INDG 201 Final Up

In this podcast episode, James and Bradley discuss their experience in an Indigenous studies course. They talk about the importance of respect, responsibilities, relationships, and reciprocity in Indigenous culture and how these concepts can be applied in everyday life. They also mention how their own cultures have similar practices of giving back to the land and showing gratitude. Both James and Bradley believe in the idea of karma and the importance of putting good out into the world. They discuss how these principles can be applied in their work and personal lives. Overall, they found the course to be insightful and are excited to share their newfound knowledge of Indigenous culture. Hello, everyone. Welcome to our podcast, VNJ. For today's episode, we will be diving into Indigenous Insights. My name is James Cadling, and I'm a Community Rehab and Disability Studies student, and I'm here with... Bradley Rampersad, and I'm currently a third-year physics student. And today, we are going to talk about our Spring Block Week course, Introduction to Indigenous Studies, Tool 1, taught by the amazing Ramona Beattie. Today, we're diving into some reflections on our experience in the course Indigenous Tool 1. We've prepared some key questions to guide our discussion, which we hope will resonate with many of you who have taken or are considering taking this course. In general, the course is very informative and helpful to those trying to expand their knowledge or even a brief understanding of Indigenous Studies. The professor is really engaging and fun, and as mentioned earlier by Javis, Ramona is amazing at helping understand Indigenous perspectives. Though the block week structure of the course was intense time-wise, she is understanding and efficient at summarizing an entire semester's worth of knowledge within a week, and give the necessary information to attain a deeper understanding. That is very true. This class has been very insightful for the both of us, and we're excited to share our newfound knowledge of the Indigenous culture, traditions, beliefs, and history. To start our podcast off today, Bradley and I will be sharing with you what was the most interesting to both of us that we have learned in this course throughout this exciting week. For mine, I found the four R's very interesting, how respect, responsibilities, relationships, and reciprocity is indulged upon in the Indigenous community. It is very similar to many traditions which I've noticed, especially in Philippines. In Philippines, we don't call it the four R's, but more towards calling it as a sign of respect in general. Within the Indigenous community, as talked about within the class, we have discussed how when hunters go out and hunt for some animals, for example, hunting elks or deers, they offer some sort of thanks to the land by giving ferns, and that way they maintain great relationship with the land and show sense of responsibility and reciprocity that eventually in the future, the land will provide again. Same thing in the Philippines or in other cultures that I have seen, depending on where you're from in Asia, in Philippines specifically, when others do good deeds for you, it is within your own heart that you maintain a good relationship with that person, like providing good deeds with you, whether it's giving them food or acts of services by helping them out when they need it. This shows that you are responsible and acknowledging that they have done a good deed to you and showing sense of respect. At the same time, we believe that when good karma is shown, good karma will be given back and vice versa. Otherwise, when bad is given, bad will come back to you. So it's always necessary to maintain good responsibilities, relationships, respect, and reciprocity with those around you. How about you, Bradley? I understand that you're an immigrant to Canada as well. Yes, I am. So when the professor brought in the sweet grass and tobacco to show that offering, the sign of respect and reciprocity during that process was really interesting to see. And when she handed it around the class, it was nice to have that hands-on experience and tangible experience to aid our learning and understanding and how that does apply in my culture as well, because I'm an immigrant from Trinidad. And in a way, we do similar things where we give back to the land when we do take from the land. Whether it's hunting or farming, we have a way to sustain the land in that similar way. Yes, and great point towards farming. In the Philippines, in my area, I am from the countryside, so agriculture and farming is very big to us. So as a sign of giving back to the land, we either get to prepare for better seasons, we make sure that the land is like, even though there's nothing planted, we make sure to water it, make sure there's good sunlight, plow the lands properly. And as a sign of offering, sometimes we hold, it may not be similar to the indigenous culture here, but we can hold festivals to celebrate great harvests for the season, giving us great financial givings or great harvests for agriculture. And us, we grow flowers, my family grows flowers in our lands, not plants, not like food-wise, but flowers. We are very big on those, especially during harvest season, and I know many people have sugar canes. So I've heard that sugar canes can only be harvested within two months. So ten months of the time in sugar cane industries, or planting is, is just nurturing the plants. So I've talked to some people within the sugar cane industry, my grandmother, she, to prepare for it, they make sure everything's nice and ready, the land, the seeds, and harvesting, and everything like that. I'm glad that you mentioned sugar cane, because in Trinidad, my uncle is also a sugar cane farmer, he does similar things to show thanks and appreciate the land. Although it's not the exact same as indigenous, I feel like more cultures can take note of how respectful they are of the land, and apply that more within their culture, because that just helps sustain the land and shows