The following podcast is a discussion with scientists Ray Pierotti (University of Kansas) and Tara McAllister (University of Auckland) about Indigenous Knowledge in science and the challenges that Indigenous people face in academia. Both of these topics are relevant to my day-to-day work with undergraduate science students. I have added Pierotti’s book “Indigenous Knowledge, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology” to my reading list.
Author Archives: Jacey Bell
Module 4 (Post 4) – TEK Field Course
While searching for information about Traditional Ecological Knowledge in post-secondary for my final project, I discovered a hands-on science field course that was developed in partnership between the University of Windsor and the Walpole Island First Nation. Part of my excitement about this stems from the recent news that I may be able to participate in my department’s annual biology field course as a botany instructor in the coming years. I would very much like to implement activities for the students that focus on respect and understanding of the local landscape and was inspired by approach that is described in the video below.
Module 4 (Post 3) – The Importance of Indigenous Perspectives in STEM
I enjoyed the following virtual workshop from the Ontario Ministry of Education about the importance of Indigenous perspectives in STEM. The workshop is presented by Joseph Pitawanakwat, the director of Creators Garden, and Haley Higdon, program director of Natural Curiosity.
Module 4 (Post 2) – Indigenous Women and Knowledge
In my web searches, I discovered a book called Living on the Land that explores the knowledge of Indigenous women that has been largely overlooked by patriarchy-informed Western research. I have not yet had the time to read the book, but have added it to my reading list for the future. The podcast below discusses Living on the Land and the stories within.
Module 4 (Post 1) – Authentic Engagement of First Nations and Metis Traditional Knowledge Keepers in Saskatchewan
The more I read about about Traditional Knowledge and Indigenous Science in education, the more I have come to realize that the wisdom of Elders and Knowledge Keepers is an invaluable resource to educators. Speaking from personal experience, I know that it can be difficult to ask for advice or information from Traditional Knowledge Keepers if one doesn’t know the appropriate protocols for respectful engagement. I was very happy to find this resource that is the result of a meeting between 24 First Nations and Metis Knowledge Keepers from the Cree, Saulteaux, Dene,
and Métis nations across Saskatchewan. I believe that the information contained in this resource can help educators to initiate respectful conversation with members of the Indigenous nations in their local regions.
From the document:
“The goal of this document is to outline the consistencies in protocol that emerged from across the province of Saskatchewan. Therefore, this document is intended to only be a starting point for community agencies to begin working collaboratively with First Nations and Métis Traditional Knowledge Keepers.”
Find the document here.
Module 3 (Post 5) – Western Science Finally Catching up to Indigenous Knowledge?
https://www.macleans.ca/society/how-western-science-is-finally-catching-up-to-indigenous-knowledge/
This article from Macleans was an interesting read. George Nicholas from Simon Fraser University takes a look at the differences between Western and Indigenous science and Western science’s reluctance to accept traditional knowledge. He acknowledges that both sciences have value, which makes me think about how valuable it could be to incorporate multiple ways of knowing into science education.
Module 3 (Post 4) – Indigenous Cultures and Astrophysics
This article from National Indigenous Television, News, and Programs (a division of Australia’s Special Broadcast Service), explores how Indigenous oral histories have preserved scientific knowledge for generations. Krystal de Napoli, a Gomeroi astrophysicist, explains how the Dreaming stories of Torres Strait Islanders contains ancient knowledge about stars and astronomy.
I really enjoyed this read and thought it did a wonderful job of explaining how stories can contain multitudes of knowledge from many different interconnected subject areas and allow for a deeper understanding of the environment.
You can find the article here.
Module 3 (Post 3) – Meshing Laboratory Science with Traditional Ecological Knowledge
The following article by Natalie Rademacher discusses post secondary educators who are combining their laboratory science courses with Traditional Ecological Knowledge. Some of the educators who are named include Gregory Cajete, who we know from our course readings, and Samantha Chisholm Hatfield, who teaches at Oregon State University.
From the article:
“By meshing laboratory science with Traditional Ecological Knowledge, college professors aim to cultivate better environmental decision makers — and decisions.”
Module 3 (Post 2) – What if Indigenous Science Were Part of the Science Curriculum?
The document linked in this blog was a very interesting read. Dr. Darren Ranco, an anthropologist and member of the Penobscot Nation, worked with a team to develop the Wabanaki Youth in Science (WaYS) program. When it was first developed in 2013, WaYS was offered to teens so they could learn about STEM and environmental stewardship. The part of the document that really piqued my interest described the expansion of the program into Maine University. There are now four courses being offered that weave together western science and Indigenous science.
Module 3 (Post 1) – Indigenous Connections to the Northeast Swale
The Meewasin Valley Authority is a non-profit organization that cares for the South Saskatchewan River valley and natural areas in and around Saskatoon, SK. The group has recently introduced a new resource to help secondary (grades 9-12) teachers engage in place-based education with their students at one of the city’s conservation areas. I was particularly excited about this as I was involved with a bioblitz that brought elementary school children to the swale for tours, exploration, and pond-dipping activities. The swale is an interesting landscape that was once part of the river valley many years ago and is home to a number of wildlife species and even some rare prairie plants.
From the site:
‘These new digital resources create curriculum connections to a section of content in the Meewasin App called “Indigenous Connections to the Northeast Swale” as well as physical interpretive panels located at this site. They also include links to a variety of other content and have been designed to encourage teachers and students to take part in land-based activities throughout the Meewasin Valley with a focus on Treaty Outcomes, Arts Education, Social Studies, History, Indigenous Studies, Environmental Science & Health Science.’