Inclusive

It's exciting being part of the movement towards indigenization of an educational institution and therefore of broader society.

Professor Maxine Matilpi joined UVic in 2004. She is Kwakwaka'wakw and a citizen of the Kwakiutl First Nation of Tsaxis (Fort Rupert), B.C. As the director of academic and cultural support for the Faculty of Law, she says she benefits from the growing critical mass of Indigenous scholarship at UVic.

"Teachers and researchers are recognized and privileged as producers of knowledge and we hope that our ideas influence and shape society. In this way, as individual Indigenous scholars our work is critical in decolonizing and indigenizing the academy and larger society. It's both a privilege and a responsibility and it's not always easy, so it's good to have allies," said Matilpi. "There are many at UVic and in lots of different faculties."

UVic is committed to being the university of choice for Indigenous faculty. We have a wide spectrum of academic programs with Indigenous content and our research strengths in Indigenous areas are evident across every faculty.

"I'm excited about some of the courses in the School of Child and Youth Care and the Faculty of Education, the use of Indigenous pedagogies, the innovative (and sometimes brave) curricula being developed at UVic by Indigenous scholars. The First Peoples House, Elders' Voices program, Creating Caring Communities, and LE,NONET were all just dreams when I was appointed. These changes are tangible reminders of the strong Indigenous presence at UVic."

• Learn more about the aboriginal programs, research, and services at UVic.