respect for nature, and we need that more. Continuing the four hours conversation, as Javis previously stated, one of our discussion topics is how it can be seen and related to our everyday lives, whether it is at school or in a work setting. Even in daily activities, how can relationship, reciprocity, respect, and responsibility be presented in our everyday life? For me personally, respect and relationships do go hand in hand, because even if you have a relationship with your boss, there needs to be respect for there to be a valid relationship. Even relationships in general, when you interact with anyone, you need to respect them, if you want respect back, which also goes to reciprocity. But in general, it's just good to respect everyone you have a relationship with, because that's important in day-to-day life. And for responsibility, we all have the responsibility to acknowledge our past for anything that we do, and respect our resources to ensure it is there for future generations, which comes into play with political and government, how they choose to allocate resources, and we have to choose to vote in the right people to go with that, and what our beliefs are. Reciprocity plays a big part in my life, as I was raised by the philosophy that if you put out good in the world, good will return tenfold. My mother taught me that at a very young age, and we have a tradition that our first paycheck from any job that we start has to be shared with your community and your family, whether that's with buying dinner for your family, or giving an offering in church, or personally handing it to someone in need. There just has to be a way that you share with your community, because you have good fortune, so you're going to share it with the rest of the people in your life. And what about you, Javis? How are the four R's reflected in your everyday life? So going hand-in-hand with what you've just previously discussed, reciprocity, I think that you having values, how you mentioned earlier that your first paycheck goes towards your family or even your community. Actually, we have a tradition ourselves with that in my family, how every first paycheck and someone's new job, they take us out, they take the whole family out, whether for dinner, lunch, or whatever, just to show some sign of putting good out there in the world, like you stated earlier, how good karma comes back eventually. That's why we also believe that portraying goodness into others, goodness will come back onto you. And I think that's a great fact that you and I have that similarity, showing that it's not just specifically a set for one culture, but it's spread amongst other cultures as well. And in regards with work, how I may apply that into my day-to-day life with the four R's in work, is that I feel like working as a healthcare profession within the rehab setting, maintaining a strong relationship, whether it's with your coworkers, your clients, or even just the family members, it's great to maintain a good relationship with them. It shows that you have respect for them by maintaining a good relationship. And also, as a healthcare worker, it is your responsibility to care, not just for your clients or your patients, but for others as well, whether they are other staff members, family members, or even yourself. And putting those goodness onto others and onto you will help create an environment or dynamic amongst yourselves that it'll help others think that putting good onto others, good will come back to you, which encourages goodness onto others as well. So then I think it's really funny going back to how your family tradition is putting your first paycheck from the first job you got into your family or community. I do it with my family as well, and as well as for the church, because I believe that good karma always comes back. And that's like your mom said, it's tenfold. And in regards with not just work, but your day-to-day lives, I feel like it doesn't matter who you show respect to or maintaining a good relationship to. I feel like everyone should be treated amongst equally, whether they are strangers, good to you, bad to you. Just, again, it comes with reciprocity, right? So it's your responsibility to be good for others and onto yourself as well by doing that so you maintain a strong relationship, not just with others, but with yourself, with yourself showing self-respect and you show that you care, not just for yourself, but for others. And I feel like that's how I put the four R's into my life, like in a daily activity or work setting. So going back to that four R's, Bradley, how about you? I'd like to know what you can say about how it can apply to either four R's to your everyday life. I know you mentioned about work, but how about in a school setting or even maybe in a public setting? That's fair. So for everyday settings, there is an example recently. I went to the mall, of course, and we're talking to the staff that works at that specific store. And even though the person that specifically was there was a little rude and disrespectful, you still have to show respect to maintain a solid professional relationship. And in that way, when you don't let little things like that provoke you into being disrespectful and rude, that's giving reciprocity, so you can get that good karma to come back to you. So in the end, it's like a day at the mall, and then you can see all four R's, the relationships, responsibility, respect, and reciprocity. Yeah, that's a great point. I feel like there's that saying again, where it's like in a 24-hour time span, why do you let five seconds of that ruin your whole day? So I feel like it's great that you shouldn't let anything, even the smallest things, bother you and ruin your whole day. For the next question, we are uncovering which issues brought up in class resonated with us the most. And for this one, I'll have Bradley discuss what issues resonated with him the most. So for me, an issue that resonated the most was in regards to the pipeline. While outsiders see it as incredibly beneficial and cannot understand