By reconnecting with the land, a proud Métis woman also reconnects with herself and her cultural identity. WORDS AND IMAGES Alana Cook Tansi kiyawow. I am Alana Cook, a proud Métis woman from the Desjarlais family with Saulteaux roots and a member of Métis Nation British Columbia. Before I begin this story, I want to

Rooted in place like radicles that nourish plant seeds, Indigenous Peoples’ relationships to their territories of life re-emerge despite the legacy of colonialism. Faisal Moola and Kanna K. Siripurapu   . Over the last decade, the conservation community has begun to recognize the often-devastating impacts of traditional parks and planning processes on Indigenous Peoples. In

A boy’s love of photography sparks a family journey from Canada back to their Nyonya roots.   WORDS Poh Tan │ IMAGES Khafri Mau, Paulus Mau, and Poh Tan   A Complex, Intersecting Identity My name is Poh, and I am of Malaysian heritage. When people first see my name, it’s not clear to them

In a Québec watershed, a student documents the transformation of territories of life into toxic dumping grounds — and back. Alex DePani   The Chateauguay River watershed is a transboundary water catchment area, draining rainwater and snowmelt from the high peaks of the Adirondack Mountains in New York State to the flat, fertile lands extending

A young Inuk woman visits her homeland and reconnects with her cultural identity. WORDS, IMAGES, AND VIDEO Katie Pootoogook Manomie . This short video is a glimpse into my trip to Iqaluit, Nunavut, where I met my Inuit family for the second time ever in my life and spent three weeks with them in August

In Mexico and Canada, a budding environmentalist learns important lessons in awareness and responsibility. WORDS AND IMAGES Brian Jones     Growing up in Mexico in the 1990s, I always loved nature and wildlife, particularly the great diversity of species that one can see in jungles and on beaches along the country’s Pacific coast. When

Biocultural community protocols can help Indigenous Peoples communicate ancestral laws and responsibilities to external actors. Ira Provost . Piikanissini is a Blackfoot word that means “the Piikani way of life and being.” The Piikani people are members of a confederacy of Blackfoot Nations. According to ancient stories and songs, the Piikani have existed in what

A wilderness hike reminds a young woman that privileges come with responsibilities. WORDS AND IMAGES   Jessica Herman . “Alright, good luck then,” my friend Michael offered, scooting away on his aluminum boat after he dropped me off on the western edges of Átl’ḵa7tsem, or Howe Sound, north of Vancouver, British Columbia. Oh no, I thought

Indigenous Adoption Stories Knowing one’s origins can bring healing and closure. Marie-Émilie Lacroix and Marco Romagnoli     “I could hand you a braid of sweetgrass, as thick and shining as the plait that hung down my grandmother’s back. But it is not mine to give, not yours to take. Wiingaashk belongs to herself. So

By learning how to swim against the current like salmon do, a woman finds her way back to the source of her language and identity. Daniela Boccassini   As our times’ bewildered becoming keeps unfolding, two simple words from a French medieval poem have accompanied me every step of the way: contreval l’iaue. They sank