Mitakuye oyasin (all my relations): navigating our research journey through the co-creation and sharing of an Indigenous physical literacy enriched early years initiative

Physical literacy embraces a wholistic approach to movement, integrating physical, social, emotional, and spiritual wellness. Supporting physical literacy development in early childhood, ages 3 to 5, is essential for fostering well-being. An Indigenous and non-Indigenous team of community leaders and scholars embarked on a journey with Knowledge Holders, Indigenous families, and early childhood educators to co-create, expand, and sustain a culturally rooted physical literacy initiative that promoted wholistic wellness. This paper presents a methodological reflection on the evolution of Nature’s Way–Our Way as implemented in eight Indigenous and three non-Indigenous early learning centers in Saskatchewan, Canada. Through fieldnotes, observations, and reflections, we examine our journey of community collaboration, guided by the Lakota concept of mitakuye oyasin (all my relations). By centering relationality and co-creation, we highlight how Indigenous-led research can evolve within a community context, offering insights into the transformative nature of research that prioritizes relationships, reciprocity, and lived experience.