"Saamis Sunset", acrylic on canvas, can be viewed in Police Point Park Nature Centre's current Mosaic of Medicine Hat art show. -- Painting by JoLynn Parenteau, 2023.
“Mother Earth is not a resource, she is an heirloom.” – David Ipina, Yurok Tribe, multimedia artist, poet, writer, d.1998
This past Saturday, April 22, people far and wide observed Earth Day.
Here at home, South East Alberta Watershed Alliance volunteers met up to clear out invasive plant species by the river; the city parks department organized a Litter Blitz neighbourhood cleanup, and Police Point Park’s Nature Centre hosted a scavenger hunt for the young and young-at-heart to learn about our natural environment. Local bring-your-own container consumables retail shop Roots Refillery filled 430 jars and jugs with earth-friendly household cleaners and body products for eco-conscious shoppers.
Indigenous peoples know that Ni maamaa la tayr, Michif for Mother Earth, is in our care every day. Initiatives to protect Her across Northern Turtle Island (Native Canada) are growing.
In March 2020, the Metis Nation of Alberta launched Askîy (Cree for earth, land), a community-driven environmental monitoring initiative, with the goal to ensure Metis citizens can practice their culture and traditions in a resilient and interconnected ecosystem supported by clean air, water, and land. This February, Metis youth had the opportunity to learn firsthand sustainable ice fishing harvesting practices and scientific methods to monitor fish health at Alberta lakes.
Returning for a second year, aspiring apiarists and Metis citizens can request a native bee conservation kit from the MNA’s environment team. The kit includes native Alberta wildflower seeds, a bee nesting box, and educational materials provided by the Edmonton and Area Land Trust. Participants will be asked to plant wildflowers, place the bee nesting box on their property, and report back at the end of summer whether bees used their nesting box.
The MNA’s Climate Change Action Plan includes collaborative projects related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, citizen engagement and sustainability. Solar panels installed on homes across the province and at the headquarters of Metis Housing Alberta are part of a green energy and fiscal conservation plan that will stretch decades into the future.
“As citizens of the earth, we take our responsibility to be good stewards of the environment seriously,” writes Metis Housing Alberta on their Instagram account, @metishousingab. “Great levels of reverence and respect for Mother Earth are practiced by the Metis. Honouring the land and all the gifts she provides is a key aspect of Metis culture and society.”
This value is shared by First Nations also and taught to each generation as the Sacred Teaching of Respect as it relates to the land, waters and skies.
“Indigenous-led conservation is a proven model for sustaining biodiversity. By placing this vital work at the heart of our shared effort to protect nature, we can sustain the lands & waters that we all depend on & leave a healthier planet for future generations,” tweeted the Indigenous Leadership Initiative, @ILInationhood, on Earth Day.
May 9-11, the 2023 First Nations National Guardians Gathering will host Mamandosewin, a Place of Gathering and Sharing, three days of guest speakers and workshops livestreamed from Ottawa. Guardians are trained Indigenous experts who manage protected areas, restore animal and plant life, and play a vital role in training the next generation of Guardians. More than 110 Guardians programs are operating across Turtle Island, welcoming visitors to traditional territories and maintaining cultural sites.
Our environment is ours to protect; we are all stewards of the earth. You might leave the first dandelions in your yard to bloom and offer pollinators their first springtime meal. The South East Alberta Watershed Alliance and Grasslands Naturalists welcome volunteers for their Adopt-A-Pond and Adopt-A-Path programs. Find a favourite wild place to foster by exploring 155 kilometres of trails beyond your front door via Tourism Medicine Hat’s Heritage Trail Map.
We can all show our respect for Ni maamaa la tayr in ways that are meaningful to each of us. Each day, take a moment to appreciate Mother Earth, and know that your efforts to nurture Her are sacred.
JoLynn Parenteau is a Metis writer out of Miywasin Friendship Centre. Column feedback can be sent to jolynn.parenteau@gmail.com
