Our first Land-Based camp found us in Opaskwayak Cree Nation, MB at Stoney Point, alongside Atikameg Lake. Over the course of fourteen days, we began to establish and deepen our understanding of Land-Based Education as a group of 13 formal and non-formal, Indigenous and non-Indigenous Educators from multiple locations across Turtle Island. During this time on the Land and with community, we were immersed within Swampy Cree language and cultural practises. Some of the cultural and Land-Based practises we engaged in included:
net fishing, prepping, and smoking fish with Omar and Crystal Constant;
spending time with John and Lillian Sinclair (Crystal’s parents) on their trapline;
prepping moose nose & duck soup (not pictured) with Omar;
preparing bear fat medicine and receiving teachings by Edwin Jebb;
receiving language teachings from Stan Wilson and teachings in the Opaskwayak Cree Nation Community Garden on Food Sovereignty with Peggy Wilson;
and lastly, but so importantly, spending time on the surrounding lands and waters!
It was during this time we were introduced to Sean Wilson’s foundational text, Research Is Ceremony — in which concepts like Relational Accountability and what it means to establish an Indigenous Research Paradigm became entwined throughout the course of our program.