The information contained will be a working document that will evaluate the deep wisdom, knowledge and understanding of the spiritual significance of the plants, rocks and art that will be selected for the listening gardens. All nations in treaty 7 must be represented fairly, ensuring that their stories can be heard, through nature. The main stakeholders in this project are the indigenous communities that the gardens are meant to represent. This is a working documented that will be added to and edited based on elder and storyteller feedback.
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In contemporary ecology, we sometimes see, the idea that the best way to conserve nature is to keep people out, but this does not recognize the integral connection between human communities and their ecosystems. We often learn in ecology that it is our duty to be good land stewards, that we are in control of the earth, as opposed to apart of it. The idea that we are “land stewards”, speaks to our lack of connection with the earth, our own ego, and need to control and exist in the moment – as opposed to the reality. A reality that indigenous communities have adopted long ago, and that is we are equal and apart of nature. The notion that we are not “in charge” of the land, but one with the land, will greatly impact the approach on how we interact with ecosystems.
Indigenous understanding of ecology hinges on the idea that we exist with nature, and maintaining a reciprocal relationship with nature is key in having healthy ecosystems. Reciprocity on all levels, emotionally, physically, intellectually and spiritually. Many indigenous communities will give tobacco to the earth when they forage or hunt an animal.
Traditional ecological knowledge does not look at protecting nature from people, we conserve nature for people, because we are part of it. The current environmental movement fails to understand or underestimates that there is a huge population that has a unique relationship with our landscape, and this relationship dates back over 10,000 years. The fact that indigenous populations have existed within nature for 10,000 years, at a minimum, without overusing the lands resources is almost unheard of in history. Existing in an ecological environment, without affecting the ecological services, takes a lot of scientific method, observations and years of trial and error that have already been completed. These indigenous populations have lived sustainably with the environment for generations. Negating to seek the elder advice in both large- and small-scale projects would be a big loss to any designer.
Several progressive Western studies that we see occurring within ecology, are adopting practices that the indigenous populations have been upholding for thousands of years. We see the depth of knowledge in Traditional Ecology Knowledge or TEK, which are concepts that we finally see coming to fruition in some projects in the Western dominated fields. It is not about looking only through the lens of TEK but also combining TEK with Western Scientific methodology. 
TEK goes deeper than empirical data, its understanding weather patterns from year to year, season to season. TEK is not gauged by dates on a calendar. For example, we don’t look at March and say, “the spring salmon will be coming down the Miramichi River”. This type of ecological activity is gauged on the dogwood blooming which varies greatly from year to year. We manage our earth by benefiting ALL creation. The earth is OUR mother. Having the humility to stand back and learn from another culture is key.
While The Listening Gardens will double as and educational space for many action items, grassland restoration, native trees, shrubs, plants and the traditional medicinal applications reflected in urban setting. We must not lose focus that the main purpose is to teach all walks of life about Traditional Ecological Knowledge. The main purpose of the garden is Treaty 7 and educating all people on not just indigenous ecology, but also customs, beliefs, stories and traditions. The idea of the gardens is unity, reconciliation and understanding. There is a reason, that against all odds, through all the adversity, these scared practices of the tribes in Treaty 7 have stood strong. It is because the day has come where all people must draw on this wisdom to heal ourselves, and in turn heal our mother earth.
The Listen Garden initiatives are dedicated to biodiversity preservation, long-term sustainability, and the restoration of organic species. The health of our ecosystems is directly connected to the vitality of our lands, waters, and communities. Investing in this work not only protects threatened and native species but also ensures the revitalization of soils and landscapes critical to future generations.
This effort is not solely about environmental recovery but about renewing the relationships between people and the land. Indigenous cultural practices demonstrate that true sustainability is rooted in reciprocity –taking care of the land so that it can, in turn, take care of us. Revitalizing native plants, healing soils through organic and traditional methods, and fostering balance among ecosystems are practices that restore both natural diversity and cultural connection.
Funding in this area will promote long-term resilience by:
Tabacco is a very scared gift. Tabacco is a gift given to us by the shape shifting white buffalo calf woman. She was given the tobacco, the pipe, ceremony, teachings, medicines, rights of passage and things of this nature. They were given to her by the creator to teach to the Sioux people.
To be a whole person and to heal means there is a focus on your relationship to mother earth and yourself. You cannot offer what you don’t have, so loving yourself is key, as you are created. You must purge guilt, shame, fear, anger through ceremony.
4 Main Smudging Materials:
Buffalo sage
Sweetgrass (how to pick, when to pick, how to store it) it is braided in 3 to represent mind, body and spirit.
Fungus from diamond willow
Cedar
Reason for Smudge: cleanse your spirit, grounding yourself: to be present and focused, antibiotic, cleanse negativity.
There is a belief that there are 4 parts to everything: to a person, plant, rock etc.
Rat root (sweet flag)- is known to Nakoda as a cure all, anything that ails you. There are different grades of rat root – you can simply chew it or brew in a tea.
Muskag Tea: tonic tea for digestive tract, sedative in large amounts.
Mint mixed with cedar Tea: calming digestive system tea tonic.
Naapi is the creator, he made the earth. He gave rivers, he gave the buffalo. He made roots, plants and berries for animals to eat. He gave flowers to help beautify the land and calm the spirit. He gave medicinal plants to help his children in times of illness.
Buffalo berry seeds were used for necklaces.
Naapi dropped his berries in the water and declared the people shall hit the bushes knocking berries onto the ground after first frost. The Blackfoot still harvest berries this way, laying canvas on the ground to collect berries as it makes them sweeter.
Saskatoons were used for piped, and making arrows.
Alder shavings were used to smoke fish and other wild game.
Tabacco is given to the earth for clean air, clean water.
The first crocus seen marks the end of winter. Signifies new growth and new change. Medicinally, this plant provides a boost of energy.
Plants are an integral part of the culture, spirituality, medicine and survival.
There is a deep focus on aquatic habitats as we are people of the Beaver. Well versed on how to live in harmony and balance the challenge that may arise with the Beaver. Beaver was the main survivor after the flood; he builds the earth back when the mud hen and muskrat could not.
Supernatural gift of water; all the water animals, all the water birds, water plants, water insects, which offered protection; and then came a great separation.
Connection to the spirit guides help to connect to the earth and understand dangers.
They have large areas of nature that belong to mother earth, they do not build or touch it. Corridors go into Calgary, and even those are protected to increase biodiversity. They have buffalo that live free. The viewpoint is that the Buffalo have taken care of us; it is our turn to take care of them – signifying reciprocity.
