Land as Teacher: Experiential land-based workshop (continues)

This FEELed Note was written by Research Affiliate Fabiola Melchior working on the Supporting Syilx-led partnership initiatives and Climate Justice Graduate Student Community project. This project is supported by the Principal’s Research Chair in Communities, Justice and Sustainability, The Centre for Climate Justice and the FEELed Lab.

On May 22, the third Land as Teacher workshop took place at the FEELed Lab on traditional, unceded and currently occupied syilx Okanagan territory.

Following a 3h kick-off online workshop on April 30, a group of 27 curious participants gathered at the FEELed Lab to strengthen “connections with the land, ourselves and each other” through creativity, curiosity, authenticity and interconnectedness. Land as Teacher is facilitated by Kelly Terbasket, Program Director of IndigenEYEZ, alongside co-facilitators Erin Delfs (UBCO alum) and Astrida Neimanis (UBCO professor). The workshop was supported by the FEELed Lab, UBCO Principal’s Research Chair in Communities, Justice, and Sustainability, and the UBC Centre for Climate Justice (CCJ).

Below are some impressions from the day:

Photo taken through the kitchen window of the FEELed Lab showing a group of people seated around the firepit.
27 curious participants gathering at the FEELed Lab on unceded syilx territory on May 22, 2026 to connect with the land and each other.
A group of people standing in a semi-circle in front of the FEELed Lab.
Centre, from left to right: Facilitators Kelly (blue jacket), Astrida (green cardigan) and Erin (black sweater) are guiding participants through an exercise to not only get to know each other but to also invite movement and arrive in(to) our bodies.
A small group of people making a tableau of their experience in front of Woodhaven studio, witnessed by the rest of the group.
A tableau: How did you feel arriving here today?
Another tableau of a small group of people, they are standing upright with their backs to each other looking up towards the trees.
The same group: How do you feel now?
Close up of a row of people sitting on chairs engaged in conversation in the sunshine.
At the end of the day, groups shared concrete ideas for ways to show up for the land and syilx-led climate justice on this territory. Together, we collected a lot of project ideas and calls to action!

Thank you to the facilitators, participants and supporters who continue to make these workshops awesome!

Check out the IndigenEYEZ website, Instagram, and donation page to explore the learning opportunities they offer and support the critical work they do.

If you are keen to learn more about the work of IndigenEYEZ and KinSHIFT please visit their respective websites. During the workshop, Kelly mentioned the Table Talks which facilitate courageous conversations about reconciliation for settlers and “equips you to host peer-learning conversations about colonization and reconciliation in your workplace or your community”. You are invited and welcome to sign up to attend the Table Talks!

You can learn more about past and ongoing collaborations between IndigenEYEZ, FEELed Lab and UBC’s CCJ around Challenging Climate Justice, Engaging Earth Sense (March 2025) or Connecting towards sustainable futures (April 2025). You can also read back on the past two Land as Teacher workshops (October 2025).

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