why indigenous people wouldn't want this construction to happen, once you begin to understand their perspective and history of marginalization and oppression, you can begin to understand where they're coming from. In class, we learned that the indigenous identity is rooted and connected to the land. When ancestors pass away, their DNA decomposes into the land, and at that point, respecting the land is respecting their ancestors and the animals that share it. This argument resonated with me because it is amazing to think about those that respect land for its past and ancestors, appreciating it for its current resources through reciprocity, which in turn sustains the land for future generations. And going to what Bradley was saying, I think that's a very great concept because once that concept really resonates, it really resonates with me because it shows the importance of and indigenous culture. The deep connection to the land and the understanding that the land is not just a resource, but a living entity that sustains and teaches us was a powerful lesson. It made me rethink how I view the environment and the place within it. So going back to what Bradley was saying, your ancestors passing away in that land makes it an ancestral land, especially from your great-great-grandfathers, your ancestors, them being in that land from birth till death, and you having to give it up to colonizers and settlers, it just doesn't sit well for anybody at all because they are taking your ancestral roots. Your ancestral roots define who you are because that originates your origin, that shows where your origin is from. And going back to my culture, I understand why a lot of people have patriotism to specific places. I understand that it's very hard to give up land where your ancestors worked hard to live in, sustained, protected for many, many generations just for it to be taken over and you don't have to stay in it. And that doesn't sit right with me or shouldn't sit right with anybody else. And I believe that that's really one of the main issues that doesn't sit well with me, just having your lands stripped away from you, from your ancestral roots, from your origins, and you can't really do much about it. That is a really good point. But to expand on the issues that you brought up earlier about the historical trauma and its ongoing effects on indigenous communities was particularly impactful. To know that such a past had such a deep-rooted hurt to the fact where it's hurting future generations is really hard to see. Learning about the history of colonization, residential schools, and their lasting impact opened my eyes to the resilience of the indigenous peoples and the importance of addressing these traumas in a respectful and supportive manner. The stories of resilience and survival despite immense hardships were deeply moving, especially from the days back in residential school, how many parents, many kids still resisted the oppression that the Catholic Church brought upon their ways trying to force them to be assimilated into the more modern Western ways which should not have happened. And them being resilient, fighting the oppression, it highlights the strength and perseverance of indigenous communities and underscores the importance of acknowledging and addressing historical injustices to never, ever repeat these things again. So going back to the residential schools, do you have something to say about that one, Ravi? Yeah, of course. Even more recently in our history, we found the 215 kids buried underneath that one residential school when it was getting demolished. And the fact that even to this day, we're discovering new hardships that settlers imposed upon indigenous people is just unfair and unjust. It's not right. But to see the community, all the parades and marches for those 215 kids was really good to see the solidarity for everyone and the support that we can have if humanity sticks together. That's a great point you stated out, Bradley. I agree that if we all come together and stick together, we can definitely all face an issue that is causing humanity any troubles. So we can transition from this to the next question that we have is, were there any questions or challenges that arose for you regarding indigeneity and its relevance to your academic career? So when I first started university, I never really understood why the acknowledgement kept happening, what we said at the beginning of the semester, every time. And coming into this class, I hoped in understanding indigenous studies, indigenous ways, traditions, cultures, beliefs, and even their history. Because as we discussed in class, indigenous history isn't really much covered, especially in social context. Yes, we learned about how the assimilation occurred, why it wasn't like the most appropriate action that should have happened. But we really don't go into depth of it. And coming to this class, I had many hopes of understanding those subjects. So going back to the acknowledgements, personally, I wasn't very educated well into why we did these acknowledgements. I just came into school thinking we just did these acknowledgements, and I was very ignorant on the subject. But now I know why we had to acknowledge them. Because again, going back, this is their land, this is their ancestral roots. And learning more about ancestral roots, lands, origins, and why it's so important helped me understand why these acknowledgement happens and helped give me a better understanding of indigenous studies and culture. One challenge I faced was reconciling the academic focus on objectivity with the deeply personal and subjective nature of indigenous knowledge. There were times when I struggled to balance these perspectives in my research and writing. It raised questions about how to honor indigenous ways of knowing while also meeting academic standards. I actually faced similar challenges. Additionally, I questioned how to effectively integrate indigenous perspectives into my career, especially as a student from community rehab and disability studies, which may be heavily