This blog is no longer being updated and is maintained for archival purpose only. Visit the Indigenous Affairs Office for resources and information about current Indigenous initiatives at UFV.

Welcome to our Indigenizing the Academy website.

As summer turned into fall of 2012, 275 delegates from 33 post-secondary institutions came together at the University of the Fraser Valley’s Aboriginal Gathering Place. The purpose of the gathering: to discuss indigenization – a way of making universities welcoming for indigenous cultures, knowledge, learners, faculty, and staff.
Those who came to the gathering overflowed out of the UFV Longhouse/Gathering Place; they listened with their eyes, their ears, their spirit, and their hearts.
And in exchange, the keynote speakers, the guest speakers and visiting dignitaries spoke from the heart: shared their thoughts, and engaged in dialogue, speech and conversations that “needed to be had.”
The ceremony, the sweats, the food, and the sharing created an environment in which all speakers and listeners could reach down deep into themselves to bring renewal, understanding, and transformational growth to each other.
To find the notes from our Gathering, click on Resources. At this same tab, you can find videos from the Gathering, other Gathering resources, information on the Gift of Cedar, and more videos and resources that for you to browse.

To continue discussions started at the Gathering click on Dialogue. You can search the blog entries by category and comment on the entries. The collated discussions can also be found in Resources.
Future events can be found under Events

Recent Postings

Preparing for the Future: You’ve got to do the Hard Work

Coyote is in the forest and loses his needle. Owl comes and asks coyote ‘what’s wrong’? Coyote tells Owl ‘I’m looking for my needle.’ Owl says to Coyote ‘I’ll help you find your needle’ and then soars up into the sky and circles the area looking for the needle. He comes back down and tells […]

Siwes image by Jonny Williams

S’i:wes by Jonny Williams

S‘i:wes The man and woman are in a circle to represent the circle of life: the left hands are open to represent receiving, and right hands are open in down positions to represent giving.  Their heads are down representing humbleness to each other.  The cedar hats and cedar clothing represents Stó:lō culture and signifies the […]

Workshop Breakout I Group 6 Community Members and Elders Personal and Institutional Reflections on Indigenizing the Academy

Personal & Institutional Reflections on Indigenizing the Academy Workshop Breakout I Breakout Group 6 (Community Members & Elders) Language an important part of education Language immersion suggested Build bridges between institutions and communications Communication bridging important Superficial indigenization Cannot indigenize a  non-indigenous program by “slapping a name on it” Native way of teaching – patience […]

Workshop Breakout I – Breakout Group 4 (Students) – Personal & Institutional Reflections on Indigenizing the Academy

Personal & Institutional Reflections on Indigenizing the Academy Workshop Breakout I Breakout Group 4 (Students) Facilitator: James Shawna Note taker: Alyson Seale 2621 *introductions *the session covered three questions: -what interests you about ‘Indigenizing the academy’? -How did you learn about the gathering and what brought you here? -What do you hope to learn and […]

Aboriginal students who complete undergrads more likely to go onto higher degrees

The process of aboriginal education is improving but very slowly. Only recently, aboriginal people were limited to a grade 5 education. It is only this generation that sees aboriginal people at university. Unfortunately, there is only a 50% graduation rate for aboriginal students from the k-12 system. However, aboriginal students who complete their undergraduate degrees […]

Keynotes and Guest Speakers: Discussions from the Canadian Federation of Students, National Aboriginal Caucus: Dr. Jo-Ann Episkenew, Dr. Lynne Davis, Eber Hampton, Otis Jasper notes and discussions

INDIGENIZING THE ACADEMY GATHERING August 26th–28th, 2012   Notes courtesy of Dolly Reno. DAY 1: Opening Ceremony with Elders   DAY 2: Guest Speaker: Dr. Jo-Ann Episkenew, University of Saskatchewan:   Gatekeepers as a disconnect and obstacle to indigenization Gatekeepers      that are a part of the reason for a disconnection between Indigenous      people […]

Next Steps: Recommendations from the Canadian Federation of Students, National Aboriginal Caucus

Next Steps:  Recommendations from the Canadian Federation of Students, National Aboriginal Caucus: •             Put Keynotes on the web to create some structure to use as a way to gather more information on the web from others who read it. •             CADD – Research •             Make Indigenizing the Academy meetings a regular event •             All institutions […]

Governance, Partnerships, and Building Alliances (Senior Administrators)

Sr. Administrators Governance, Partnerships, and Building Alliances How do aboriginal groups work with post-secondary institutions? How do Indigenous and non-indigenous faculty build alliances to support indigenization?   A need to work more closely Band funding an issue Academy not always neutral: funding  — goes to community or institution?   More representation needed at all levels: […]