He talked about the sacred four directions and the spirit world. The students, eager to delve into the study of environmental science, were a little surprised to hear tribal stories in a college science class. Afterwards, however, they realized that all Anishinaabe stories are related to science and the natural world. It is about knowing and understanding. Over the centuries, humans have developed ways of understanding and describing natural phenomena.
Western science is one way.
The foundation of Western science is measurement, using numbers and empirical equations to describe and predict natural phenomena. At one time in the distant past, the goal of Western science was seeking universal truths. But, today, perverted by the industrial revolution and capitalism, the goal of Western science is about what sells in the marketplace. But, that is another story. Indigenous knowledge is another way of understanding reality.