National Indigenous Peoples Day is a time to reflect and honour the history of Indigenous communities across Turtle Island. In this blog, Hayley reflects on her relationship to nature and the ways we can channel Indigenous perspectives into our everyday lives to live more sustainably.
Written by Hayley Park, Senior Project Assistant & Communications Lead, Honours Bachelor of Arts, Communications, Culture, Information & Technology
Walking Gently on the Land
About one year ago today, I enjoyed a beautiful walk through downtown Toronto. I spent the sunny afternoon trekking along the Harbourfront, eventually finding my way towards Trillium Park. As I walked through the park, I noticed a rock off to the side of the trail that was engraved with the phrase, “Walk Gently On the Land”. This rock stopped me in my tracks – I stood there for a while, completely touched by the phrase. This sentiment has stuck with me ever since, encouraging me to continue exploring my relationship with the land as a settler upon it.
The phrase walk gently on the land has been passed down from Indigenous elders from family to family. It’s about taking good care of the land, maintaining the balance between all things, and respecting one another (Martin, 2022). This concept takes us on a journey of self-discovery, encouraging reflection about the relationship between humans and the world around us. Walking gently on the land can mean different things to different people – but for me, it’s a powerful reminder to tread with respect, and to consider the weight of my footprint, where every movement is felt. I think about the fast-paced and often heavy world around us, and am reminded to take a moment to slow things down and tread with care.
This beautiful phrase tells the story of Indigenous communities who have lived and collaborated with nature since time immemorial. This National Indigenous Peoples Day, I’m reflecting on my relationship with the land, and thinking about how the intersection between environmental sustainability and Indigenous knowledge systems can carve a path forward in the age of climate change.
Embracing Indigenous Perspectives on Sustainability
Did you know that Indigenous peoples were amongst the first to notice climate change? Over the centuries, Indigenous communities have developed a deep connection to the land, water, and ecosystems, which is central to their cultures, languages, and livelihoods (Climate Atlas of Canada, n.d.). Through intergenerational observations, Indigenous peoples have developed ways to navigate and adapt to the changing climate, often developing a sense of kinship and spirituality with the natural world. Interestingly, nature is often considered to be a member of the community, where everyone and everything is interconnected. What’s more, nature can offer a vital source of wisdom and knowledge to learn from when we communicate with it.
Climate change is undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges we’re faced with as a global community. It’s more than just an environmental issue – for years, Elders across Canada have shared the sentiment that climate change is the result of an imbalance between us and the earth – and moreso a deeper imbalance within ourselves. This imbalance is said to have been born through modern practices of production and commercialization, as well as a disregard for traditional Indigenous knowledge systems. This reality is often troubling for me, but I find comfort in knowing that Indigenous perspectives about environmental stewardship and sustainable consumption offer a path forward that we can all embody in our everyday lives. I’m inspired by how communities learned to develop harmonious modes of existence that supported their needs while remaining collaborative stewards of the environment. When we embrace Indigenous knowledge and ways of existence, we can carve out new possibilities, solutions, and paths forward for us in the age of climate change.
Acknowledging the Land We Share
No matter where in the world you are, there’s rich history behind the land you’re on. This land is a space to live, work, create, play, connect, learn, and to give back. Yet, it’s easy to take our land for granted. Land acknowledgements are moments of intentionality and grounding where we honour the traditional spaces that we are working or residing on. It’s a way to express our gratitude and appreciation to the earth, as well as to those whose territories we are on. They help us understand our place within the history of the land – both on a community and individual level. For me, land acknowledgements are moments to reflect meaningfully about my positionality as a white settler and uninvited guest on the land. Whenever I conduct a land acknowledgement at the Innovation Hub, I name the treaties that we work on, highlight the historical and present relationship with the university, and express our gratitute for this working on this land. I also like to share examples of natural spaces across Tkaronto that are meaningful to me (pictured below!).
