous Knowledge is that it is a very interconnected system involving the head and the heart and their interaction with the ecosystem and all things in it. She also stresses the local scale of Indigenous Knowledge. I particularly liked the reference to Indigenous People referring to their knowledge as “operating instructions” for the land. This also helped to explain the ever evolving nature of Indigenous Knowledge. The example of the younger hunter with the experience hunter really helped to show me how Indigenous Knowledge is passed down through both experience and oral tradition but then is continually tested and refined through personal experience.

Examples of Indigenous Knowledge:

Traditional medicine (like the example of the Blackfoot healers)
Traditional foods and harvesting
The interconnectedness of ecosystems
Seasonal changes
Local knowledge of the land
Individual observations and experience
Animals
Plants
Spirits
Natural harmony
Indigenous language
Past oral traditional
The sharing of experiences/observations tested over time

How Indigenous Knowledge can be Integrated into the Classroom:

In “Protecting Indigenous Knowledge and Heritage” on page 41 Dr. Daes [stresses the role of land or ecology as the Indigenous knowledge system's "central and indispensable classroom."] This has been a reoccurring thought we have been speaking about. It seems to me the land is the place to start. Two specific ideas I had for bringing examples of Indigenous Knowledge into curriculum are as follows:

Grade 9 geography students doing a walk on the land with an Elder. There are many expectations that call for students to understand how people and the land interact with one another. I think students could gain a whole new perspective from an Elder and see the true interconnected nature of the land they live on.
Science or Geography - I think it would be interesting for students to learn about climate change and then listen to oral stories from Elders that talk about changing seasonal patterns or wildlife. They could then explain how climate change brought about these changes. They could also compare the individual experiences of people from different generations if possible to see the local scale impact of big scale systems.