The Ma Moosh Ka Win Trail (formerly the Valley Land Trail) is a fully accessible, on-campus site that facilitates learning about, from, and on the land on which the UTSC is built.
This interactive trail walk activity is intended to help ensure accessible Indigenous curricula is more widely available on campus. The activity aims to facilitate engagement with Indigenous epistemologies and pedagogies; Indigenous relationships to land in support of Indigenous sovereignty; and anti-colonial ways of relating and belonging. Reciprocal community engagement with Indigenous partners played a pivotal role in both the process and design of the activity. Development of the project was supported by LEAF funding.
The activity uses a Digital Storymap, an interactive tool powered by ArcGIS Storymap Software. Accessed on mobile devices, it guides users through various 'learning activities’ located at different sites along the Trail. Activities introduce participants to Indigenous (primarily Anishinaabe) teachings about water, cedar, birch, maple, and other native plants, and their Anishinaabemowin names. Participants are encouraged to visit each stop, where they interact with stories, texts, and audio clips, accompanied by reflection prompts and additional content. Starting at the H-wing patio, the activity takes approximately 1 to 1.5 hours to complete.
Participants are introduced to Indigenous concepts of interconnectedness, reciprocity, respect, and relationality, and the activity leverages the AODA trail—a valuable yet underutilized resource for Indigenous education on campus. This initiative is a component of a broader departmental and institutional effort to enhance treaty education at UTSC, delivered through hands-on learning with a focus on relational accountability and intentional inclusion (UTSC Strategic Plan) throughout the curriculum development process. The Ma Moosh Ka Win Trail represents a commitment to meaningful educational experiences that privilege Indigenous perspectives.