Haudenosaunee Territory Tree Identifier App

Abstract

Historically, Indigenous people were born with natural connections to the environment, history, language, and culture. Unfortunately, there is an alarming number of Haudenosaunee that are not able to successfully identify the trees that have been growing on their own territory for generations. This showed the need for this Open Educational Resource (OER) - Haudenosaunee Territory Tree Identifier Application. This app assists with identifying local trees, and also translates the names of said trees into the Kanienkeha (Mohawk) and Gayogohono (Cayuga) languages. This Haudenosaunee Territory Tree Identifier app will benefit Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners and bring together land, language, and technology. It offers a variety of uses, including individuals exploring a career in natural sciences, dendrology, sustainability studies, history, tourism, or Indigenous/natural medicines. The overall goal is to increase the learners’ knowledge of trees in Haudenosaunee's traditional territory, and increase confidence of Indigenous knowledge in and outside of the classroom.