Roots and Shoots

Module 4 has prompted us to consider Traditional Educational Knowledge (TEK). According to the Roots and Shoots website TEK is “knowledge that have been passed down for generations.  TEK involves the knowledge of one’s own environment that is gained through experiences, actions and interactions.”

Associated with the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada, Roots and Shoots is funded by the Dept. of  Indian and Northern Affairs.

The goal of the program is to:

• Support youth in taking action on issues affecting people, animals and the environment.
• Mobilize youth to become more connected to their land, people and cultural identity.
• Empower First Nations, Inuit and Métis youth to make change in their communities.

One of the initiatives provides support for story telling initiatives (Wisdom Keepers and Storytellers Narrative Initiative) which encourages youth to become “messengers of the culture, spirituality and the environment of your community”. Some examples are the stories can be found at the Stories at Work section on the site.