dominated by Western methodologies. It's an ongoing process of learning and adapting, but the course has given me a solid foundation to build upon and something that we discussed in class about actually, in which I may be able to integrate into my career, and something I also discussed in other classes, in my community rehab classes, is the sterilization of indigenous women against their own will. So this was a heavy debate in my winter term back in 20... Oh, it was actually this year. It was in my mental health class. So we watched the same video how indigenous women was being sterilized against their own will by the doctors, which can cause indigenous population to decrease and it can cause mental health problems, especially for the mothers who want to bear children, but can't. So this was a very interesting topic that may have been discussed upon within both classes. That's a really intense topic to have a debate about in your class, so that's completely fair. But navigating these challenges requires a commitment to continuous learning and openness to new ways of thinking. As we may not see these general ways of knowledge in indigenous ways as the same lens as they do, we have to be open-minded and try and understand where they're coming from and know the fact that they have been using these methods of knowledge for generations and it has been working incredibly effectively. So there must be multiple ways of learning in that way. So it's about finding a balance between different knowledge systems and respecting each for its unique contributions. So these challenges have also made me more aware of the limitations of my own perspective and the importance of humility in the learning process. It has taught me to approach my work with greater sensitivity and a willingness to listen and learn from indigenous voices. Speaking of indigenous voices, earlier this year, I think it was fall semester, I got this email saying, thank you for self-identifying as indigenous. And I personally am not indigenous. I didn't identify as it when I applied to the school. But then when I saw this email, I'm like, what is happening? What do I do? And everyone's thinking you could use that to help you. But I'm like, that's disrespectful. You can't steal an indigenous voice in that sense. It just wasn't right with me. So I had to contact advisors who talked to other advisors and they got it sorted out. But I couldn't rightfully take things from the indigenous after all they have been through. They've worked hard. They've been through enough and they deserve what is allocated for them. Great point. You taking responsibility and not taking that false identity is great. It shows that you respect indigenous culture. And like you've said, the indigenous people have gone through enough. And claiming yourself as one, even though you're not, shows furthermore disrespect towards them because first of all, you're falsely identifying as an indigenous person, which you have not gone through the struggles they have gone through. You have not gone through the past historical traumas, the hardships they've gone through. And identifying as one, it's just justly unfair again. And it's just not right. So I'm glad that you had that sorted out for yourself. Yeah, of course. I had to respect the indigenous identity. And in that way, I could start appreciating the indigenous perspective that we learned in this class. Because this educational journey has drastically widened my comprehension of indigenous viewpoints. It has instilled in me the importance of actively listening to and learning from indigenous narratives and integrating their wisdom into my professional endeavors. Because as of right now, I am currently a physics student, but I'm transferring to business and I want to be a business owner or manager at a business one day. So as I look forward to my future career, particularly if it encompasses community engagement or policy formulation, this enriched my understanding and will be instrumental in devising solutions that are more inclusive and effective. That's a great point you made badly. So for me, I am planning to work in the healthcare as currently I'm working in a rehab center at Care West. I, through this class, I have developed a profound respect for the significance of cultural proficiency and sensitivity. And my chosen career path, which is healthcare, grasping and understanding indigenous knowledge and perspective on health and well-being will help support and encourage me to deliver better care and assistance towards indigenous patients. I believe it is about recognizing the individual as a whole rather than focusing solely on their medical requirements. So working at healthcare for almost two years now, I noticed that a lot of people, when they get admitted to the hospitals, people just look at them because of their reason of admission, whether it's just their disease or maybe it's from a broken leg, fractures, but rather they're ignoring the person as a whole and focusing on that specific subject. I personally believe that each client and patient should be seen as a whole, not just from their admission. The knowledge I have gained from this class will give me a better understanding and it has enriched me, which may foster a more compassionate and empathetic approach to a professional conduct. This will serve as a reminder, not just for myself, but should also be a reminder for others as well that our work is not merely about tasks and results, but fundamentally about the people as a whole and our relationship with them, which can tie back to our discussion earlier about the four R's, relationship, reciprocity, respect, and responsibility. So, showing respect through our clients by seeing them as a whole individual, not just their cause of admission, will help develop a better relationship with them, showing that we are responsible for their care, in which turn they will give us the same respect that we are showing them and may further encourage them to have a better relationship with us as healthcare workers and not just seeing