Learning with the Land: A Case Study of Land-Based Education at Batchewana First Nation
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| Title: | Learning with the Land: A Case Study of Land-Based Education at Batchewana First Nation |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Emilee Bews |
| Source: | Brock Education: A Journal of Educational Research and Practice. 2026 34(3):83-97. |
| Availability: | Brock University Faculty of Education. 500 Glenridge Avenue, Saint Catharines, ON, L2S 3A1 Canada. Tel: 905-688-5550 ext. 3733; e-mail: brocked@brocku.ca; Web site: http://brocked.ed.brocku.ca |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 15 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, Canada Natives, Indigenous Populations, Relevance (Education), Cultural Maintenance, Knowledge Level, Spiritual Development, Resistance (Psychology) |
| Geographic Terms: | Canada |
| ISSN: | 1183-1189 |
| Abstract: | This article presents a case study on the impacts of land-based education on Anishinaabe learners, as enacted by the GlenOak Academy SOAR Program within Batchewana First Nation. Grounded in critical Indigenous theory (CIT) and guided by participatory action research (PAR) and storywork methodologies (Archibald, 2008), this research explores how community-led education rooted in Anishinaabe knowledge systems fosters cultural resurgence and educational self-determination. Two central questions guided the study: (a) How does community-led, land-based education empower Anishinaabe learners to embody traditional knowledge vital for cultural survival? (b) In what ways does cultural engagement through land-based practices facilitate knowledge production and sharing among Anishinaabe learners? This study explores the role of land-based education in connecting culture and education to support the development of Anishinaabe learners as cultural beings. Through pedagogical talking circles with nine educators and observations of land-based learning, this research examines how learners engage with and embody land as pedagogy within an Anishinaabe context. Three key themes emerged from the data: knowledge production and sharing among students, nurturing the learner's spirit, and resistance through cultural resurgence. Aligned with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action #10, this case study contributes to broader conversations about Indigenous educational sovereignty. It positions land-based learning as a site of cultural resurgence, intellectual nationhood, and self-determination, supporting the reclamation of education as a community-rooted process. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1497167 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This article presents a case study on the impacts of land-based education on Anishinaabe learners, as enacted by the GlenOak Academy SOAR Program within Batchewana First Nation. Grounded in critical Indigenous theory (CIT) and guided by participatory action research (PAR) and storywork methodologies (Archibald, 2008), this research explores how community-led education rooted in Anishinaabe knowledge systems fosters cultural resurgence and educational self-determination. Two central questions guided the study: (a) How does community-led, land-based education empower Anishinaabe learners to embody traditional knowledge vital for cultural survival? (b) In what ways does cultural engagement through land-based practices facilitate knowledge production and sharing among Anishinaabe learners? This study explores the role of land-based education in connecting culture and education to support the development of Anishinaabe learners as cultural beings. Through pedagogical talking circles with nine educators and observations of land-based learning, this research examines how learners engage with and embody land as pedagogy within an Anishinaabe context. Three key themes emerged from the data: knowledge production and sharing among students, nurturing the learner's spirit, and resistance through cultural resurgence. Aligned with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action #10, this case study contributes to broader conversations about Indigenous educational sovereignty. It positions land-based learning as a site of cultural resurgence, intellectual nationhood, and self-determination, supporting the reclamation of education as a community-rooted process. |
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| ISSN: | 1183-1189 |
