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Learn land-based protocols to enhance the personal practice of critical self-location in your professional, personal and community practices of land-based wellness.
Please note, this elective course is for PRC Campus students only.
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*Please note that many of the associations listed under ‘CEUs/PDAs’ do not formally pre-approve online courses for credits, and thus require the student to track their own online course hours to submit for approval for their annual CEU/PDA requirements.
Erynne Gilpin Ph.D is a mixed (Michif and Filipina/Celtic) community wellness researcher, educator and film-maker. Her Doctoral work, "Land as Body: Indigenous Women's Leadership, Wellness and Embodied Governance,” focused on the intersections of personal and collective wellness as it relates to land-relations. Currently, Erynne is an Assistant Professor at Royal Roads University in the school of Communications and Culture and Co-Director of the film-based production company UATÊ STORIED LEARNING. Her research and teaching commitments engage with land-based learning pedagogues, storied film-based education across cross-cultural and international settings.
*This is a 0.25 credit PRC-Approved course for on-campus students only. Please note that online PRC Electives taken through Pacific Rim College Online do not qualify for Student Loans.
Indigenous knowledge systems and local governance models uphold relational approaches to land-based practices such as medicinal harvesting, land-access and wellness initiatives. However, Indigenous knowledge systems, local authorities & leadership and integral knowledge holders across community settings have been undermined due to ongoing processes of colonization and land-theft. The continued leadership of Indigenous peoples around the world demonstrates cultural vitality, strength and brilliance.
The purpose of this course is to introduce learners to the practices and concepts of critical-self location as it relates to land-based wellness practices. Topics include: Critical Self-Location, Principles of Indigenous Land Protocols (4), Land-Based Wellness Practices, Water-based protocols, Territorial Acknowledgment.
This course intends to foster a greater appreciation for the strength and cultural continuity of Indigenous peoples, as well as a deepened understanding of the roles and responsibilities upheld by non-Indigenous communities on Indigenous Lands. A better understanding of critical self-location is meant to encourage students to consider their place within these relationships to self, to others, to Spirit, and to the Land.
You will learn about:
Section I | Territorial Acknowledgment & Introduction
1. Introduction: Welcome to Your New Course
Meet your instructor Erynne M. Gilpin, Ph.D. She is a mixed Michif (Member of Manitoba Métis Federation), Filipina and Celtic educator, film-maker and community-based researcher. Here, she will welcome you to your new program and introduce you to the foundations of what it means to be related to the land that you live upon.
2. Course Outline
Erynne discusses topics to be focused on in your course, including Indigenous Education Methods, Self-Location, Principles of Indigenous Land Protocols, Land Access Permissions, Land-Based Wellness Practices, Medicinal Harvesting Protocol, Accountability and Reflection.
Section II | Self-location
3. Introduction to Self-location Protocol: Locating Self in Relationship to One Another and to the Land
Explore the protocols of critical self-location in how we locate our personal and professional practice. In addition, you have the opportunity to explore how these principles inform relationships based on trust, respect and reciprocity.
Section III | Principles of Indigenous Land Protocols
4. Indigenous Governance 101: Whose Land Do We Harvest On? Part I
Here you will explore what it may feel like to lose your land and the place that you hold sacred. Understand the significance of what it means to be an Indigenous person in relationship to the land and waters.
5. Indigenous Governance 101: Whose Land Do We Harvest On? Part II
In an effort to reclaim Indigenous ways of being and learning, many folks are committed to learning the correct names of the territories they live on. Erynne gives a local example of a return to the original name of a popular hill/park in Victoria, B.C: PKOLS.
6. Applying Indigenous Research Methodologies to Land-Protocol in Medicinal Harvesting
What are the 4 principles of self-location as it relates to medicinal harvest practice and how do they help you live a life based on respect, reciprocity, and renewal? See how these ideas are truly about moving forward, and not going backward.
Section IV | Land as Body: Indigenous Wellness & Relational Accountabilities
7. Land-Based Wellness Practices: Heal the Land, Heal the Body
Erynne invites you to read a powerful and frank write-up and to reflect upon 3 key questions in order to help you connect with your own relationship to your own well-being, the lands you harvest on, and your relationship to local Nations.
