This Land is Our Land - This Land is Your Land - The Decolonizing Journeys of White Outdoor Environmental Educators

Oct 15, 2026

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Across Canada, many Aboriginal peoples and communities resist environmental destruction while conveying settler-Canadian traditions of respect for land. Indigenous scholars and educators also call for prioritizing Indigenous ways of knowing in environmental education for all students. The study examines decolonizing journeys among White outdoor environmental educators, focusing on participants’ concepts of decolonization, recognition of Eurocentrism and White privilege, fear and anxiety, and experiences that enable change, with themes including relationships, cultural exposure, self-awareness, and time on the land.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Résumé

Keywords

Situating Myself

Paper argument and research questions

This Land is Our Land? This Land is Your Land: The Decolonizing Journeys of White Outdoor Environmental Educators Emily Root, Lakehead University, Canada Abstract Across Canada, many Aboriginal peoples and communities are actively resisting environmental destruction and communicating to settler-Canadians traditions of respect for the land. Moreover, some Indigenous scholars and educators are calling for a foregrounding of Indigenous ways of knowing in environmental education for all students. However, Western and Indigenous worldviews differ significantly, and settler-Canadian educators have much to learn from Aboriginal peoples who are already re-imagining a fundamentally different approach to education that pays attention to land, relationships, traditions, Elder knowledge, and place. Yet, it is difficultfor White environmental educators to find effective and respectful roles as they learn from and work with Aboriginal peoples. This study seeks to understand the complexities of decolonizing journeys of White outdoor environmental educators. Findings of the study examine participant conceptualizations of decolonizing, recognition of Eurocentrism and White privilege, feelings of fear and anxiety, and experiences that facilitate decolonizing journeys. Major themes include: relationships with Aboriginal peoples, exposure to Aboriginal culture, relationships with non-Aboriginal peoples, cultural self-awareness, and time on the land. Résumé Partout au Canada, de nombreux citoyens et collectivités autochtones résistent activement à la destruction de l’environnement, et font valoir les traditions de respect de la terre des colons canadiens. De plus, certains universitaires et éducateurs autochtones réclament la mise en avant de connaissances et deméthodes « autochtones » dans l’éducation environnements auprès de tous les élèves et étudiants. Cependant, les conceptions occidentale et autochtone du monde divergent considérablement, et les éducateurs préconisant l’approche des colons canadiens ont beaucoup à apprendre des Premières Nations, qui elles sonten train de reconcevoir une approche fondamentalement différente de l’éducation, une approche qui tient compte de la terre, des relations, des traditions, des connaissances ancestrales et des lieux physiques. Il est toutefois difficile pour les éducateurs en environnement blancs de trouver un rôle efficace et respectueux dans leur apprentissage et leur collaboration avec les Premières Nations. L’étude vise une compréhension des complexités inhérentes à l’évolution vers la Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 15, 2010 103 décolonisation suivis par des éducateurs en environnement blancs. Les conclusions de l’étude présentent les conceptions chez les participants de la décolonisation, dela reconnaissance de l’eurocentrisme et des prérogatives des Blancs, de la peur et de l’anxiété, et d’expériences facilitant l’évolution vers la décolonisation. Les principaux thèmes sont, notamment: les relations avec les autochtones, l’exposition à la culture autochtone, les relations avec les non autochtones, la conscience de sa propre culture et la durée du temps dans la nature. Keywords: decolonizing, outdoor environmental education, Indigenous education, Aboriginal-settler relations, place-based education Situating Myself My name is Emily Root. I am White and Euro-Canadian. I grew up in a small eastern Ontario town located on the traditional territory of the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan. Currently I am a graduate student at Lakehead University living in Thunder Bay, which is located on Anishnaabe land, the traditional territory of the Fort William First Nation. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to experience the beauty of both of these places and I am grateful to those who have been their caretakers. Prior to pursuing graduate studies, I struggled in my own teaching practice with the task of being a White, outdoor environmental educator teaching Aboriginal conte

FAQs

What is the study trying to understand about White outdoor environmental educators?

It seeks to understand the complexities of decolonizing journeys for White outdoor environmental educators, including how participants conceptualize decolonization and what experiences enable it.

Which themes does the study identify as important in these decolonizing journeys?

Key themes include relationships with Aboriginal peoples, exposure to Aboriginal culture, relationships with non-Aboriginal peoples, cultural self-awareness, and time on the land.

What tensions does the paper highlight between Western and Indigenous approaches to knowledge in environmental education?

It emphasizes that Western and Indigenous worldviews differ significantly, and that settler-Canadian educators have much to learn, even though it can be difficult for White environmental educators to find effective and respectful roles.

Oct 15, 2026

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