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Join IAIS Education Director and Traditional Storyteller Darlene Kascak, Schaghticoke Tribal Nation, and IAIS Educator and ecologist Susan Scherf for an interactive presentation and discussion that examines how people can include this "Two-Eyed Seeing" concept in their daily lives to make powerful changes.

Lunch will be served at 12 p.m and the presentation will begin at 12:30.

Etuaptmumk is a Mi'kmaw saying that translates to "Two-Eyed Seeing." Mi'kmaw Elder Albert Marshall developed this concept in Nova Scotia to describe how Indigenous perspectives and TK (Traditional Knowledge) should be used as though they are one eye, while Western ideas about science and knowledge should be used as though they are the other eye. Using them together makes for a more complete picture than one or the other alone. Two-Eyed Seeing is a way of bringing together science and Traditional Knowledge to understand the world better and acknowledge the importance of Indigenous perspectives in science. This concept of Two-Eyed Seeing, as applied in modern times, can lead to powerful transcultural and collaborative work with the goal of leaving the world a better place for future generations. During this presentation, through hands-on experiences and discussions, we will discuss the scientific method and compare it with TK to better understand how these different systems could work together and how they sometimes have conflicted with each other. However, as Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups become more familiar with one another, these barriers to understanding become lower and lower. Darlene Kascak, from the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation, will guide participants in a discussion about Native Americans’ Gift Economy beliefs and how the land connects people to the Earth and all living things. Finally, Susan Scherf discusses Commodity Driven Economy beliefs and the impact that it has had on ecology and our lives.