Indigenous Mind for Everyone

In Indigenous Mind Twotrees discussion of “right now” reminded me of being present where I am and more specifically to be present in nature. Coincidentally, I chose to do the reading sitting outside by the little artificial creak by the classroom building before I knew what the chapter was about. After reading this chapter I wanted to do more of this “being present in nature” so I chose to walk to school the next day. Normally, I ride my bike or lately have driven a lot, but being able to walk through Jubilee Park on my way to school I was able to experience so much more. In the early morning I was able to see the frost on the ground, without my earbuds in I was able to hear the blue jays and the crows, as well as feel the crisp autumn morning air on my face.
I felt serene.
I felt more focused when I arrived at school after walking through the park and felt I had a good start to the day. The walk helped me to slow down, and reclaim intimacy to nature as Twotrees would say.
At first her discussion of indigenous mind made me feel disconnected to her idea because, I’m white. And let’s face it, I’m not indigenous in Canada, but then she says how all humans are indigenous to planet Earth which I appreciated. I think it’s important that all humans can play a role in being present in nature and acting as stewards to the planet. As an ethnic people moves around more and mixes with other ethnic groups it seems we have lost some of our connection to nature. Just look at the mixing of people in England by the Saxons and Norse peoples and then further mixing of different ethnic “settler” groups such as Ukraininan, German and Scandinavian in the Prairie Provinces. As we have moved so much we have lost our connection to the land. Twotrees discusses how in many indigenous languages in North America the name of a group of people is based on the surround geography such as the river people or the mountain dwellers. Just as a person who has lived in many different places may not feel connected to one area, so can a people not feel connected when they have moved around. I feel this just means we have to work harder to feel connected to the land and have respect for it because as Twotrees says we are all indigenous to the Earth.