We Are All Related
The Dakota term, Mitákuye Oyásʼiŋ, means “we are all related” or “all my relatives” when translated into English. At its core, Mitákuye Oyásʼiŋ values stewardship of land instead of ownership of land. For children and grown-ups alike, this Indigenous knowledge can be put into practice by taking the time to get to know the piece of land that we work and play on. At All Seasons Preschool of Eagan, the Winter Room children have been getting to know “Stick Hill” and its inhabitants.
Earlier this year, the children named the different areas within the boundaries of the woods. One location in particular has captured their hearts as of late: “Stick Hill” (or “Stick Mountain,” as the kids have nicknamed it). It is the children’s favorite place for stick foraging. The site of a stick fort and a fantastic climbing tree, Stick Hill holds magic that spurs recurring play scenarios in this area - many of which involve the children’s beloved sticks used as tools, snowplows, drumsticks, or shovels. Stick Hill’s climbing tree is named “Monkey Tree”: a pair of twin oaks within the woods that have split from each other. The children enjoy climbing on Monkey Tree’s downed limbs, pretending it is their special house or a cozy couch to sit and watch cartoons on.
Each time the children return to Stick Hill, they deepen their relationship with the location. Like when they are getting to know a new friend, the children notice more details about the land each visit. New mushrooms, lichen, and moss tufts inspire curiosity about different roles within an ecosystem, while animal tracks, scat, and animal homes let the children know that they share Stick Hill with furry woodland neighbors, too. Bug trails, bug houses, and woodpecker holes within rotted logs spark conversations about decomposition and death. The rich conversations surrounding a body’s return to soil give the children an appreciation for the life that they are seeing in the woods as well as the decay – the entire cycle of life.
Honoring Indigenous knowledge and practicing Mitákuye Oyásʼiŋ has deepened the Winter Room children’s respect and love for the spaces they play on. Viewing Stick Hill and its inhabitants as neighbors and friends strengthens the children’s empathy and compassion, planting seeds for a lifelong love of nature and opening their imaginations.
