Ecojustice & Indigenous Pedagogies

1. Ecojustice & Indigenous Pedagogies Brittany MahoneyDave Allard Kim Scalia Bob Michalak http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/104407/wall-mart-opens

2. Anthropocentrism • A way of thinking of the natural world as a resource to be exploited for human purposes; the fate of the environment as separate from the fate of humans; humans as rational while the environment is viewed as wield and in need of being brought under rational control—or replaced by an artificial environment created by scientific and technological experts; a key feature of Western thinking that can be traced back to the Book of Genesis.

3. Biodiversity • The natural world is multi-layered and interdependent—from the ecology of micro-organisms to the ecology of plants, animals, and humans; renewal of species is dependent upon the diversity of living systems; biodiversity as the basis of life and to undermine it is to undermine life itself; the opposite of an anthropocentric way of thinking.

4. Commons • The commons represent both the naturals systems (water, air, soil, forests, oceans, etc.) and the cultural patterns and traditions (intergenerational knowledge ranging from growing and preparing food, medicinal practices, arts, crafts, ceremonies, etc.) that are shared without cost by all members of the community; nature of the commons varies in terms of different cultures and bioregions; what has not been transformed into market relationships; the basis of mutual support systems and local democracy; in the modern world the commons may be managed and thus kept from becoming enclosed through private and corporate ownership by being managed by local and national government—municipal water systems and state and national parks are contemporary examples of the commons.

5. Ecojustice • The aspects of ecojustice that should be the focus of educational reforms at both the university and public level are connected with the need to reduce the impact of the industrial/consumer dependent culture on everyday life while at the same time ensuring that people are not impoverished and limited in terms of equal opportunity; the five aspects of ecojustice that have special significance for educational reformers include the following (1) eliminating the causes of eco-racism, (2) ending the North’s exploitation and cultural colonization of the South (Third World cultures), (3) revitalizing the commons in order to achieve a healthier balance between market and non-market aspects of community life, (4) ensure that the prospects of future generations are not diminished by the hubris and ideology that drives the globalization of the West’s industrial culture, (5) reducing the threat to what Vandana Shiva refers to as “eath democracy” –that is, the right of natural systems to reproduce themselves rather than to have their existence contingent upon the demands of humans; ecojustice provides the larger moral and conceptual framework for understanding how to achieve the goals of social justice.

6. Group Activity • Group One: The Government • Group Two: The Corporation • Group Three: The Consumer • Group Four: The Farmers/Indigenous People • Keep these terms in mind: • Anthropocentrism • Biodiversity • Commons • Ecojustice

7. How do we affect each other? Negative Effect Positive Effect Neutral/No Effect http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/154592/no-self-control

8. Bringing it to the Classroom “Our work as teachers is to give children a sense of place – to invite children to braid their identities together with the place where they live…” Rethinking Schools, Summer 2009 – Volume 23, Issue 4

9. Where I’m From… I am from the SR reservation land along the Missouri River I am from a peaceful mother nature I am from the sage and sweet grass. I am from strong traditions, passed on from my mother Mary and grandmother Effie Who are part of the Hunk pap Sioux Tribe. I am from a sacred land untouched by urbanization, From respect and honor, I am from a strong Christian belief system. I am from Standing Rock of frybread and taniga soup From the light of our lands, beliefs, culture, language, and ceremonies. I am from strong traditions of smudging and powwows.