Taking part in a conversation with an Indigenous person

Prep work

• Learn about principles and practices related to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (see references below)
• Contact an Indigenous Elder or Indigenous knowledge holder and discuss the condition of their interventions in line with the principle of free, prior and informed consent.
• Agree on the story to be told or questions to be discussed with learners.
• Agree on any movement or practice to be mobilized by the learners if need be, after the story is told.

Competences/activities to be practiced first by the teacher

• ‘Listening’ tool (3.3.), particularly ‘Deep Listening with Others’ (3.3.2)
• ‘Moving to reduce climate anxiety’ (1.3.)

Steps in the activity

1. Introduction 
2. Listening 
3. Dialogue 

Step 1: Introduction

1. Introduce the exercise to your learners by highlighting three basic facts:
   • (1) over 80% of the world’s biodiversity is located on territories cared for by Indigenous Peoples, hence many of them have a precious understanding of how to care for the Earth, and
   • (2) Indigenous people are very diverse and live different lives both in urban and rural areas today, and
   • (3) most Indigenous Peoples have been oppressed by governments in various ways over the past centuries, and are likely to still be oppressed today. Exploring this history is essential to better understand their own stories. 
2. Introduce the Indigenous Elder or Indigenous knowledge holder by reading a short biography shared by the invited Elder or knowledge holder. 
3. Allow time for the Indigenous Elder or Indigenous knowledge holder to do a land acknowledgement and/or greet the learners in the way they see fit. 
4. Introduce the topic or the questions that the Elder or Indigenous knowledge holder will discuss. 
5. Let learners know that it is important not to interrupt the Elder or Indigenous knowledge holder and to keep questions for the end, unless previously agreed upon with the Elder or Indigenous knowledge holder.
6.  Highlight that this activity is about listening to a story that may not feel familiar to the learners and could introduce concepts or ideas they have never heard. It is important to listen with curiosity and an open mind, knowing that there will be a time for questions afterwards.
   • In case a concept or an approach makes them feel critical or uncomfortable, let them know that there will also be space to discuss those emotions afterwards.
   • If they feel sad, angry or any other overwhelming emotions during the intervention, let them know that they can breathe deeply (1.3.1), and that those emotions can be addressed after the recording.

Step 2: Listening

1. Listen to the Elder or Indigenous knowledge holder.
2. Invite learners to take note during the intervention if a question comes up, so that they can write it down and free their mind to continue listening deeply. 

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Learners engaging in an online discussion with a representative of the Māori Indigenous community, and learners participating in an in-person meeting with a young individual from the Maasai community. Photo by Enerel Bat-Ochir, REAL School Budapest.

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Step 3: Dialogue

1. Start with inviting learners to express the emotions they have felt while listening to the intervention, if any. If needed, suggest some movement-based activities for the whole group (1.3.), and/or other movement or activity agreed with the Elder or Indigenous knowledge holder.
2. Encourage learners to share some questions they may have on any aspects of the story. When they have comments, and when possible, invite them to turn them into a question so as to dive deeper with the group. 
3. Give learners the opportunity to reflect on themes, topics or questions that emerged in the story:
   1. What were they surprised about? 
   2. Did they notice a different relationship to nature?
   3. Did they notice a different relationship between members of the Indigenous community than the ones they are used to in their community?  
   4. Did they notice a different relationship to climate change? 
   5. What would they like to further explore or research individually or as a group? 
4. Allow some time for the Elder or Indigenous knowledge holder to ask questions to the learners.

Dos and Don’ts

Do

• Prepare well about Indigenous Peoples in general and the Indigenous People to which the storyteller belongs before the class. 
• Question and address your own assumptions and biases before the class.
• Let the Elder or Indigenous knowledge holder answer the questions, unless they are not related to their interventions. 

Don’t

Don’t assume you know a lot about Indigenous Peoples because you have done some research. Acknowledge that there is a lot you may not know nor know in an embodied way, including when answering questions by learners. 

Adaptations

We invite you to adapt this activity to the specific needs of your learners, including by taking into account their neurodiversity. When adapting tools and activities for neurodivergent learners, please note it is not about treating others how you want to be treated, but how they want to be treated. Ask, listen, and stay open to different ways of learning and engaging. 

References

Activity designed by One Resilient Earth. 

Important references when preparing for this activity: 

• United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
• Gesturing Towards Decolonial Futures (GTDF) is an arts/research collective that uses this website as a workspace for collaborations around different kinds of artistic, pedagogical, cartographic, and relational experiments that aim to identify and de-activate colonial habits of being, and to gesture towards the possibility of decolonial futures.
• A report of the Human Rights Council on Free, Prior and Informed Consent.
• Protocol for non-Indigenous people working with Indigenous people 

Podcasts and writings by Indigenous Knowledge holders

• A podcast by Cherokee reporter Rebecca Nagle: There is no Climate Justice without Indigenous Sovereignty
• A podcast by Sherri Mitchell, (her name in her language is Weh’na Ha’mu Kwasset), an indigenous rights attorney from the Penobscot Nation and the author of a wonderful book, Sacred Instructions. The podcast brings together indigenous lessons, teachings and guidance she has been moved to share with the wider world, on behalf of the elders in her community: No Place Like Home
• Writings and Interviews of Robin Wall Kimmerer, a mother, scientist, decorated professor, and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. She is the author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants, which we also highly recommend.
•  Sand Talk, a book by Tyson Yunkaporta, who looks at global systems from an Indigenous perspective