On October 6th, the Indigenous Food Sovereignty class (INDG 420) had the opportunity to travel to Kahnaw谩:ke聽to visit the First Nations Regional Adult Education Center. With class time usually taking place on 91社区 campus, it was special to share a land-based experience for the students.聽
The students were greeted by one of the teachers from the center,聽Kanerahtiio Hemlock who is a professor of applied sciences and land-based projects聽who walked them through the cultivation process of sweetgrass. The First Nations Regional Adult Education Centre's (FNRAEC) goal is: the educational, social and economic betterment of the聽Kanienkehaka.聽The FNRAEC鈥檚 mission is to support Indigenous adult learners by offering individualized training, guidance, support and planning on their educational journey.聽
聽In聽Kahnaw谩:ke聽there is an eight-hectare garden and the the FNAREC's course called聽Kahnawake's聽Community Garden provides a space for gardening and working with the land.聽
"There were multiple gardens, a compost pile, and a roost with chickens and ducks. In one of the gardens, the three sisters (corn, beans, squash) were lined up in rows, which was especially valuable to see because we had been talking about them in class," Madi Youngstein recalls after this learning experience.聽
With help from Kanerahtiio,聽the students learned how to cut sweet grass from the ground, and how to braid it. Eden Saley, a student who attended the class learned that "Braiding sweetgrass allows for it to stay together, without all the blades getting lost, to be given as a gift or saved for later. It is a sacred plant used for cleansing; when it鈥檚 burned its smoke produces a purifying effect".
After learning about the center, the gardens, how to braid sweet grass and corn, the students were ready to go back to the 91社区 campus with much knowledge learned from the Kanienkehaka. Just like the community garden has brought Kahnawake community members together, the trip sparked new friendships, conversations, and experiential learning for the students of INDG 420.聽
