Additionally, I thought about the stories connected to this land. Was it once a place of hunting? What kind of memories do people have here? Do any Indigenous elders have stories about this land? To me, this land has many memories. I come here often to hike with my boyfriend, friends, and family. When I hike here, I feel connected to nature and feel like I am where I belong. 

I also found an article that refers to Niagara Falls as a spiritual ground. I thought this could be useful in finding out more about the lands stories. 

https://www.niagarafallstourism.com/media-kit/story-ideas/indigenous-niagara-falls/ 

After my walk, I decided to do some research and found out that years ago, a family lived in one of the houses located near the park from 1943 to 1971. More on this family can be found here: https://www.sootoday.com/columns/remember-this/remembering-the-family-that-lived-in-bellevue-park-9-photos-5494292. I find to so interesting how the Indigenous land we walk upon has so much history that often goes unrecognized. I believe that humans such as myself need to understand how our impacts affect nature and respect the Indigenous land in which we are privileged to walk and live upon. In doing so, it is the hope that in the years and generations to come, they can experience the beauty that the precious Indigenous land has to offer. In addition, providing stories such as the Hanlan’s. 

The lake that edges this property is a man-made lake in the LaCloche foothills. I learned to swim here and caught my first fish in Agnew but the lake was put here to move logs and power the hydro dam for a local paper mill that supports my small town.  What was here before the lake? Did people live on this land before it was flooded? I am sure many animals did. I know there is much less wild land in this area even then when I was a child. 

I have walked trails as a child, and along the local beach picking up litter. I love this piece of outdoors. I wish I could have land here again one day and that I could protect it. For today it was nice to look at the snow on the trees and wear out my dog in the fresh powder. 

This year has brought a large lens to Indigenous Ways through another class, 2F95, for which I am so grateful for a new view of our land in Canada. This week I took time to have a Canadian sensitivity walk to absorb the experience. Through beginning to understand the Indigenous People’s loss and look at the land as the land of The Creator where we all are only visitors. Our job is to our Ancestors and future generations to treat nature and our earth with respect and honour.

I see much disruption of the land with the growing population, increased houses, and constant renovations; where they want to rebuild homes is constant in my area of Ontario. The parks often need more trees, but there are still animals around. It makes me think about the deer, bears, and animals that once were hunted in our area for survival and are now driven away for buildings. I think about how we will ever get some control of our population and how we need to think sustainably about our future lives. 

One of the videos I watched in 2F95 mentioned: “needing to look at our land as though we are seeing it for the first time and possibly the last time since we never know what tomorrow brings” (Hill, 2023), which struck me as part of an impactful way of living. This spiritual connection to our land is deeply embedded in the podcast with Robin Wall Kimmerer (2016) in questioning why the world is so beautiful and the combination of her botany knowledge combined with ancient Indigenous culture to cast beautiful knowledge on two worlds of thought. 

A great resource I can across is Ensia for educators and parents, combining Indigenous beliefs with western science at 
https://ensia.com/articles/environmental-education-traditional-ecological-knowledge-native-science/

Reference

Hill, C. (Jan 16, 2023). Lesson 15 Education gap. Retrieved from 2P95, Brock University. YouTube.  
Kimmer, R. (2016). The intelligence in all kinds of life. On Being Studios. Retrieved from https://soundcloud.com/onbeing/robin-wall-kimmerer-the-intelligence-in-all-kinds-of-life

The specific lake that I have chosen for my nature walk is called “Ramsay Lake”. I think of the Thanksgiving Address, a tradition among the Haudenosaunee people, where they give thanks for many things. They give thanks for the things that provide so much for the earth and for the people. During my time here, I would like to give thanks to the trees for giving me oxygen to breathe. To the sun, for providing light to an otherwise dark sky. To the water, for being peaceful and still – giving me an overwhelming feeling of calm. To the ducks that pass by, for giving me joy as I watch them swim along together in a V formation. There are many reasons to give thanks and to be grateful for mother earth and all that she provides for us. I feel it is so important to respect and preserve the earth - sustainability requires so little from us each and every day, yet our actions have such a large impact on the world.

