“We were put on a land that looked like us and given a language that sounds like the land, with the words to describe the land and all of its beings.” 

-Dr. Amy Parent honoring the teachings of the late Woody Morrison of the Haida Peoples, who first expressed this^[1]

Brief Overview

When children are outdoors and with nature they have unique opportunities for connection with themselves and the world around them, that are often very difficult to achieve or replicate in indoor early learning and care environments.

Indigenous worldviews are deeply connected to place: land, sky, water, and all inhabitants. This connection is not something that can be taught or experienced inside a standard four walled classroom and requires being with the natural world in connection. In order to nurture this connection, that all children have, children need time and space to be present with the natural world outdoors and play.

Children’s connections and play can be deepened through land-based learning, but  Indigenous land-based learning is about more than being present with the natural world and feeling connected to it. It requires local Indigenous knowledge and wisdom of place, including language, teachings, and storytelling. This knowledge and wisdom are what have enabled Indigenous ways of being and knowing to continue and what have enabled Indigenous peoples to live in balance with the natural world for so long, things needed now more than ever.

Centering Indigenous land-based learning in your nature pedagogy and approaches to outdoor/nature play has particular benefits for Indigenous children and non-Indigenous children as well as educators and families, but requires investment, action, and continued embodied learning on the part of the educator. Etuaptmumk or Two-Eyed Seeing presents a path forward for non-Indigenous educators looking to take on this important work by centering relationship building, healing, and respectful collaboration.

We are all treaty people.

Key Takeaways

Watch this short film.

Maq and the Spirit of the Woods is a short, animated film by Phyllis Grant that tells the story of a young Mi’kmaw boy who finds purpose through stories, teachings, and laughter when he journeys through the woods.

Maq’s journey from the time he leaves the woods to the time he arrives at his camp is one of significant growth. He is described in the beginning of the tale as having two left feet, however as we progress through the story, we see that Maq is swinging in trees and running steadily through fields. Consider the role of storytelling in Maq’s journey. As he travels through the land and listens to stories from the Spirit of the Woods, we can see Maq’s confidence grow- he begins to remember and share some stories of his own and begins to explore on his own.

What relationship to the natural world is reflected through this story? How can the concepts of land-based learning and storytelling from Maq’s story be incorporated into your work as an ECE through a lens of two-eyed seeing? How are resources such as this valuable for supporting Indigenous land-based learning in outdoor/nature play?

Additional Resources

Eskasoni storyteller wants children to seek out knowledge

Why does storytelling matter?

Read and listen to Mi’kmaw storyteller Terry Denny discuss the importance of Mi’kmaw storytelling to help preserve Mi’kmaw history, teachings, and language as well as support healing.

Artist shows meaning of Mi’kmaw months with beaded calendar

Have a look at the incredible work of Mi’kmaw artist Ashley Sanipass in this CBC article. Her beautiful work makes clear how language connects us to different stories and worlds.

Consider how the wisdom, stories, and understandings imbedded in the names of the months of the Mi’kmaw calendar might inspire wonder, connection, and learning in young children differently than the Gregorian calendar.

Reflect

Resources for Decolonizing your Nature Pedagogy with Young Children

There are a growing number of children’s books, and books written for educators of young children, that share Indigenous language and knowledge of the land in accessible ways. Below you will find some examples to consider that may be particularly useful to practitioners in Mi’kma’ki.

Mi’kmaw Children’s Books & Educator Resources:

Note: All of these resources can be accessed through the MSVU library and/or Curriculum Resource Centre.

• Picture book Walking Together introduces Etuaptmumk (Two-Eyed Seeing) to young children. Written by Mi’kmaw Elder Albert Marshall and Louise Zimanyi.  
• Board book Jujijk: Mi’kmaw Insects introduces children (and adults) to the Mi’kmaw names of local insects. Written by Mi’kmaw Educator and Artist Gerald Gloade.
• Board book Mi’kmaw Animals introduces children (and adults) to Mi’kmaw names of local animals. Written by Mi’kmaw Educator and Artist Alan Syliboy.
• Educator book Mi’kmaw Moons: The Seasons in Mi’kma’ki introduces traditional teachings about the moon cycles and their relation to the natural history of Mi’kma’ki using Etuaptmumk. Written by Mi’kmaw Educator Cathy Leblanc and Astronomer David Chapman.

What resources are available to you where you are and how would you go about accessing them? What is important to consider when selecting a resource to share with children about local Indigenous language, stories, and knowledge?

Reflect on how you might use these kinds of resources to support outdoor/nature play and why they are important, particularly for non-Indigenous educators.

Experience

The Power of Language

Go for a walk or reflect on what you notice when in nature. Is there a particular tree that you love? A pink wildflower that popped up in a neighbor’s yard? A curious squirrel that visits you?  

• Make a list of 5 parts of the natural world that you feel connected to, but don’t know the names of. 
• Do some research and find out their names both in your primary language and the local Indigenous language of the place you live.
• Do the names and meanings you discovered reveal anything different for you?