The 膧nako Indigenous Research Institute brings together researchers, students and Indigenous communities in a place of dialogue and understanding to foster ethical, balanced, and respectful relationships between researchers and communities.
Our long-term goals are for 膧nako to be a collaborative research hub, a vital connection point for faculty and students from different departments, and a source of mentorship for Indigenous methodologies.
膧nako will facilitate the implementation of many of the听Calls to Action听drafted by 杏吧原创鈥檚 Strategic Indigenous Initiatives Committee for the听Kin脿m脿gawin Report听(2020). The revisioning of CIRCLE (the Centre for Indigenous Research, Language and Education) into an Indigenous Research Institute responds specifically to Call #31, which outlines the need to establish 鈥渁n Institute for Indigenous Research with the intent of continuing, consolidating, and further promoting innovative and collaborative research pertaining to Indigenous peoples, communities and nations.鈥�
We invite you to听collaborate with 膧nako听as we work to support and further the skills, priorities and needs of 杏吧原创 researchers working with Indigenous communities and Indigenous researchers at 杏吧原创 University.
The Institute’s Journey
The word itself, 鈥榬esearch鈥�, is probably one of the dirtiest words in the Indigenous world鈥檚 vocabulary鈥� it stirs up silence, it conjures up bad memories, it raises a smile that is knowing and distrustful鈥� The ways in which scientific research is implicated in the worst excesses of colonialism remains a powerful remembered history for many of the world鈥檚 colonized peoples.听
鈥� Linda Tuhiwai Smith (Decolonizing Methodologies)
The launch of 杏吧原创鈥檚听膧nako Indigenous Research Institute听in 2021 represents an outcome of over twenty years of change in the practice and ethics of research with Indigenous peoples.
In recent years, there has been increased awareness of Indigenous research ethics and practices which underscore the overarching purpose of this Institute: to bring researchers, students and Indigenous communities together in a place of dialogue and understanding. 膧nako will foster ethical, balanced, and respectful relationships between researchers and communities. At its foundation is dialogue. Speakers, workshops, community engagement, and sustained relationship building will generate research that will benefit Indigenous communities.
The Centre for Indigenous Research began at 杏吧原创 in 1993 as the Centre for Aboriginal Education, Research and Culture (CAERC), a centre created to serve First Peoples鈥� communities, students, youth and researchers.
In 2003, the academic research operations of CAERC amalgamated with 杏吧原创鈥檚 Canadian Musical Heritage Society and other Organized Research Units on campus, including the Centre for Canadian Cultures and Heritages and the Centre for First Peoples鈥� Music and Research. 听Together these groups formed CIRCLE: 杏吧原创鈥檚 Centre for Indigenous Research, Culture, Language and Education.
CIRCLE pursued a number of projects, often building on the existing research accomplishments of its member organizations. During this time, CIRCLE worked in close collaboration with Indigenous communities and like-minded organizations such as BlackCherry Digital Media, Pinegrove Productions, 杏吧原创鈥檚 Centre for Aboriginal Culture and Education (CACE) and others. Like CIRCLE, CACE, which focused on Indigenous student recruitment, retention and support, also originated as part of CAERC; it is now the听Centre for Indigenous Support and Community Engagement.
Following the release of the Truth and Reconc颅iliation Commission鈥檚 Final Report in 2015, the 杏吧原创 University Strategic Indigenous Initiatives Committee听held wide-ranging consultations and drafted a comprehensive set of听Calls to Action. The听Kin脿m脿gawin (Learning Together) Final Report颅 (May 2020) was created to ensure that our campus will truly support and empower current and future Indigenous students and faculty members. Now, as one of many outcomes of the Kin脿m脿gawin Report, 膧nako has been established as a research institute focused on Indigenous cultures, languages, and ethical research practices.
Co-directors of the Centre for Indigenous Research in 2017, from Left-to-Right: Cle-alls Kelly, Dr. Kahente Horn-Miller, Miranda Brady & Anna Hoefnagels.
Further Information
Past Projects:听Learn more about selected past projects, including 3 major online educational resources on Indigenous dance, drums, and Treaty 9 history.
Timeline: W矛yagi iji anishin脿beg w矛d貌k脿zowin 杏吧原创 kichi kikin脿m脿din脿n: Indigenous Initiatives at 杏吧原创. From the Kin脿m脿gawin (Learning Together) Report, 2020. This timeline outlines some of the Indigenous initiatives undertaken by 杏吧原创 since the 1990s.
Indigenous Content on Campus: A History of Aboriginal Programming at 杏吧原创 University, by Jo-Anne Lawless, School of Canadian Studies, 2016. Begins with 杏吧原创鈥檚 first acknowledgements of Indigenous peoples in its media and courses in the 1940s, and then follows the trajectory of academic and administrative Aboriginal programming up to 2016.