 

Firsthand, I have seen housing developers attempt to build on Indigenous land in Caledonia, and the turmoil and destruction that occurs as Indigenous People fight to hold onto their land (Douglas Creek Estates land dispute in 2006 and the 2020 McKenzie Meadows / 194 Land Back Lane dispute). After reading this week's literature and listening to the podcast, I focused deeper on the land while sitting on the bench near the river's edge. Listening to the water flow in the river and seeing gentle ripples, I closed my eyes and thought about how water can represent change and the passing of time. I thought of how water is a sacred gift that connects all life and how water is cleansing and purifying and is necessary for plants, animals, foods and medicines. I saw fishermen in the freezing water and shifted my thoughts to how Indigenous Peoples relied on the waters for food and how settlements were formed near water. Continuing my walk, I thanked the land, animals, people, plants, trees and water for their substance and the gifts we receive from Mother Earth. Walking back to my car, I was reminded of a discussion with my grandparents only to take what you need from their garden, leave some for others and never be wasteful. That conversation is similar to the Indigenous beliefs of the Seven Generations principle, where decisions we make today should result in a sustainable world seven generations into the future (Harwood et al., 2020). I appreciate the reminder that we must reflect and be thankful for everything Mother Earth has provided, acknowledge those who came before us, and respect that 'all land is Indigenous' and that we must 'listen to the stories of the land.'

 

As educators, we must teach our children to 'listen to the stories of land' and provide lessons that "the ground beneath our (settler) feet has a history and an identity that we have actively and anxiously hidden from ourselves" (Harwood et al., 2020, p. 33). We must educate ourselves about nature and the land and inspire our students to respect and find the passion for developing a relationship with the natural world and enhancing their sense of belonging and contributing. I am thankful to have a rich Indigenous culture in my surrounding community and near my practice. I drive by the Mohawk Institute Residential School and Good Minds Bookstore daily, as my practice is less than a kilometre away. I have purchased books like Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message by Chief Jake Swamp, Stand Like A Cedar by Nicola l. Campbell and Shi-shi-etko by Nicola l. Campbell from Good Minds and visited the Woodland Cultural Centre adjacent to the Mohawk Institute. 

 

 

Harwood, D., Whitty, P., Green, C., & Elliot, E. (2020). Unsettling settlers ideas of land and relearning land with indigenous ways of knowing in ECEFS. In S. Elliot, E. Ärlemalm-Hagsér, & J. Davis (Eds.), Researching early childhood education for sustainability: Challenging assumptions in orthodoxies (pp. 25-37). Routledge

 

Sundberg, J. (2014). Decolonizing posthumanist geographies. Cultural Geographies, 21(1), 33–47.

On module one I took a walk in a playground that was in a parc called parc de la guadeloupe in rue bedard gatineau. I remember especially taking a picture of a tissue box because of of the fact i found that it was cool how the whole box turned like an ice after being outside probably for weeks. Thinking back, it was probably left there by an educator since theres a childcare near by the playground. However I might be mistaking.

After reading the chapter  and listening to the podcast of this week, i've come to realized that i should have  acknowledge the land in wich i was on and take in consideration that I shouldn't have been that interested to a box of tissue that is icy however i should have been concerned of the fact that the land was being polluted, disrespected in many ways.  Since the day I moved to gatineau i never really took the time to do research on who inhabited the land long before colonization. This week, I decided to do my research an i learned that Gatineau is located on the territory of the Algonguin, an Anishinaabe People who where the  ones that occupied the entire Ottawa watershed for thousands of years. If you want to learn more you can use this link: https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/politics-law/algonquin-territory

After knowing a little bit about the land. I now wonder on how the land looked like years before they decided to create this playground. I wonder about the age of those trees, when they have been planted, what are the original plants of the area? where there many animals? and whether or not someone will decide to cut them down, close the park to build something else they deem more "useful". 

Looking back at my walk, i feel a sense of anger. Anger because someone decided it was a good idea to leave a tissue box in the park, polluting it. Sadness, pain, resentment are some of the feelings that the Algonquin People might have felt when their land was taken, stolen from them, however we now, do not take care of it, we pollute it, and we are killing it. I personally think that it is shameful of us to not take care of the land that wasn't ours in the first place. Colonization has stolen a precious thing however even us, this "new generation" are not appreciating and taking care of the land. I also feel a sense of shame on that fact that i enjoyed how the box of tissue looked like in the snow. However im glad that I did took the time to put it in the garbage. i hope that i will continue to acknowledge the land that vi walk on and continue to do my part in keeping the earth from dying.

