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As scholars working both individually and collectively, we are interested in exploring what may be achieved through taking up the complex notion of culture in sustainability education research. In this article, we present a bricolage of research, drawing on empirical and theoretical sources that collectively establish the kind of capacity we see as potentially creating the conditions for cultural change. We draw from cultural and environmental education theories. The three empirical examples explore the role of community and family, Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge, and personal change through social and ecological justice teaching. The studies demonstrate ways sustainability education research can create the conditions to engage and cultivate communities--both previously established or newly formed--to respond to the pervasiveness and influence of culture as an always/already obstacle to ecologically and socially sound patterns of thought and behavior. Indeed, it seems clear that research and practice must be directed toward cultivating a collective capacity and movement that creates spaces for renewed thinking and action--in other words, for renewed being.

For centuries, Indigenous Elders and Knowledge-keepers (IEKK) and their land-based stories have played a vital role in environmental sustainability. Following the Indigenist relational theoretical framework, in this article, I honor and respect IEKK as scientists for their community and their traditional land-based stories as scientific knowledge for their environmental sustainability. As a visible minority immigrant researcher and educator on the Indigenous land known as Canada, IEKK land-based stories helped me rethink who I am as an Indigenist environmental researcher when I learn about my responsibilities from Indigenous communities. Following the Indigenist methodology and research framework, I used deep listening and reflective journal writing as my research methods. I also highlighted how my learning from IEKK land-based stories could help me take responsibility to rethink, relearn, and reshape us as environmental researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines Indigenous perspectives on energy sustainabilities. We as Indigenous Elders and non-Indigenous scholars collectively explore how pipeline leaks that cost several Indigenous communities of the Treaty 6 region (known as western Canada). While the pipeline project has brought income to some, and wealth to the few, its impact on the environment and on the lives of many Indigenous groups is profoundly concerning. Indigenous communities are particularly vulnerable to pipeline leaks, yet have limited capacity to mitigate them as compared to larger urban centers. Using an Indigenist research framework, we used deep listening, traditional stories, reflective journals, cultural camps, and collective stories. We followed traditional protocols, continuous forms of consent, respect, and honour Indigenous Elders and Knowledge-keepers' stories. We learned about community Elders, Knowledge-keepers, and leaders' suggestions on how strategic decisions need to be made about pipeline leaks management and energy sustainabilities. The purpose of this paper is to provide Indigenous communities, particularly those communities of western Canada, with new community-led guidelines that can help them make strategic choices about pipeline leaks management to enhance their resiliency to energy. In this paper, we highlighted community suggestions on how to flip the traditional approach of fitting Indigenous ways of knowing into the Canadian legal structures by starting with Indigenous ways of knowing about the relationships of Indigenous people with land, water, and energy together with the impacts of the energy. We hope this paper may assist policy makers and Indigenous communities in sustainable energy policy development and provide a structured, transparent, and participatory decision support tool to government and communities to guide future energy management planning initiatives. • Identify community-led consultation practices for energy management. • Develop a community-led energy resiliency guideline. • Create risk evaluation framework for addressing pipeline leaks and energy management. • Explore community-led solutions anchored in sustainable energy management politics. • Support Indigenous communities' and organizations' attempts to negotiate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outputs have a social impact on the community and are defined within the collaboration between researchers and community members. Indigenous researchers and scholars, Vizina and Gordon, prioritize the involvement of Indigenous communities in the research process. 2019 4 Datta R. Indigenous Reconciliation and Decolonization: Narratives of Social Justice and Community Engagement; Routledge: London, UK. 2020 5 Denis V.S., Schick C. What makes anti-racist pedagogy in teacher education difficult?. [Extracted from the article]

