Land-based environmental sustainability: a learning journey from an Indigenist researcher

Abstract

ABSTRACT For centuries, Indigenous Elders and Knowledge-keepers (IEKK) and their land-based stories have played a vital role in environmental sustainability. Following the Indigenist relational theoretical framework, in this article, I honor and respect IEKK as scientists for their community and their traditional land-based stories as scientific knowledge for their environmental sustainability. As a visible minority immigrant researcher and educator on the Indigenous land known as Canada, IEKK land-based stories helped me rethink who I am as an Indigenist environmental researcher when I learn about my responsibilities from Indigenous communities. Following the Indigenist methodology and research framework, I used deep listening and reflective journal writing as my research methods. I also highlighted how my learning from IEKK land-based stories could help me take responsibility to rethink, relearn, and reshape us as environmental researchers.