Land as Interlocutor: A Study of Ojibwe Learner Language in Interaction on and With Naturally Occurring ‘Materials’

Ecological approaches to language learning and materials use represent educational settings as complex dynamic systems by applying relational perspectives from the natural world in classroom. For young bilingual Ojibwe learners, (i.e., local, rural, reservation land) is a significant resource unto itself. In underrepresented context of Indigenous reclamation Upper Midwest United States, local land central ways knowing being, thus it also learning. This study examines ‘intra-actions’ among land-based materials, an Elder, immersion school youth on forestland. Focusing interrelated nature human nonhuman elements, we rely relationality sociomateriality expand clarify roles for reclamation. highlights practices consensual engagement with environment has implications research, underscores significance emergent teaching materials.