LAND-BASED LEARNING

Many Indigenous communities are engaging in land-based learning for children when possible, which involves teaching students about traditional Indigenous practices. It’s an empowering, hands-on way to learn subjects such as science that also helps build resilience, practical skills, and community connection. Some examples include building fires, foraging, hunting, fishing, and tanning hides.

For Gwich’in artist Tania Larsson, land-based learning is “necessary because our education system for so long was to separate kids from their family and nature … With land-based learning, students have fun outside, learn problem-solving, and build confidence.”

She adds that it’s best to involve elders in the process whenever possible, even if extra accommodation is needed. “We need to prioritize these relationships; otherwise, that learning opportunity is lost. Do you want to learn from someone with 20 years of experience or 80 years?” Larsson asks.

Robertson-Barnes also describes how many of these skills, such as gardening, help foster a close connection with nature. “Gardening is a process of trial and error. You can read about it or watch videos, but what’s most important is paying close attention to the nature around you: you have to get to know your soil, your light, your particular garden plot.

“It’s about trusting yourself—connecting to that deep, ancestral place of knowing that we can lose when we’re not paying attention.”

For Larsson, sustainability is a holistic concept that involves relationships with her elders, the caribou, and their sacred land. Learning traditional skills means learning from elders, and there’s no such thing as being “self-taught.”

“In Indigenous culture, you need to ask to learn something, and that can be humbling,” Larsson explains. “It’s a community, and any time you experience benefits, you bring those benefits back to the community, so we all benefit together. True sustainability is bringing everyone with you.”

Ancestral connection

By reconnecting with the knowledge and practices of our ancestors, we may find that we rekindle a bond with generations past. Interested in learning more about your ancestors? Why not rifle though your grandmother’s cookbook, do an online search, or ask an older relative what they remember from their childhood?

Crucially, ancestral connection can also refer to Indigenous knowledge systems. Many Indigenous people are once again learning the irreplaceable and invaluable practices of their ancestors.

According to Larsson, “It’s important to rebuild these relationships that were destroyed by colonization and residential schools … By learning these skills, I’m helping repair these bonds and reconnecting with the land. It’s a lifetime of learning. I’m also strengthening pride in being an Indigenous woman.

“Even though I can’t talk directly with my ancestors, there is knowledge embedded in these objects such as jewellery and hides, as well as through the land, that speak to me,” says Larsson. “The beauty of our culture is in the relationships, the communities, the people, and the land. For me, that’s what it means to be Indigenous.”

Community resilience

According to Slind, “With things like gardening and preserving food, we can feel more resilient in times of uncertainty, during things like food shortages.”

And it’s not just resilience for ourselves either: skill building can help communities as a whole, such as in our changing climate. We can help pass our own skills along to others, trade and share with our loved ones, and work to help build resilient neighbourhoods through activities such as community gardening and beekeeping.

Usefulness

Traditional skills are inherently practical. Oftentimes, the fruits of our labour are better than what can be purchased from a store. Slind agrees, saying, “The food grown in your own garden or preserves you’ve prepared—they just taste better. And nothing feels as nice on your skin as a garment you’ve made.”

According to Slind, knitting and other fibre arts are one way to help fight back against fast fashion. “I don’t think it’s any surprise that if we buy a $10 shirt from a fast-fashion company, it’s going to disintegrate in a few months. People are catching on. It’s damaging for the environment and our wallets. With knitting and sewing, you can make clothing made exactly for your unique body, and it will last. Only now am I needing to darn socks that I knitted years ago.”

Start learning

It’s never too late to learn something new, and there are plenty of opportunities. Not sure how to start? In addition to resources such as books, consider these suggestions.

Online courses

Many online platforms offer courses of general interest to the public. Free instructional videos can also be very helpful. Slind, for example, learned to knit by watching YouTube videos.

Clubs, organizations, and shops

If you’re interested in a topic, research organizations near you, where people can help inspire and guide you. Slind suggests connecting with local yarn shops. “They’re an amazing resource! Many offer classes and have adapted to COVID-19 so you can take online classes via Zoom in the comfort of your own home.” She also suggests joining guilds or clubs, such as the West Coast Knitters’ Guild.

Friends and family

You may be surprised to learn what the people around you know, and if you follow the proper protocols, they would be happy to teach you. Learning from elders can mean a more holistic learning experience.

Knitting is for everyone

According to Jill Slind, president of the West Coast Knitters’ Guild, many skills, such as knitting, have been devalued by society because what is traditionally seen as women’s work (and unpaid labour in general) has been undervalued by society. Sadly, the female-only perception of knitting persists.

