Welcome to Humber's Indigenous Research Guide!
This research guide is a starting place for Humber students, faculty and staff to help increase knowledge and understanding about Indigenous research, culture, perspectives, and issues. This guide highlights books, videos and other resources within the Library's collection, but is not an exhaustive list of resources. Resources featured in this guide will change over time.
If you have recommendations for featured topics, please connnect with us.
The Indigenous Research Guide began its development in collaboration with Humber's Indigenous Education and Engagement.
Land Acknowledgement
Humber's Indigenous Education & Engagement team is pleased to share a newly created video resource with the Humber community. This video offers a range of insights from educators and community knowledge keepers on the responsibility and considerations that come with giving land acknowledgements.
This video answers the following key questions:
- Why do we give land acknowledgements?
- What should we keep in mind when giving land acknowledgements?
- What does it mean to give a land acknowledgement at Humber College?
Additional Resources on Giving Land Ackowledgements
- Whose LandWhose Land uses GIS technology to assist users in identifying Indigenous Nations, territories, and Indigenous communities across Canada. The app can be used for learning about the territory your home or business is situated on, finding information for a land acknowledgement, and learning about the treaties and agreements signed across Canada.
- Map of Ontario Treaties and ReservesLearn about the treaties that cover where you live, go to school or work, and find reserves in Ontario.
- Treaties and agreements - Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs CanadaLearn about historic and modern treaties in Canada, treaty rights and the treaty relationship.
- Treaties Recognition Week Resources - Humber CollegeTreaties Recognition Week takes place the first week of November to honour the importance of treaties and encourage Ontarians to learn about treaty rights and relationships. Humber’s Indigenous Education and Engagement and the Library’ created this resource to highlight resources to support treaty education as we acknowledge treaty rights, responsibilities and relationships.
- APTN In Focus, Questioning the Usefulness of Land AcknowledgementsLand acknowledgements have been growing in popularity in the past 10 years to the point they’re now at most events or gatherings. But while they’re common, some question if they’re useful in reconciliation or simply superficial platitudes meant to give the illusion of honour and respect for indigenous land and nations. Watch this news report to learn more about the ins and outs of land acknowledgements, including the importance of land acknowledgements that are meaningful and heartfelt:
"It’s giving them language but it’s not meant to be set language,” said Shana Dion “It’s built to be fluid enough so it resonates within yourself when your saying it, so that its not just words you’re reading from a script, but that it comes more from the heart.”
Decolonizing Your Research
Research regarding Indigenous communities in Canada has often been completed without the informed consent or consultation of Indigenous peoples. When researching Indigenous communities and topics, always remember who did the research: have Indigenous voices, perspectives and knowledge been included?
Indigenous voices are an integral piece to any Indigenous research. Remember that it is important to carefully examine your sources for authority and accuracy.
Decolonizing Methodologies by 
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ISBN: 9781786998125Publication Date: 2021-04-08To the colonized, the term 'research' is conflated with European colonialism; the ways in which academic research has been implicated in the throes of imperialism remains a painful memory.This essential volume explores intersections of imperialism and research - specifically, the ways in which imperialism is embedded in disciplines of knowledge and tradition as 'regimes of truth.' Concepts such as 'discovery' and 'claiming' are discussed and an argument presented that the decolonization of research methods will help to reclaim control over indigenous ways of knowing and being.Now in its eagerly awaited third edition, this bestselling book includes a co-written introduction and features contributions from indigenous scholars on the book's continued relevance to current research. It also features a chapter with twenty-five indigenous projects and a collection of poetry.
Decolonizing Research: indigenous storywork as methodology by - This link opens in a new window
ISBN: 9781786994615Publication Date: 2019-06-15From Oceania to North America, indigenous peoples have created storytelling traditions of incredible depth and diversity. The term 'indigenous storywork' has come to encompass the sheer breadth of ways in which indigenous storytelling serves as a historical record, as a form of teaching and learning, and as an expression of indigenous culture and identity. But such traditions have too often been relegated to the realm of myth and legend, recorded as fragmented distortions, or erased altogether. Decolonizing Research brings together indigenous researchers and activists from Canada, Australia and New Zealand to assert the unique value of indigenous storywork as a focus of research, and to develop methodologies that rectify the colonial attitudes inherent in much past and current scholarship. By bringing together their own indigenous perspectives, and by treating indigenous storywork on its own terms, the contributors illuminate valuable new avenues for research, and show how such reworked scholarship can contribute to the movement for indigenous rights and self-determination.
Elements of Indigenous style: a guide for writing by and about Indigenous Peoples by ISBN: 9781550597165Publication Date: 2018Elements of Indigenous Style offers Indigenous writers and editors—and everyone creating works about Indigenous Peoples—the first published guide to common questions and issues of style and process. Everyone working in words or other media needs to read this important new reference, and to keep it nearby while they're working.
Indigenous and Decolonizing Studies in Education by - This link opens in a new window
ISBN: 9781138585867Publication Date: 2019Indigenous and Decolonizing Studies in Education features research, theory, and dynamic foundational readings for educators and educational researchers who are looking for possibilities beyond the limits of liberal democratic schooling. Featuring original chapters by authors at the forefront of theorizing, practice, research, and activism, this volume helps define and imagine the exciting interstices between Indigenous and decolonizing studies and education. Each chapter forwards Indigenous principles - such as Land as literacy and water as life - that are grounded in place-specific efforts of creating Indigenous universities and schools, community organizing and social movements, trans and Two Spirit practices, refusals of state policies, and land-based and water-based pedagogies.
Looking back and living forward: indigenous research rising up by - This link opens in a new window
ISBN: 9789004367401Publication Date: 2018Looking Back and Living Forward: Indigenous Research Rising up' brings together research from a diverse group of scholars from a variety of disciplines. The work shared in this book is done by and with Indigenous peoples, from across Canada and around the world. Together, the collaborators' voices resonate with urgency and insights towards resistance and resurgence.
Truth and Reconciliation in Canadian Schools by - This link opens in a new window
ISBN: 9781553797456Publication Date: 2018-01-25In this book, author Pamela Rose Toulouse provides current information, personal insights, authentic resources, interactive strategies and lesson plans that support Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners in the classroom. This book is for all teachers that are looking for ways to respectfully infuse residential school history, treaty education, Indigenous contributions, First Nation/Métis/Inuit perspectives and sacred circle teachings into their subjects and courses. The author presents a culturally relevant and holistic approach that facilitates relationship building and promotes ways to engage in reconciliation activities.
Learning and Teaching Together: weaving indigenous ways of knowing into education by - This link opens in a new window
ISBN: 9780774829519Publication Date: 2016-11-15Across Canada, teachers unfamiliar with Aboriginal approaches to learning are seeking ways to respectfully weave Aboriginal content into their lessons. This book introduces an indigenist approach to education. It recounts how pre-service teachers immersed in a crosscultural course in British Columbia began to practise Indigenous ways of knowing. Working alongside Indigenous wisdom keepers, they transformed earth fibres into a mural and, in the process, their own ideas about learning and teaching. By revealing how they worked to integrate Indigenous ways of knowing into their practice, this book opens a path for teachers to nurture indigenist crosscultural understanding in their classrooms.
The Maamwi Hub
Learn about Indigenous histories, cultures, and current Indigenous worldviews in the Maamwi Hub.
The Maamwi Hub includes:
- Learning resources on the history, culture and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples.
- Learning resources on conducting research respectfully and responsibly.
- Resources to support curriculum development that promotes Indigenous awareness.
- Resources to connect, collaborate and support each other on the path to reconciliation.