As a child, I didn't understand the impact throwing garbage on the ground had on the creek, and land that allowed me to live. I thought about all the times I mistreated the land and its living things. Talking to her about my memories of climbing trees, I thought about all the other boys and girls who first stepped foot on their land and climbed trees the way we did, or were there trees? Asking ourselves these questions encouraged us to find out the history. We found out the Nations who settled here were Anishnaabeg, Haudenosaunee, and Lenni-Lenape Nations. I am sad to say we did not find much information specific to the white oaks area. I am also blessed to have my cousin as a resource who is part of the Oneida Nation and works within the community. She and I collaborate, giving me resources to send to the school board to pass on. Through our discussions, she has also contacted Thames Valley School Board to start setting up resources for staff to educate themselves and students, as well as resources for students. Reading the article allowed me to think past my memories and appreciate the land more by thinking about its history and how it has helped us grow. Reading the article, Unsettling Settlers' Ideas of Land and Relearning Land with Indigenous Ways of Knowing in ECEfS, I enjoyed the children's discussion about the water being alive. The creek led me down a path that I would follow. It led me to new destinations and helped me find my way back. The way it flowed and moved and the fish would swim always made me feel happy inside. Not only was the water alive to me, but it helped me feel alive. I have learned so much through the indigenous community on how the land has helped us and what it has given us.

References: 

Harwood, D., Whitty, P., Green, C., & Elliot, E. (2020). Unsettling Settlers' Ideas of Land and Relearning Land with Indigenous Ways of Knowing in ECEfS. Researching Early Childhood Education for Sustainability, 25–37. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429446764-3

Resources: https://www.blogto.com/city/2020/11/history-mimico-neighbourhood-toronto/

 

 

I got to the pond and sat down on a nearby bench, the breeze hit my face as I looked around. It was quiet; however, I could hear ducks quacking in the water. I noticed the garbage that was there last time was still there. I thought about what the Indigenous people would have thought about the litter in and surrounding the pond. I know they highly value the land we live on and the natural resources the Earth provides, using only what they need and no more. Although we do not use the pond as a source of water or food, I thought about how the litter could affect the ducks, fish, insects, and amphibians within it. I honestly feel as though nature would have been much healthier and therefore, more appealing when the Indigenous people came here because they cared so deeply about the Earth. I think garbage cans on the path would be a good investment and eliminate waste and pollution at the pond. 

Thinking about what this area may have looked like several years ago, I had to wonder, was the pond made naturally? Or was it man-made? If it was man-made, who made it? Was the pond created for aesthetic-pleasure and an incentive for people living nearby? If it was man-made, was the path or pond made first?

There are so many things to think about, the reading and podcast opened my eyes to an alternate way of thinking about the Indigenous lands in which we live on. I wish there were informative signs on the way to the pond which include a information and photos of the discovery or creation of the pond.

I walked to the pond where my children skated in the winter and reflected on how lucky we are to have a space where we can enjoy nature without causing any harm in a completely natural area that has not been altered in any way by man. I listened to the birds, took in my surroundings' pure beauty, and noticed a cayotes track in the snow. This made me think of their natural habitat and how all living creatures have a purpose and need to be respected.  I reflected on all the surrounding areas where trees have been removed to make more farmland and the impact that has. And if we lived in a world where all people applied the Indigenous ways of knowing and considered the generations ahead, what can be conserved for them? How our decisions would be different. I reflected on how healthy the world would be and its impact on climate change and global warming.   

 As I continued down the path, I came across a creek slowly defrosting just enough that you could hear the trickling of the water stream beneath the thin layer of ice. At this moment, I felt immense peace and connectedness as my dog ran to stand at the edge of the land to get from ice-cold water to drink. Further reminds me to thank Mother Earth and all that connects us, as the land has many stories to tell. One just must be listening. Recently in my Indigenous studies course, I have been introduced to the Turtle Island Creation story, and at this moment, I feel most connected to the land throughout my walk. I feel that if more people expanded their knowledge of Indigenous culture and knowledge, we, as a collective, would become more enlightened about natural teachings and practices bringing us back to the root of humankind and connecting ourselves to natural, sustainable ways of life while advocating for Indigenous culture. The nature sensitivity walk has further enhanced my professional approach to teaching.

During this walk, I was able to appreciate everything I saw during my walk and be grateful for the land that Indigenous people have shared with us. As I continued my walk, I could feel a cold breeze of wind on my face and as I looked at the houses around me, I was able to picture the empty land with trees and forest which I was unable to see earlier. But now with increasing population, it has been taken over by the houses.