When I began writing my information book about the Haisla People, my learning intention was to think like an anthropologist. I wanted to move beyond surface facts and try to understand a culture in a respectful and thoughtful way. Instead of assuming things or comparing everything to my own experiences, I aimed to observe, question, and reflect. As the project went on, I realized that this intention shaped how I approached every part of my research and writing.
One of the biggest things I learned was how deeply connected culture and land are. Researching the Haisla helped me understand that land is not just a place people live, it is part of identity, knowledge, and responsibility. Their ways of living, learning, and organizing society all developed in relation to their environment. This changed my thinking because I stopped seeing culture as separate traditions and started seeing it as a whole system shaped by relationships.
How I learned was just as important as what I learned. One research choice that mattered was slowing down and being careful with my sources and language. I tried to focus on understanding ideas rather than collecting as many facts as possible. A challenge I had to navigate responsibly was avoiding generalizations. It reminded me that every Indigenous nation is unique, and accuracy is a form of respect. This made me more aware of my role as a learner and writer.
This project connected strongly to what I already knew and to my original learning intentions. The original activities we did on anthropology helped me reflect instead of rushing to conclusions. I thought more about how knowledge is passed down, especially through experience and storytelling. I also connected this learning to past discussions about perspective, bias, and who gets to tell history. These connections helped me grow more confident in approaching complex topics thoughtfully.
This learning matters because my chapter contributes to the class book by adding one respectful perspective to a larger collective story. Learning about the Haisla helps deepen understanding of Indigenous histories and worldviews in British Columbia, especially by showing that there are many different ways of knowing and living. Going forward, I feel a responsibility to keep learning with care, to question simple narratives, and to listen more than I speak. This project reminded me that learning about Indigenous peoples is ongoing and requires responsibility, not just curiosity.