These moments of reflection don’t need to just be used in formal settings, such as in workshops and events. They can also be individual commitments to be kinder to the land or small moments of reflection that ground us back to the earth and Indigenous history. I find myself most connected to the land when I am walking in the forest, going on a hike, or even just sitting on a rock and pondering about life. I love to look at the small joys in everyday life; the dewdrops on the leaves in the morning, the nooks and crannies in the trees where creatures make themselves at home, or the rippling pattern in a calm body of water. In these moments, I reflect on the legacies of the land and how grateful I am to be visiting and exploring as an uninvited guest. I also think about my responsibility to take good care of the land; to walk gentlty.
At their core, land acknowledgments are a collective responsibility to honour the people who care for the land and to recognize the privilege we hold by walking upon it every day. In doing so, we can also learn to become kinder to the ecosystem that sustains us. As this reflection process becomes part of our routines, we can share in recognizing and honouring the Indigenous people who have lived here since time immemorial. Land acknowledgements are opportunities to learn and gain a deeper sense of responsibility to take care of the land around us. Ultimately, there isn’t one set way to reflect on the land – every act of acknowledgement is meaningful and unique to your story!
Here are some pictures of land across Turtle Island that is meaningful to me:
Learning Locally
As a staff member and graduate of U of T, I’m fascinated by the history of the land across the three U of T campuses. I recently attended a U of T Tree Tour, hosted by the Committee on the Environment, Climate Change & Sustainability. The tour was fantastic, and helped me appreciate the beautiful biodiversity we have on campus, as well as the rich Indigenous history many of our trees held. We learned about the ways native trees have sustained Indigenous communities throughout history, and discussed the ways we can respect and care for each historic species. Seeing staff, students, and faculty come together to learn about nature and U of T’s roots made me feel a sense of community and shared purpose that I didn’t expect.
There, I also learned about The Great Tree of Peace; a white pine which acts as a symbol of peace, friendship, and unity between the five nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. In present times, the tree is recognized as a symbol of reconciliation between U of T and the people of Turtle Island. A white pine is growing outside of the Sir Daniel Wilson Residence with a placard, pictured below.
Not only was the tree tour a fantastic experience to learn more about the cultural history of the U of T land, but I left feeling incredibly grounded, grateful, and connected to nature. I’m a believer that local learning experiences like this are some of the most powerful, so I’d encourage you to find similar opportunities in the community near you!
Everyday Steps
The steps we take to tread on the land are meaningful and impactful. This National Indigenous Peoples Day, I encourage you find everyday moments to pause and reflect about your relationship to the land you’re on. Thinking about the places in our lives that are meaningful to us can help us build empathy and think of ways to sustain them in the future. The earth is part of our community, and part of us – a sustainable world is a real possibility when we learn to work together!
Resources at U of T
- Indigenous U of T: Explore Indigenous initiatives, services, and academic programs across all three U of T campuses.
- First Nations House: Learn about advising and culturally relevant programming for the U of T community
- Academic programs with Indigenous Inquiry: Read the listing of academic programs at U of T focusing on topics related to Indigenous languages, culture, health, etc.
- Land Acknowledgement: Learn more about land acknowledgements at U of T
Resources in the Greater Toronto Area
- The Indigenous History of Tkaronto: List of websites, books, YouTube videos, articles, and more on about the local Indigenous history of Tkaronto
- City of Toronto’s Sunrise Ceremony: A ceremony performed with Indigenous partners to share gratefulness for creation and Mino Baamodziwin
- Government of Canada’s interactive map of National Indigenous Peoples Day events: find one near you!
- Native Land: Explore the land you’re on, anywhere in the world!
Resources about Walking Gently on the Land
- Pangawogo Ninga Akì: The art of walking gently on the land
- KCI-NIWESQ: Walking Gently
- Climate Atlas of Canada: Indigenous Knowledges and Climate Change
References
- Brascoupé-Hoefler, E. A. (2022, December 21). Heartbeat of Mother Earth: Walking Gently. National Arts Centre. https://nac-cna.ca/en/stories/story/heartbeat-of-mother-earth-walking-gently
- Climate Atlas of Canada. (n.d.). Indigenous knowledges and climate change. Prairie Climate Centre. https://climateatlas.ca/indigenous-knowledges-and-climate-changeclimateatlas.ca+5climateatlas.ca+5climateatlas.ca+5
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