Tsi Nikahá:wi: Onkwehón:we Perspectives on Time

Time, a term that is normally used to refer to the experience of the continual passage of events in a sequential way, is central to how we organize our lives. In most areas of human endeavour, from the general management of one’s personal life to the rather precise activities related to scientific measurement, time is understood to be linear and studied with an emphasis upon events of the past, present, and future. Although many may take a linear conception of time with precisely apportioned intervals for granted, it may be worthwhile to consider Onkwehón:we perspectives of time as one branch of the reconciliatory journey toward a science that reflects Onkwehón:we knowledges. This essay, presented by a Kanienkeha’ka social scientist who studies Onkwehón:we education and has served as an educator in First Nations school contexts, explores Onkwehón:we perspectives on time through focus upon how the passage of events is resident in the human experience and how this compares to how time is normally understood within the scientific endeavour. This exploration will contribute to ongoing dialogue on the nature of Onkwehón:we perspectives on science and how it is explored in educational settings. Keywords: Indigenous epistemologies, Onkwehón:we science, temporality, cyclical time, science education