Ędwadewáyęsta Ohwęjádeh: We Learn from the Earth

Earth-based education is an Ǫgwehǫ:weh (Original People) approach to seeding Hodinohsó:ni’ (People of the Longhouse) cultural knowledge and it is the knowledge that will catalyze stronger Ǫgwehǫ:weh communities. To regain alignment with Hodinohsó:ni’ ways, a Hodinohsó:ni’ Waldorf-inspired School was constructed. This is the first Hodinohsó:ni’ Waldorf-inspired School of its kind. There was no preliminary understanding of how a Hodinohsó:ni’ Waldorf-inspired education may revitalize Hodinohsó:ni’ culture and language. Using the Hodinohsó:ni’ Kuswenta/Guswenta (Mohawk/Cayuga word) or the Two Row Wampum, whereby Ǫgwehǫ:weh and non-Ǫgwehǫ:weh ways of knowing are parallel but do not interfere with one another, One Row included a qualitative arts-based and an influenced narrative inquiry research design and the other Row, a Hodinohosó:ni’ Tree framework. Through the stories of six adults and eight children’s artwork at the Six Nation Hodinohsó:ni’ Waldorf-inspired School, they shared historical, cultural, and educational knowledge – both traditional and contemporary – and articulated the paradigm shift of a culturally based, strong Ǫgwehǫ:weh education structure. One main finding is the community’s strength, resilience, and connection to nature. This finding is illustrated in the children’s drawings and supported by adult stories and conversations. Four themes emerged which included “Precursory Decision-Making Narratives,” “Significance of Culture,” “Growing the Hodinohsó:ni’ Tree,” and “Nourishing the Whole Self.” The findings support the vision and commitment of the Hodinohsó:ni’ Waldorf-inspired School and frame how Hodinohsó:ni’ people are reclaiming their relational Ǫgwehǫ:weh ways of knowing through an Earth-based education which analogously promotes strengthening Hodinohsó:ni’ language and planting and nourishing seeds of Ǫgwehǫ:weh knowledge.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D. Educational Studies

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Faculty of Education

Department dc:contributor.department

Department of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies in Education

Grantor dc:publisher

Brock University

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Bomberry, Michelle J.

• Earth-based education
• Waldorf-inspired School

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10464/20257

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:brocku.scholaris.ca:10464/20257