us as people who are watching over them and taking care of them, but see us as a whole person as well. Continuing on from the sense of interconnectedness and how it applies with holistic methodologies, here's how it could work for a future business student in a way like assist with strategic business making. Understanding the interconnectedness of all aspects of life can help a business student make more informed and strategic decisions. They consider not just the immediate financial impacts, but long-term effects on the community, environment, and the reputation of the business. It also helps with sustainable business practices, because in today's world, businesses are increasingly expected to operate sustainably and ethically, as they should be. A holistic approach encourages future business leaders to consider the environmental and social impact of their business operations. This can lead to the development of more sustainable business practices, which can be a competitive advantage in the market. As discussed in class, holistic methodologies is about understanding the interconnectedness of these relationships, which can help future business students develop more effective stakeholder engagement strategies. In an increasingly globalized world, cultural competence and accepting all ideology is a valuable skill for business students. Understanding indigenous perspectives can provide valuable insights into different ways of thinking and problem solving, which can be applied in a multicultural business environment. The emphasis on holistic approaches can foster innovative thinking by considering the broader context and the interconnectedness of various elements. Future business students may be able to identify novel solutions to business challenges. This course is focused on people and relationships, rather than just tasks and outcomes, can help shape future business leaders who are compassionate, ethical, and actually respect their employees. This understanding promotes a leadership style that values empathy and fairness, which can lead to a more positive organizational culture. In essence, the lessons from this course can equip a future business student with the tools to navigate a complex and interconnected world of business, fostering a leadership style that is both effective and ethical. That's a great point of view and understanding you stated there, which can actually bring us deeper to our further next question. How has the course developed our understanding of indigenous ways of knowing and being in current social and political indigenous and settler relationships? So as you previously mentioned, potentially being a business owner in the future and having a better understanding of indigenous ways, traditions, and cultures will help you have better relationships and women doing business with indigenous people in the future, right? So I feel like that's a great understanding that you have. For me, this course has given me a deeper insight into the complexity of indigenous ways of knowing and being. It has highlighted the importance of relationality, community, and sustainability in these knowledge systems regarding indigenous and settler relationships. I've learned about the historical context and current challenges, which has given me a better understanding of the need for reconciliation and the role I can play in that process. So as mentioned, working as a health care profession, understanding all these things about the indigenous people, whether it's their history, their background, their beliefs, their culture, and having many different cultures and beliefs in indigenous people in Canada, and just simply even knowing the basics of their differences can help you further better your relationship and understanding with them as a health care worker. And as discussed with Bradley earlier, just having a better understanding of indigenous people as well, whether it's culture and background as a business owner in the future, can help better relationship with them. Speaking of the ways of knowing, as Jayla's previously started getting into, the specific streams of knowledge that we learned in class was that indigenous knowledge is personal, relies on integrity and perceptiveness, and that indigenous knowledge is orally transmitted and it's like through oral traditions, storytelling from elders and all the wisdom is passed down through those stories and traditions, and that indigenous knowledge is holistic and indigenous knowledge is narrative. So those are from the notes from Ramona Beattie, and the sources of knowledge could be traditional or ancestral knowledge. There's empirical knowledge and revealed knowledge, such as dreams, visions, and spiritual experiences. Adding on to the oral storytelling, indigenous people have been sharing stories for centuries, which was mainly by the elders. These narratives aren't just entertainment, they're repositories of knowledge. When an elder tells a story, they're passing down history, values, and life lessons. Exactly. Oral traditions form the foundation of our communities. They connect us across time, uniting past, present, and future. When we listen to these stories, we're not just hearing words, we're experiencing the collective memory of our people. And what's fascinating is the depth and complexity of these stories. They often contain layers of meaning that reveal themselves over time. As we grow and have more life experiences, the same story can teach us different lessons. It's a dynamic form of learning that evolves with us. And the setting of these stories is just as important. Sitting around a fire, under the night sky, or in a cozy room during winter. The environment enhances the storytelling experience. It's a holistic approach where all senses are engaged, making the learning process immersive. Great points you made, Badly. Now we can go into experiential knowledge. We can talk about harvesting activities, whether it's fishing, gathering medicinal plants, or hunting. Indigenous knowledge is deeply tied to the land. We learn by doing so, by feeling the