‘Every day, it might be a different challenge’ – McMaster U

March 31, 2025

On a brisk, sunny day in March, five master’s students and their professor gather on a farm on Six Nations of the Grand River. Class this morning is being held in a sugar bush.

It’s part of the Indigenous Studies Experiential Learning Course, taught by assistant professor Adrianne Xavier, who immerses students in hands-on, land-based learning.

Throughout the semester, students engage with Elders, knowledge keepers and community members, and gain an appreciation for experiential and service learning.

Earlier in March, the students visited a farm near Hagersville to learn about and tap maple trees. Today they’re checking how much sap has been collected.