Podcast: Play in new window | Download
n this episode, Heather is joined by one of her many mentors, esteemed Mi’kmaw Elder Albert Marshall, who brought forward the concept of Etuaptmumk (Two-Eyed Seeing). Etuaptmumk is a framework that emphasizes the importance of multiple perspectives and the value of integrating diverse knowledge systems. We learn so much from Albert in this episode on the importance of knowing who you are, where you come from, and where you’re going. We are also introduced to two new concepts: Msit No’kmaq, which tells us that we are all interconnected relations with responsibilities to care for and honour all beings, and Netuklimk, which is a reminder that every action we take must involve our best effort to be in harmony with nature. As Elder Albert says, “nature has rights, and humans have responsibilities.”
In this episode Heather and Elder Albert chat about the irony of education – it has caused so much harm (i.e., Indian Residential Schools in so-called Canada) and yet it is important for Indigenous liberation. Specifically, Elder Albert describes the value of land-based learning as the classroom and for educators to weave Indigenous and Western knowledge systems together. While this work is critical for Indigenous children to thrive, it is also essential for the health and wellbeing of the land, other-than-human relatives, and one another. This episode offers hope for how we coexist and walk forward together in this one world, mutually respecting the unique perspectives that each person brings forward.
Albert Marshall is from the Moose Clan of the Mi’kmaw Nation and lives in the community of Eskasoni in Unama’ki (or Cape Breton, Nova Scotia). Albert is a fluent Mi’kmaw speaker. He and his late wife, Elder Murdena Marshall, have six children and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. In addition to co-authoring several scholarly publications, receiving many honorary doctorates, and working on education, resurgence, and environmental stewardship, Elder Albert Marshall has also co-authored a children’s book Walking Together. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada.
This podcast is created by the Impact Chair in Transformative Governance for Planetary Health at the University of Victoria, with production support from Cited Media. We receive additional support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research You can find us at https://indigenousplanetaryhealth.ca/
