Alison Lovell: 09-04-2025

Last week, Carol, Sandy and I had the pleasure of joining educators, artists, and community members at the Biinaagami Teacher Training Workshop, co-hosted by Canadian Geographic Education and Harmony Movement at The Hub in Downsview Park, Toronto. It was a day rooted in learning and exploring new ways to bring Indigenous knowledge into the classroom, with a focus on our large-scale interactive Biinaagami floor map of the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence watershed.

**The team at the event. Photo courtesy of Alison.**

The workshop started with a smudging ceremony led by Katie Dawson, followed by powerful storytelling from Sky-Deer. Throughout the day, I deepened my understanding of Two-Eyed Seeing, Water Walks, Wampum belts, and the significance of sharing a strawberry drink.

One of the highlights of the day was working with our large-scale interactive floor map and learning to use its incredible augmented reality features. This map is more than a teaching tool—it’s an immersive experience that brings geography, ecology, and Indigenous knowledge to life. It will not only serve as an educational tool in schools, but also as a resource for community outreach programs, helping educators, students, and community members deepen their understanding of water and our shared responsibility to protect the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence watershed.