Walking Beside the Mhuysqa in Sesquilé

By Rayna Daniels, 2nd year MDP student

When I first arrived in Sesquilé, a small town in Cundinamarca, Colombia, I knew my Master’s in Development Practice placement would be an opportunity to learn. What I did not expect was how it would change me. Working with Dr. Gabriel Nemogá, our focus has been on Indigenous tourism, exploring ideas and funding that could support the community while honoring Mhuysqa traditions and values. My part of the project has been to analyze a tourism proposal for Sesquilé, compare it with examples from other places, and suggest ways it can strengthen the community.

But the real lessons have come outside the research. The Mhuysqa people have welcomed me into their homes and ceremonies like the temazcal, hoska, and kozmuy where I have learned about spirituality, resilience, and the connection between culture and land. Everyday practices such as gardening, bird watching, and orchid conservation have shown me how environmental stewardship is an important part of daily life.

L-R: Rayna Daniels, Tamara Dionne Stout, Leslie Kirkness, Gabriel Nemogá,, Katherine Castillo & Facundo Saravia

Life in Sesquilé has challenged me to grow in unexpected ways. Learning Spanish has been difficult, but each conversation brings progress and connection. Sharing meals of arepas, ajiaco, and bandeja paisa has opened doors to friendship and laughter. With the support of my colleague Leslie Kirkness, I have built strong relationships and discovered that respect and collaboration are at the heart of meaningful development work.

I have also come to appreciate how tourism, when guided by community voices, can be more than an economic activity. It can be a way of honoring traditions, protecting the land, and creating opportunities that align with local values. Watching how the Mhuysqa blend spirituality, environment, and community together has improved how I think about development itself.

As my time in Sesquilé comes to a close, I see how much it has changed me for the better. Working alongside Dr. Nemogá, learning from the Mhuysqa, and living close to the land have taught me that development is not just about projects or proposals. It is about listening, humility, and walking beside the community as they pave the path forward. 

L-R: Rayna Daniels, Lyda Mamanché, Gabriel Nemogá, Tamara Dionne Stout, & Leslie Kirkness

Remotely connected with the land that gives life

By Henok Alemneh, 2nd year student

I first found out about the Pimachiowin Aki World Heritage Site from my academic advisor when I was in my very first semester in the MDP program. I have since been building relationships and working with the Pimachiowin Aki Corporation (PAC), which is a non-profit charity organization mandated to coordinate and integrate actions to protect and present the outstanding universal value of a boreal forest Anishinaabe cultural landscape. Through PAC, the First Nations of Bloodvein River, Little Grand Rapids, Pauingassi and Poplar River and the provinces of Manitoba and Ontario, collaboratively manage Pimachiowin Aki World Heritage Site. Pimachiowin Aki, which is Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) for “the land that gives life”, is one of the world’s few UNESCO World Heritage sites recognized for both its cultural and natural values.

In my current field placement opportunity with PAC, I have been tasked to work on two main projects. The first project has been to undertake a research and present options and recommendations to the PAC Board of Directors, for consideration by the Pimachiowin Aki First Nations, for an Indigenous-owned and controlled economic development corporation with a mission to develop and deliver a for-profit Indigenous tourism facility and experience in the World Heritage Site.

This research project has now been completed, thanks to the continuous inputs and guidance from my supervisors Bruce Bremner, PAC Board Co-Chair & Alison Haugh, PAC Executive Director. Conducting research, report writing, and teamwork are among the key practical experiences I gained through this project. 

The second project I am currently working on focuses on proposing a business plan in accordance with the recommendations of the research project. Once the business plan is finalized, it would be presented to PAC Board who would make decisions on the next steps. So far, the field placement activities have provided me with opportunities to apply some of what I learned in the MDP program, particularly through Research and Business Planning courses.

Unlike my previous field placement that involved travel and in-person community engagement, the COVID-19 pandemic we are in has now forced many of us to work from home. In my view, traveling out to the outstanding Pimachiowin Aki World Heritage Site, getting the opportunity to engage with some community members and connecting with the land and culture would be irreplaceable experiences. However, the stories I get to hear and read, the interactions I have with my supervisors, the articles I reference, and the reflections I make in the papers are helping me connect remotely with Pimachiowin Aki, the land that gives life, until the time and opportunity to go in person arises.