They often involve mentorship from community leaders and knowledge keepers, youth are encouraged to participate, and they emphasize using traditional languages and Subsistence practices.
In the words of Yellowknives Dene scholar, Glen Coulthard, examples of land-based education include but are not limited to: "'walking the land' in an effort to re-familiarize ourselves with the landscapes and places that give our histories, languages, and cultures shape and content; to revitalizing and engaging in land-based harvesting practices like hunting, fishing, and gathering, and/or cultural production activities like hide-tanning and carving, all of which also serve to assert our sovereign presence on our territories in ways that can be profoundly educational and empowering; to the re-occupation of sacred places for the purposes of relearning and practicing our ceremonial activities.
"[6] In increasing the practice of traditions, Indigenous communities utilize land-based education initiatives as a tool to strengthen their peoples against assimilation, foster decolonization, and assert their rights to self-determination.
By removing them from their lands, governments have attempted to sever their lifeline, and prevent them from passing on their ways of knowing to their youth, thus facilitating the erasure of Indigeneity in Canada.
[7] They actively resist oppressive settler forces by continuing to speak their languages, stewarding their lands, and physically occupying their territories.
[12] In addition, as mentioned by Cherokee scholar Jeff Corntassel, this cultural resurgence helps individuals and communities re-envision their lives beyond what the state has imposed on them.
In a time where climate change is threatening life on earth, land-based pedagogies can help strengthen a needed sense of environmental stewardship, especially among settler students exposed to Indigenous perspectives.
[1][2] By asserting their existence, Indigenous communities directly counter the immense environmental violence caused by colonialism, as described by Professor Kyle Whyte from Michigan University's School for Environment and Sustainability.
[18][19] The cumulative effects from environmental contamination, territory fragmentation, and losing access to ancestral lands are all imminent threats to Indigenous communities’ health and ability to take part in land-based subsistence practices such as fishing or berry picking safely.
[6] Even Indigenous communities could finance land-based education though shared industry profit outlined in Impact Benefit Agreements, the money received still stems from destroying their lands.
[22] The Anicinape community of Kitcisakik, who live in the La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve in the province of Québec, would receive many groups of settler students (high school and up) for several days at a time.
During their stay, students actively participated in traditional activities such as "talking circles on territorial politics or testimonials of Residential School survivors; observing winter forest trapping; knowledge sharing on medicinal plants; preparing and eating traditional foods; arts and crafts workshops; sweat lodge ceremonies; community gardening; or playing hockey with community members.
[11] Taiaiake Alfred is a member of the Kanien'kehá:ka Nation (also known as Mohawk) who acted as the lead consultant for the community when developing the Akwesasne Cultural Restoration program over several years.
[11] Through an in-depth analysis of testimonies, documentation, and previous pertinent scientific studies, the report presented overwhelming evidence that GM and ALCOA had, over several decades, released well-documented environmental contaminants such as PCBs, fluorides, and heavy metals into the Akwesasne community environment and lands.
Even though the report showed that cultural land-based traditions are still being practised, overall, "Akwesasro:non have been denied the opportunity to provide their families with healthy foods, to fulfill their traditional obligations toward the land, waters, plants and animals, and, denied the opportunity to pass on practical, spiritual philosophical and language based knowledge of what it means to be Mohawk.