Vision

The vision for our project was to create a sustainable garden area that would also connect with Indigenous teachings and culture. Our goals was to better connect students with the land around them and develop lifelong skills and knowledge that they can then apply in their personal lives.

Action

We worked in partnership with the Indigenous Education Lead teacher for our school board, Courtnee Goure, as well as community members from Bkejwanong First Nations (Walpole Island) to create a medicinal healing garden based on traditional Indigenous practices. In our garden beds we planted cedar and sweet grass to the South and North, as well as tobacco and sage to the East and West to represent the traditional medicine wheel. The students took part in lessons and activities to learn about the physical, mental, spiritual and emotional healing properties of the plants. We participated in a tobacco ceremony to offer tobacco to the Creator and ask for help in creating a bountiful garden. The students also participated in a drumming ceremony to celebrate the garden area.

Reflection & Celebration

The creation of this garden area was a great collaborative effort between our school, school board personnel and community members. It is a meaningful way for our students to connect with either their personal Indigenous roots or the Indigenous ancestral land that our school is built upon. We look forward to continuing this partnership into the future and benefiting from the harvest of our labour.