Holistic Land and Life Strategy
“The land was once our life, and our life was once about the land. If we can heal the Earth, we can heal ourselves.”
The medicine wheel represents many relationships in sets of four. For example, the 4 winds, the 4 directions, the 4 main elements: earth, wind, fire and water. With the medicine wheel, we can also learn about the 4 aspects of our human life: the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. These aspects make up our holistic health. As Indigenous people we have, for time immemorial, relied on a healthy relationship with the land to heal us holistically. If the aspects of the land can be cared for in an integrative way, as will our people; everything is connected.
About the Holistic Land and Life Strategy (HLLS)
The Holistic Land and Life Strategy (HLLS) is one of the land trust’s main activities dedicated to obtaining land and related assets to assist the land back movement. We believe Indigenous people need more access to lands and resources in places they deem significant. The Canadian Government has told Indigenous people which lands they can access and utilize through the Reservation System. In many cases, these Reserve lands or First Nations are parcels of land that had little to no value. Over the past generations First Nation residents “had to do with what they had” in terms of the land they were appointed. First Nation boundaries do not represent significant landscape boundaries, as traditional territories are much larger. The loss of access to these traditional landscapes, resources, routes, and burial grounds has been detrimental to the holistic health of the community as well as on a personal, and generational level. Through the Holistic Land and Life Strategy, we define the principles, processes and priorities to meet the needs of the land, and the people of the land. The HLLS depends on land owners’ compassion, participation, and support, by providing various levels of access and rights to a variety of landscapes for the benefit of land, wildlife, and future generations.
What The Strategy Accomplishes
The Holistic Land and Life Strategy promotes Indigenous land responsibility and decision-making, self-identity, and well-being by revitalizing the natural relationships that exist between Indigenous peoples and the land. Through the HLLS, we are able to practice and share a wide range of Indigenous land-based teachings that draw on traditional knowledge and wisdom. One of the key features of the HLLS is its emphasis on the concept of “Two-Eyed Seeing,” which refers to the idea of integrating Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and scientific knowledge in the development of conservation structures and practices. By working together in this way, we can create more effective and sustainable approaches to protecting wetlands, wildlife, species at risk, and medicine places across Ontario. The Holistic Land and Life Strategy also promotes a greater understanding and respect for the vital role that Indigenous peoples play in the protection and stewardship of the land.
Priority Landscapes
- Places significant to our Priority Species (Species at risk, Traditional Medicines and Culturally Significant Species) including preferred habitats, critical breeding grounds, or any lands used by any priority species.
- Lands that are both sensitive and significant to the surrounding communities, such as medicine places, sacred areas, wetlands, waterways, breathtaking vistas, harvesting and hunting areas, and more.
- Any areas currently or potentially in jeopardy due to invasive species, erosion, climate change, human activities, or any other potential threat.
Honouring Indigenous Lands
In the process of identifying lands of interest across Turtle Island, the Anishinaabek Land Trust will be working with Indigenous communities to highlight and consider the current state and position of these lands. To learn more about how we honour communities and pre-claimed lands click here.
How will the HLLS benefit landowners?
Donating lands to the Holistic Land and Life Strategy comes with an abundance of benefits. By choosing to participate in the HLLS, landowners will have the peace of mind that their parcel of land will be protected from any sort of development or destruction forever, ensuring that it remains a safe haven for the many species that call it their home. Not only do these donations of land help preserve essential habitats for wildlife, they also facilitate positive change, promoting intergenerational healing, learning, and holistic health for Indigenous peoples. Being a part of this movement can leave a lasting impact on the surrounding community and beyond, making a significant difference in the world we live in.