Walking in Art Education: Ecopedagogical and A/r/tographical Encounters

This edited collection explores how arts-educators have taken up important questions around learning with the land through walking practices across spatial, temporal, and cultural differences. It highlights the significance of kinship and relationality in a/r/tographic practices focused on ecopedagogy and learning with the land, and weaves groundings from scholars and artists with Indigenous backgrounds to Turtle Island (North America) or Indigenous to other countries and places who are now working in Canadian university settings. The book offers an important lesson or prompt for readers to consider as they engage with the chapters, as well as offering a conceptual re-centring and grounding to the land and the traditional knowledges from the territories on which it is produced and edited.

Format: Hardback
Length: 268 pages
Publication date: 01 April 2024
Publisher: Intellect Books

This edited collection showcases innovative approaches by arts educators to engage with the land through walking practices, transcending spatial, temporal, and cultural boundaries. These walking practices serve as ecopedagogical moments, fostering a deeper connection between humans and the land, as well as challenging Western-centric notions of land and place. Moreover, the book situates this work within a/r/tographic practices, highlighting the significance of walking as a method of engagement.

Authors in the collection explore the intersection of walking and a/r/tography in their local contexts, revealing profound themes of kinship and relationality that permeate these practices focused on ecopedagogy and learning with the land.

What sets this collection apart is its thoughtful weaving of groundings that both guide each chapter and emphasize the philosophical commitment of the book. These groundings are written by scholars and artists with Indigenous backgrounds to Turtle Island (North America) or by scholars who are Indigenous to other countries and places who are now working in Canadian university settings. Many of these authors are Elders, cultural stewards, knowledge keepers, and stewards of the land, deeply immersed in practices that blend art, ecology, and walking. Each grounding offers valuable insights and prompts for readers to contemplate as they engage with the chapters, while also providing a conceptual re-centering and grounding to the land and the traditional knowledge systems from the territories on which this collection is produced and edited.

Anishnaabe kwe scholar and artist Anna-Leah King reflects on the teachings of Alfred Manitopeyes, a Saulteaux Elder from Muskcowekwun, Pimosatamowin, who shares wisdom about the importance of walking in Indigenous cultures. Manitopeyes emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things and the significance of walking as a means of connecting with the land, oneself, and others. He also highlights the role of walking in maintaining cultural practices and traditions, as well as in fostering a sense of belonging and resilience.

Through their diverse perspectives and experiences, the authors in this collection demonstrate the transformative power of walking as a tool for learning, cultural preservation, and ecological awareness. Their work invites us to reimagine our relationships with the land and to embrace a more holistic and interconnected understanding of our place in the world.

Weight: 698g
Dimension: 177 x 252 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781789389197