Its inception began when Bartlett asked Murdena why there was a lack of Mi’kmaq enrollment; her reply: "Well, we Mi'kmaqs have been here for thousands of years—don't you think we’ve learned something about plants and animals?".
[3] The concept of Two-Eyed Seeing (TES)/Etuaptmumk reflects the reality of L'nu constantly evolving as a nation due to colonialism and the ever-changing ecological circumstances of their territory.
[7] A symbol, often associated with Two-Eyed Seeing, is Trees Holding Hands, conjured by late Mi'kmaw Chief of the Acadia First Nation, Charles Labrador.
The Two-Eyed Seeing approach is a method of education within Integrative Science that takes on a more holistic, multidisciplinary, and trans-cultural interpretation of the natural world and beyond.
[8] Philosophical differences among Western and Indigenous knowledge can lead to interpretation problems when attempting to understand the environment from both perspectives, for both the educators, researchers, and learners.
Western-trained academics and researchers can unconsciously or consciously categorize it within classifications to understand the concept within Western science philosophies, missing the foundational make-up of Indigenous knowledge as fluid, adaptable and continuously evolving.
ACHH is an example of research conducted within a TES approach to gather and share Indigenous knowledge towards the goal of improving the health care experience and outcomes.
This initiative was kickstarted as a result of a very low percentage of admitted Indigenous children to pediatric care when this demographic actually experiences a very high rate of pain, compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts.
Through TES, findings have provided community-based evidence about pain occurrences in First Nation youth, facilitating the advocation of resources such as screening equipment and treatment processes.
[2] Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission has also used TES when gathering and analyzing information related to the trauma of Indigenous peoples and cultures when forced to attend Residential Schools.