soil, observing the seasons, and understanding the interconnectedness of all living beings. As discussed previously in our class sessions, how we are all, again, whether we are from these lands or that lands, we are all deeply tied somewhere to our ancestral roots. Agreed. Indigenous ancestors didn't just read about sustainable practices. They lived them in their everyday lives. They knew when to plant, when to harvest, and when to give back to the earth. It's experiential wisdom passed down through generations. These practices are often family or community activities. They are opportunities for everyone to come together, share stories, and teach the younger generation. The knowledge gained during these times is practical and immediate, but can also be deeply philosophical for the younger ones. Exactly. And even the tools and methods used are significant. Traditional tools are passed down through generations, carry their own stories and lessons. Learning how to use them correctly involves understanding their history and their significance. And the earth is more than just a source of resources. It's a being that educates, supplies, and sustains. Indigenous peoples' knowledge comes from their direct relationship with the land. They acquire information through watching, participating, and engaging. And this doesn't just apply to indigenous people, but to everyone. We all learn from watching, learning, listening, and repeating the same things. And this understanding extends past mere practical applications. It's a meaningful connection that impacts cultural ceremonies, customs, and daily routines. When we gather wild rice, we're not just collecting food, we're honoring our ancestors and the water that sustains us. The seasons and natural cycles dictate our activities. This rhythm with nature teaches us patience, respect, and humility. We learn to observe, to wait, and to act when the time is right. This repetitive cycle is an understanding of time that is fundamental to indigenous knowledge. And of course, we can't forget to mention the spiritual dimension that is really important within indigenous ancestors and experiences. The land is sacred. When we take from it, we do so with gratitude and understanding of our role in the larger web of life. This respect and reverence are integral to our knowledge systems. And again, this can tie back to the reciprocity, relationship, responsibility, and respect to how when we take from the land, we offer offerings to show a sign of respect, better relationship with it. And again, when we take something good, we have to give something good as well. Relating this to indigenous political issues by understanding the ways of knowing through this course has granted me a new lens to understand indigenous connection to the land due to their experiential learning and ancestral traditions rooted in the land, leading them to reject the idea of the pipeline, which would greatly affect their traditional land. Yeah, that's a great point you made, Bradley. So I've discussed in class as well about the pipeline being built around indigenous land. It's not fair for them to have to be, it's seen as disrespect by forcing the indigenous lands to be taken over when they're already segregated into an area where they're in the reserves, and then the people, the Westerners are still trying to take over their lands. Like at this point, they can't have anything anymore by crossing their boundaries. So enforcing the fact that the government can't build the oil pipeline to the indigenous reserves shows that the settler relationship between the indigenous people and the government is still not settled. But this doesn't speak for every settler into this land. I myself am an immigrant and a settler to Canada, and working in the healthcare profession, I hope to build a proper and better relationship with the indigenous people of Canada. And in this way, we can again apply the four R's as discussed earlier into our daily lives by showing them respect, creating a better relationship with them, and being responsible of ourselves towards them by applying the four R's into our lives in hopes of having the reciprocity received from the indigenous people. To conclude this podcast, this class has given Bradley and I a much greater understanding and appreciation for indigenous people and their ways of lives. Ramona's class has fostered a respectful environment for questions and discussions. This class has been an enlightening journey for the both of us. It has not only broadened our horizons but also deepened our understanding of indigenous peoples and their unique ways of life. The knowledge we have gained is not merely academic or theoretical. It is a profound appreciation for a rich tapestry of cultures, traditions, and histories that have been passed on through generations. This class has allowed us to see the world through a different lens, one that values diversity and respects the wisdom of indigenous cultures. We have learned about their deep connection with the land, their sustainable practices, and their holistic approach to life. This has instilled us in a greater respect for their resilience and their contributions to society. Ramona's class was more than just a learning space. It was a safe haven that fostered open dialogue and respectful discussions. The environment encouraged curiosity, welcomed questions, and promoted a culture of mutual respect. This approach made it possible for us to engage in meaningful conversations, challenge our preconceptions, and gain new perspectives. This class has been instrumental in enhancing our understanding and appreciation of indigenous peoples and their ways of life. It has fostered a respectful environment that has facilitated enriching discussions, thereby contributing to our personal and intellectual growth. We are grateful for this experience and will carry the lessons with us in our future endeavors. And that concludes our episode today for Indigenous Insights by our podcast, BNJ. I hope you guys enjoyed and thank you for listening in today. Have a great day.