All Our Relations–The Gratitude Deck

Wahinkpe Topa, Indigenous scholar and educator, has created a genuinely useful and beautiful resource for anyone seeking to understand the Indigenous worldview. All Our Relations: The Gratitude Deck grounds gratitude practices and reflection in Indigenous ecological wisdom, centering kinship with the earth.

Each of the 52 cards features a mythic story drawn from Indigenous communities around the world, brought to life through Rachel Jung’s evocative illustrations of plant, animal, and water kin. Together, they offer an inspiring invitation to examine our debt and obligation to all beings.

Wahinkpe Topa transparently acknowledges using ChatGPT alongside his own extensive knowledge in developing the deck — a quiet irony worth noting. AI-generated content sits in tension with wisdom rooted in a living relationship with the natural world. Given growing awareness of AI’s environmental costs, this contradiction invites further critical reflection on the work.

Dedicated students of his work will find much to delight in here, and the deck is equally accessible to newcomers and all generations. The included “Eco-Thriving Game” is a particular highlight: a thoughtful, all-ages activity that embodies core Indigenous values of interconnectedness, reciprocity, and truthfulness. It is a wonderful catalyst for meaningful conversation among friends and family about cultivating the right relationship with other-than-human kin.