“Male knitters are still underrepresented in the knitting world,” Slind explains. “It’s unfortunate, but thankfully, it is starting to change. Toxic masculinity means additional stigma and a barrier for men who might otherwise be interested in taking up knitting. Knitting is for everyone.”

OLD-FASHIONED FUN

“Granny skills” don’t have to be purely practical. “Teach your kids how to play Crazy Eights!” suggests Zero Waste consultant and mother Sarah Robertson-Barnes. “Many kids don’t learn how to play with a physical deck of cards these days, and it can be so fun.”

As Larsson describes, “If you want to learn how to tan hides, [elders] will first teach you the basics: how to identify the correct trees for wood for the smoking process; how to make a fire; how to set up a tent; how to have a clean work surface.”

Community college courses

From beekeeping to beer making to bread baking, the continuing education departments of colleges and universities offer numerous courses.

Public library courses

An often overlooked resource, libraries offer countless courses and classes—and many are free of charge!

Skill building is valuable and empowering for children and adults alike. “These skills are a preservation of history, plus the end product is so great. As a culture, we don’t want to lose these skills,” says Slind.

“What’s more empowering than creating something and bringing it into the world?” asks Larsson.

Most of us have felt stressed, deprived, confused, or out of control when it comes to eating. It’s time to free yourself, ditch deprivation, and embrace eating in abundance. It’s as simple as focusing on foods you can (and should) eat in abundance while crowding out foods that should be limited or eliminated.

The result? A sustainable healthy body composition and, most importantly, disease prevention (plus more energy, less inflammation, and a healthier gut microbiome). An added bonus? By eating this way, you’ll minimize your impact on the environment and animals’ lives.

High nutrient density + high fibre + low calorie density = plants

It’s simple: Eat more plants

By focusing on whole plant foods (veggies, tubers, fruits, whole grains, and legumes), you’re consuming highvolume foods that will fill you up with nutrients and fibre, in turn triggering the message from your brain that you’re full and preventing you from overeating.

What does eating this way look like? Big portions of colourful food, and no more measuring. Eating should give you feelings of pleasure and contentment, rather than guilt and stress. It should be seen as an opportunity to fuel your amazing body with the nutrients it deserves.

Let’s break it down

> 75 g of cheddar cheese (3-inch cubes) = 308 calories

> 15 mL (1 Tbsp) vegetable oil = 120 calories

> 3 1/2 oz (100 g) piece of steak = 149 calories

All of the above options are low volume and calorie dense, with zero fibre.

On the other hand:

> 2 cups (500 mL) broccoli = just 110 calories—and loads of fibre

By filling up on nutrient-dense, fibre-rich, high-volume food (whole plant foods), you will naturally be eating fewer calories without feeling deprived.

Plants are king for their ratio of high nutrients and volume to low-calorie density for sustainable weight management and longevity. They’re also packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and, most importantly, fibre—which makes them queen when it comes to gut health!

These prebiotic plant fibres are the preferred food for the trillions of microbes in your gut microbiome. Eat a variety of plants and you’ll become the host to a diverse party of happy microbes.

In return, you’ll receive the greatest gift: a healthy gut to combat disease. You’ll assimilate nutrients optimally and produce anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids that may have an effect on brain health, serotonin levels, energy, immunity, weight management, digestion, hormonal balance, blood sugar balance, and healthy skin.

WHAT’S THE SCIENCE ON THAT?

Studies strongly support the role of plant-based diets in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Reducing the high saturated fat and zero-fibre animal foods in your diet actually lowers the risk of insulin resistance and, in turn, helps prevent, or even reverse type 2 diabetes.

It’s time to start crowding out animal-based and processed foods and focus on eating more whole plant foods!

So, where do you start?

Think about why you want to switch to a plant-focused diet. Maybe you want to eat more plants to minimize your environmental footprint or prevent lifestyle-related health conditions, such as heart disease, obesity, or diabetes. The rest is easy.

Back To The Basics

It may sound radical, but deprivation and restriction are not required to transform your health, love your body, and glide through life with confidence and energy.

> Personalize the process. Connect with your “why.”

> Focus on variety and abundance of whole plant foods (aim for at least 80 percent or more).

> Minimize oils and refined/processed foods; aim to eliminate animal products.

> Ensure a few important nutrients are at optimal levels, including vitamins B12, D3, and K2 and microalgae EPA/DHA.

> Love your body along the way; it’s truly incredible, and its ability to evolve is mind-blowing.

> Manage your stress by moving your body, laughing, and taking moments for yourself.