Over the last semester year 4 education students have been working diligently to visit a spot in Medicine Hat, or surrounding areas (easily accessible) while writing their observations in a journal. This journal can be online or in a physical form, and in this journal we are to observe our surroundings, how we feel and the necessary observations that come from the land as we visit. I thought this activity was really impactful as a student, and it aligned well with this course as I could begin thinking more deeply about Indigenous traditions, history while reflecting on the literature we examined in this course. I admire that some people chose to do their land journal from a spot such as Echo Dale, some even visited Stathcona park as part of their assignment and reflection.
I think utilizing the knowledge and the works we examined in the class, paired with the land journals really helped me to understand just how grateful we should all be to be surviving and living on this land, and how abundant this land is. I particularly liked the activity of reflecting in a land journal, it allowed me to express gratitude, while reflecting on my own feelings as I sat with the land and acknowledged the changing seasons, people and animals that roamed in this land.
I am curious to know how some of the other fourth year education students felt about this project, and what they took from completing this Indigenous literature course alongside our Indigenous education course. I would also love to hear if anyone else has experienced a land journal, or if they would be interested in doing one over the Christmas break!