Calls for Applications

Are you an undergraduate student interested in a transformative land-based learning experience?

Dr. Kahente Horn-Miller is inviting nine undergraduate students (five Indigenous and four non-Indigenous) to participate in a two-week intensive course in Peru from February 15 to March 1, 2026. This unique opportunity offers an international Indigenous perspective on land-based learning through:

  • Group discussions and readings
  • Community engagement
  • Land-based activities
  • A final project

Location: Cusco & Paru Paru, Peru

Set in the breathtaking Andes, this course unfolds in and around Cusco and the Indigenous community of Paru Paru. Students will experience:

  • Deep cultural immersion
  • Challenging physical activities
  • Ceremonial and community-based learning

Note: Students must be in good physical health and commit to weekly in-person classes from the start of the Winter Term until departure, plus two sessions upon return.

How to Apply

Submit a statement of interest (minimum 2 pages, double-spaced) to AVPITLR@cunet.carleton.ca or Mikayla Paton (Indigenous Initiatives Administrator and Special Projects Coordinator) at MikaylaPaton@cunet.carleton.ca that includes:

  • Who you are;
  • Your current course of study;
  • Your understanding of land-based learning; and
  • How this course supports your academic and personal goals.

Eligibility is based on your statement of interest and for Indigenous applicants, verification of Indigenous identity (see policy).

Note: An information session hosted by Dr. Horn-Miller will be held at the end of October to review expectations.

Funding Details

  • Funding covers airfare and accommodations.
  • Students are responsible for food and personal expenses.

A Transformative Journey

This course builds on a previous trip where students engaged in ceremony, construction and cultural exchange.

“The students didn’t just study the land, they lived it,” said Dr. Horn-Miller. “This was about shared knowledge, reciprocal learning and the realization that our Indigenous kin in the South are facing many of the same challenges we did over a century ago.”

Student Reflections

“As I’ve grown older, I have come to understand how vital it is to know who we are and where we come from,” said Sage Laliberte. “In Paru Paru, I saw how the Quechua people live their relationship with the land daily, in harmony with animals and each other. It reminded me of teachings from my own community and expanded my understanding of Indigenous worldview, particularly the sacred role of women and the land as animate, living kin.”

“Prior to this trip, I understood land as a location. But in Paru Paru, I began to see land as a relative, with memory, responsibility and spirit. Our work on the ceremonial structure wasn’t just construction. It was ceremony in itself, shaped by care and connection.”