Learning involves recognizing that some knowledge is sacred and shared with permission and in certain circumstances

Through this project, we learned that for many Indigenous people, life and learning are synonymous. Learning is not limited to a place, or specific experience. It is a journey, a sometimes-broken journey, that takes time.

In our experience on this project, in order to receive the gift of his story, we needed to create a relationship with the Elder who shared it. He needed to know why we wanted him to tell his story to strangers. He needed to trust our intent and trust us. That took time. He demonstrated his method with other people in the numerous meetings we had at the school where he worked. He told stories and at times, clarified the questions we asked. We found direct questions are often talked around. His teachings are not limited to the presentations he’s made, but in the ongoing relationship with us. He was teaching us at every moment.

It is important to realize that as you build a relationship with this community you become in some ways responsible for helping to support it. It is a challenging relationship based not on “helping” but on facilitating its continued healing and resilience.

Build from a place of strength and remember anything that you learn is to be treated as a gift.

Ask how you can use what you learn. Ask for input. Act on that input. Always remember that much has been taken from this community by European colonization and European educational systems. Realize that your involvement in these communities must always be with the intent that you are there not to fix, but rather to support. And when you learn, make sure to ask how you can use that learning to respect the community.

Ultimately our participation and the trust given to us by our community must always be respected. Our relationship must be based not only on trust but on the assumption that we are being trained and changed by our relationships. Learning about and with them is a privilege. Allowing ourselves and our values to be influenced by the community and the individuals is our gift.

  Reflections Worksheet: Shared Learning Spaces

 
Tips for Incorporating Sacred Knowledge and Shared Teachings

• Incorporate casual spaces and outdoor spaces into the learning environment.
• Provide casual learning opportunities that allow learners to come and go as needed.
• Provide life skills programs that build life skills that will help learners navigate the work and social world.
• Encourage Elders and Knowledge Keepers to be a part of teaching life skills. Students need to build confidence in order to tackle new challenges.
• Be sure to discuss where information and learning will be used, and that any consent or release is fully understood and accepted.
• Make sure you have acknowledged and thanked the Elders and community for their input.
• If you have been shown something, do not assume you can use it without specifically asking.
• Remember, much has been taken from the Indigenous community by the outside world. Whenever you use information, teachings, and wisdom, clearly explain the purpose of the project, and ask specific permission for how you intend to use it.