Indigenous people, international students, immigrants, and refugee families are particularly vulnerable populations that experience a lack of sustainability for various reasons, including lack of belonging and networks, low income, mental stress, and discrimination. Following a relational participatory action research (PAR) process, this study explores the concept of sustainability among First Nations, visible minorities, and non-visible minorities through cross-cultural activities, such as dance and music, children's art activities, anti-racist workshops, traditional story-sharing, land-based learning, and cross-cultural food sharing in a community garden setting. This paper argues that cross-cultural activities among First Nations, visible and non-visible minorities in a community garden can create positive change in an urban environment by empowering communities through cross-cultural bridging. Throughout the last six years of my participation in various cross-cultural activities, I have learned that empowerment through cross-cultural activities adheres to particular forms of agency: interspecies communication, community building, and learning about decolonisation and reconciliation. This study provides valuable insights for educators whose goals include incorporating land-based learning as well as creating a sense of belonging among cross-cultural communities, ultimately leading to community sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As scholars working both individually and collectively, we are interested in exploring what may be achieved through taking up the complex notion of culture in sustainability education research. In this article, we present a bricolage of research, drawing on empirical and theoretical sources that collectively establish the kind of capacity we see as potentially creating the conditions for cultural change. We draw from cultural and environmental education theories. The three empirical examples explore the role of community and family, Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge, and personal change through social and ecological justice teaching. The studies demonstrate ways sustainability education research can create the conditions to engage and cultivate communities—both previously established or newly formed—to respond to the pervasiveness and influence of culture as an always/already obstacle to ecologically and socially sound patterns of thought and behavior. Indeed, it seems clear that research and practice must be directed toward cultivating a collective capacity and movement that creates spaces for renewed thinking and action—in other words, for renewed being. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

What may be achieved through taking up the complex exploration of nature, land, and sustainability is a growing field of inquiry in both science and social science, particularly for those who are interested in the local environment. Meanings of nature, land, and sustainability have been either misunderstood or misrepresented within disciplinary boundaries in many Indigenous communities. To explore the meanings of things such as nature, land, and sustainability in Indigenous communities, we as researchers had better first acknowledge the spirituality and local experiences that connect one actor with other actors. A relational ontology is the conceptual framework within which I suggest meanings of traditional land, nature, and sustainability such as traditional experiences, culture, and customs, are important issues for Indigenous lives and environment. This framework may potentially guide the researcher through the critical concerns of identifying the problems of existing land, nature, and sustainability management in relation to the everyday land-based practices and traditional experiences in Indigenous regions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Food insecurity among Indigenous peoples of northern Canada is a significant public health challenge. To address this challenge, this paper is responding to community-led food sovereignty in Inuit communities in Canada. Drawing from a decolonial auto-ethnography research framework, I shared my learning experience regarding why the current food system became challenging to the community people; how the community explained the meanings of food security from the Indigenous food sovereignty; and community perspectives on how to develop community-led food security. This article aims to learn, practice, and support community perspectives that positively influence community vision and allow them to create new ways of food sovereignty. Through my decolonial auto-ethnography, I have learned that Inuit knowledge-ways have much to offer in support of resilience of food insecurity in Inuit communities, an intercultural reconceptualization of research methodologies, and educational programs, which support Indigenous communities. Significantly, this study highlights the importance of engaging the local community in the development of coordinated approaches to address Inuit food insecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan transport their energy resources by pipeline to the eastern and western seaboards, and south into the United States. The used pipeline infrastructure reshapes the landscape and affects sustainability of the environment, traditional Indigenous livelihoods, and drinking water, particularly when spills and leaks occur. This scoping review is focused on Indigenous sustainability issues in relation to surrounding pipeline spills/leaks, impacts on drinking water and Indigenous communities in Western Canada. We found that Indigenous communities are particularly vulnerable to pipeline leaks, and have limited capacity to mitigate them. Strategic decisions need to be made about the management of pipeline leaks. For building Indigenous energy justice, the findings of this paper suggest that Indigenous-led databases, programs to monitor and assess impacts, report leaks, and funding of community-based participatory action research are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]