Askîy kiskeyitamowin (land knowledge) by KC Adams

I created this land-based installation of 194 ceramic turtle shells to encourage Folkies to foster a meaningful relationship with the land. The humble turtle lives on water and land and is considered by my Anishinaabe relatives as a teacher of truth. My understanding of this teaching; is to walk the path of truth, you need to be a good relative to everything in the universe. That includes relationships with animals, insects, plants, fish, land, water, etc. Fostering these relationships or kinships means that you become invested in the health and welfare of these relatives, which equates to a healthier Earth for all. Dr. Alex Wilson, Opaskwayak Cree Nation, discusses the value of land-based learning and fostering kinship to understand better "our place within, and our responsibility to, the wider universe."(1) By inserting ourselves into the larger picture, we can advocate for the health and welfare of the world around us. These turtle shells are a reminder of how humans can live in harmony with the environment. I made this work so people can interact with the turtle shells by placing them in creative land formations. The prairie skies inspired the colours, and I shaped them into the spiralling universe.

Askîy kiskeyitamowin was a labour of love; my family came together to help me sculpt each turtle by hand, and my son and I did the painting and installed them into the shape of the cosmos. I hope you love them as much as my family and I do. Feel free to move them around in different formations; however, please wait until Sunday before pocketing a piece so everyone can enjoy the turtles.

"Land as Teacher: Understanding Indigenous Land-Based Education." Canadian Commission for UNESCO, en.ccunesco.ca/idealab/indigenous-land-based-education. Accessed 15 June 2023.