Walking Out of the Anthropocene: Reworking Ecological Education with Indigenous and Arts-Based Pedagogies Dr. David Zandvliet, Professor, Simon Fraser University - Director, Institute for Environmental Learning, RCE British Columbia Dr. Shannon Leddy, Professor, Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy, University of British Columbia, RCE British Columbia 9th Americas RCE Regional Meeting 13 & 14 October, 2020

1. WALKING OUT OF THE
ANTHROPOCENE:
REWORKING ECOLOGICAL
EDUCATION WITH INDIGENOUS AND
ARTS-BASED PEDAGOGIES
Dr. David Zandvliet, Simon Fraser University
Dr. Shannon Leddy, University of British Columbia

2. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
• Shannon Leddy is a Member of the Métis nation
on her father’s side, and second generation Irish
Canadian on her Mother’s side. Originally from
Treaty 6 territory (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan),
she has resided on the traditional and unceded
land of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam),
Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and
Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples
since 1994.
• David Zandvliet is a 1st generation Canadian of
Dutch ancestry He is originally from Toronto,
Ontario, land of the Missassaugas of the Credit,
Anishnabeg and Haudonsaunee. He now
resides on Stó:lō territory in Chilliwack, BC

3. CONTEXT
Indigenous Knowledges

4. INDIGENOUS INCLUSION MATTERS
Two-Eyed Seeing
(from: http://www.integrativescience.ca/Principles/TwoEyedSeeing/)
Indigenous Voices
Recognizing the white supremist roots in Western concepts of land and early environmental/outdoor learning.

5. GLOBAL
ECONOMICS
•In the modern globalised ecomony, land is increasing construed as capital, relying on both global and local tourism to recreational areas and preserved wilderness areas, and resource extraction
for global export. At the same time, Canada has become heavily reliant on the import of goods that are cheaper to produce elsewhere.
CAPITALISM
•The idea behind founding a colony serves the twin purposes of relieving overcrowded cities in Eurpoe of some of their population, while at the same tme using the new inhabitants of far away
lands to extract resources that increse the wealth of the home country. Once here, inhabitants felt quickly in to Locke's narrative of who is an ideal social player and begn to set up businesses in
familiar European modes of agriculture, industrial development, mining and mercantilism, the ethics of which persist in dominating.
CANADA
•Currently there are 37.59 million people in Canda. Approximately 4.9% of the population is Indigenous.
COLONIZATION
•In 1861, the total population of what would in just a few years become Canada was approximately 3.174,442 (https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/98-187-x/4064809-eng.htm). The
Indigenous population was calculated at approximately 102,358 by Geroge Simpson in 1857 (https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/98-187-x/4151278-eng.htm).
MANY
NATIONS
•On the Northern Part of Turtle Island (Canada) there were between 500,000 and 2,000,000 people living in communities all over the land.
LAND
•Before there was anything, there was the land, the Mother of Everything.
COLONIAL STRATIGRAPHY

6. CIRCLE PEDAGOGY AS A STRATEGY FOR
DEMOCRATIZATION
Sharing Circles and Process Pedagogy
Image credit:
http://rjcenterberkeley.org/note-to-stephen-colbert-no-senators-were-not-playing-
kindergarten-games-when-using-the-talking-stick/

7. AESTHETICS

8. BALANCING RIGOR AND PLAY

9. CONCLUSION
• Two-Eyed Seeing
• Relational Perspective – everything is interconnected
• Land as Teacher
• Nurturing Aesthetic Appreciation
• Honouring our Humanity
WE ARE ALL RELATED