Overview

This module introduces students to Indigenous frameworks of sustainability that emphasize reciprocal relationships among people, land, and non-human life. Students will explore how sustainability is not just about resources or efficiency, but about relational accountability, ancestral responsibility, and intergenerational care.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, students will be able to:

1. Define relational sustainability in the context of Indigenous knowledge systems.

2. Compare Western and Indigenous approaches to sustainability.

3. Reflect on how relationships with land and community influence design, ethics, and innovation.

4. Apply relational sustainability concepts to their own project work or problem-solving context.

Key Terms

Relationality
Stewardship vs. Ownership
Reciprocity
Intergenerational Knowledge
Place-based Knowledge

Background Reading

Note: For every module, there is a more expansive list of resources available in the glossary. The readings provided in the module are good starting places for students/educators.

Datta, R. (2015). A relational theoretical framework and meanings of land, nature, and sustainability for research with Indigenous communities. Local Environment, 20(1), 102-113.

Whyte, K. P. (2017). Our ancestors’ dystopia now: Indigenous conservation and the Anthropocene. In The Routledge companion to the environmental humanities (pp. 222-231). Routledge.

Kimmerer, R. W. (2013). Braiding sweetgrass: Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teachings of plants. Milkweed editions. (excerpts from “The Honorable Harvest” or “Skywoman Falling”)

Activities: Reframing Sustainability

Time: 45-60 minutes

Format: Small group discussion and reflection

1. Opening Question (5 min):

“When you hear the word ‘sustainability,’ what comes to mind?”
- Write answers on the board. Categorize them as ecological, economic, or ethical.
- Note: You could ask students to respond to this directly and/or ask them to journal and then share their journaling.

2. Comparative Case (15 min):

Provide two short project descriptions (see Sample Materials for examples):
1. One using a “green tech” solution without community input.
2. One using a slower, community-led approach focused on ceremony, storytelling, and land.
Ask: “Which one seems more sustainable? Why? What’s missing from each?”

3. Small Group Discussion (15–20 min):

How does the idea of relational sustainability shift your understanding of what matters in a project?
Who is sustainability for? Who defines its terms?

4. Reflection Prompt (10–15 min):

Prompt: “What relationships—human and non-human—should your project be accountable to?”
Have students draw a “relationship web” that maps their project’s connections to land, people, and time. (See Module 1 Sample Materials for examples.)

Faculty Notes/Implementation Tips

This module works well with PBL teams working on climate, resource management, or infrastructure topics.
No prior knowledge of Indigenous Studies is required. Encourage respectful engagement and curiosity.
If possible, follow up with a guest speaker or video featuring an Indigenous environmental leader (e.g., Winona LaDuke, Indigenous Climate Action).

Optional Extension

Students research an Indigenous group from their project region and write a 1-page summary of how that community historically understands sustainability, land, and kinship (See Module 1 Sample Materials).

Student Resources for Optional Extension:

https://native-land.ca/

https://www.whose.land/en/

https://decolonialatlas.wordpress.com/

https://terralingua.org/biocultural-diversity/