8. All our Relations: Kincentric Relations & Values of Relational Integrity
How do your relations teach you responsibility and integrity? Erynne teaches the values of relational integrity including: responsibility, accountability, respect, and reciprocity.
9. Land Access Permissions: Practice and Examples
In addition to exploring reciprocity, Erynne will take you through a cultural methodology from her own culture, and often used across spheres of Indigenous Education, in order to help you understand how to live out balanced relationships with others. Explore the difference between appropriation and appreciation.
10. Sacred Lands
How do you define sacred? How do the ideas and concepts around sacred reflect relationships in your life and your medicinal practice? Explore the idea of sacred and understand the protocols and strict permissions around the sacred sites for local Nations.
11. Application: Medicinal Harvesting Protocol & Water-based Intentions
Learn and practice how to inform ourselves regarding whose Lands we are harvesting on and or practicing on. What are our own intentions, next steps and personal practice of identity and accountability in this work?
12. Full Course Review + Preparation for Harvest Demonstration
Here you will watch your final course review and Erynne offering a moment of reflection on the Land.
Enjoy the highest quality online education, from curriculum through to production.
“I think this course should be considered a necessity for anyone wanting to harvest their own herbal medicine. I was very happy with everything—this was a very informative course and I enjoyed how it also made you think outside the box.”
Tiffany - Golden, BC, Canada
“I loved the course! My family history is Métis. My grandmother never let us learn about our history, we kept it hidden and felt shame about it. I’m happy to be proud of it.”
ErinRae Cook - Land of the Klamath tribes
“The course was good, respectful, informed and connected. I am doing electives for my phyto diploma and have an interest in feeling more connected to indigenous communities. Learning how to engage with local indigenous communities and what their protocols are for doing so was most helpful.”
Coryn Nelson - Ucluelet (Hitacu territory)
“She is very knowledgeable about how to be respectful when working with indigenous communities. She brings a lot of different perspectives on the subjects, and knows her material very well both intellectually and emotionally.”
Sam - Victoria, BC, Canada
“She brought a positive healing–based approach to this class and taught me so much. I really appreciated her teaching us phrases in Cree! That was very cool.”
Manu - Victoria, BC, Canada
“Erynne is by far the most incredible, interesting, and engaging professors I have ever had. Her teachings moved me and caused me to think about my day to day life and surroundings. She shows compassion and care when teaching.”
Devon - Victoria, BC, Canada
“I am currently learning how to harvest, and I have been wanting to know how to do so in the most respectful way. This course was amazing and thought provoking. So useful too!”
Carolyn - Coast Sahalish & Duwamish Lands (Seattle), USA
“I like to harvest from nature, and it was all very informative! The last part was also beautiful where you could see the ceremony of harvest.”
Sarah Dafoe, Territory of Snuneymuxwm, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
“The course was very interesting and provided a good introduction to the importance of land/water to Indigenous cultures. The presentation was very genuine. It was nice listening to Erynne!”
Tania, Highlands, BC
“With this essential course, I grew my awareness around self-location and Indigenous lands. It was very useful, and I’d love to take more courses with this instructor!”
Agni Larsen, Victoria, BC
“Gratitude for this course and the generous sharing of these teachings. It would have been great if this were offered in schools when I was growing up—incredibly important work.”
Lauren Everall - Tla'amin Traditional Territory near Lund, BC, Canada
“This course is a great step to decolonizing our lives and perspectives. I liked the whole course; thank you so much for creating this!”
Xhalida Unceded Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh & Coast Salish Territories, BC, Canada
“Wonderful. I’m grateful. I enjoyed it tremendously and found the subject matter of pressing and transformational importance. The combination of explication and demonstration was great.”
Chris - Victoria, BC, Canada
“The basic teachings of self-location, kincentric relations, and land-based practices helped deepen my understanding of place and belonging. I live in unneeded territories, and I wanted to know how to be here in a better way.”
Kristen Battle - Comox Valley, BC, Canada
“Absolutely great. Both profoundly philosophical and perfectly practical. More of a journey than a course.”
Devin - Pender Island, BC, Canada