Teaching Indigenous geographies: indigenous methods as pedagogy

This article draws upon indigenous praxis to teach emplaced indigenous knowledges to non-indigenous students in a study abroad fieldwork course. We argue that employing Indigenous methodologies can help students engage in contemporary indigenous worlds, frame indigenous knowledges as generative and creative way of knowing the world and connect students more deeply to their study abroad sites. The course taught took students from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US to Ecuador over two summers. We reflect on the complex and conflicting obligations involved in this pedagogical adoption of these indigenous methodologies. This second study abroad employed three key Indigenous methodologies for knowledge production. Students were encouraged to develop a “shared body” by tasting and touching the forest. This cultivated “yacharishka” (familiarity) with the forest and its beings. Finally, we envision this practice as potentially working toward iyarina, a practice of remembering a place to envision its future and one’s role in care for the place. During the second year, students were more engaged and aware of power dynamics and demonstrated greater familiarity with the Amazon and Quichua thinking. It is important to note that not all Indigenous praxis increased student engagement and learning.