Indigenous research
UVic experts are working with Indigenous communities and organizations in Canada and around the world to understand, preserve and celebrate the traditions and well-being of their cultures.
- Researchers and
areas of strength - Past CANEUEL topics
and presenters - Centres and
organizations - Student
opportunities
UVic has researchers and scholars with indigenous focus in many faculties across campus. Their areas of strength include:
- Indigenous and cultural studies
- Aboriginal governance
- Indigenous knowledge
- Aboriginal health
- hunting philosophies
- Indigenous rights
- Aboriginal law
- knowledge translation
- Aboriginal entrepreneurship education
- First Nations business models
- Indigenous language revitalization
- Indigenous Peoples’ foot systems
- residential schools
Learn about all of our researchers' areas of strength.
CANEUEL (pronounced cheynewel) is the SENĆOŦEN word for "working together." SENĆOŦEN is the language of the local Saanich peoples.
The CANEUEL symposium series began in 2007. It was created by UVic's Office of Community-Based Research to support and increase “CANEUEL” —through respect, research and community partnerships—between the University of Victoria and First Nations communities.
Cultural and Ecological Restoration in Snitchel
- The Saanich First Nations
- SeaChange Marine Conservation Society
- Dr. Gloria Snively - Faculty of Education
The Coast Salish Language Revitalization Project
- The Cowichan and Saanich First Nations (Hul’q’umi’num and SENCOTEN languages).
- Dr. Ewa Czaykowska-Higgins - Department of Linguistics
- Dr. Lorna Williams - Faculty of Education
Aboriginal Health Research Stories from Vancouver Island
- Dr. Chris Lalonde - Department of Psychology
- UVic graduate students and community members connected to the Vancouver Island Node of Network Environments for Aboriginal Research BC (NEAR BC).
Aboriginal Student Success at UVic - Stories and Results of the LE, NONET (Success after enduring many hardships) Project at UVic.
- Presentation #1: Co-principle investigators Roger John and Dr. Chris Lalonde (Psychology) and UVic Aboriginal students
- Presentation #2: Co-principle investigators Sarah Hunt and Chris Lalonde (Psychology), Dawn Smith and Ruth-Anne Donellsen
‘Hii shuck iis tsa walk’ (Everything is One) Indigenous Rights and Environmental Law: Struggles and Successes from BC
- Calvin Sandborn - Legal Director, UVic Environmental Law
- Earl Stevenson, Anishinaabe/Cree - UVic law student
- Karla Point, Hesquiaht First Nation - UVic law graduate
NONG SILA (Many Grandparents, Many Grandchildren): Creating a Community Model for Urban Aboriginal Adoptions
- Dr. Sandrina DeFinney - School of Child and Youth Care
- Shelly Johnson, community advisory council member
- Suzanne Bate, Surrounded by Cedar Child and Family Services
A New Ethnohistory with UVic and the Sto:lo Nation: Stories and insights from a decade long partnership
- Sonny McHalsie, Sto:lo Research and Resource Management Centre
- Dave Schaepe, Sto:lo Research and Resource Management Centre
- Dr. Keith Carlson, University of Saskatchewan
- Dr. John Lutz - Dept. of History
- Emmy Campbell
- Devon Drury
Wadzulis ~ Aboriginal Outdoor Experiential Education: A community-university partnership to engage Aboriginal youth
- Dr. Nancy Turner - UVic Environmental Studies
- Tom Child - UVic student
- Fran Hunt-Jinnouchi – Director, UVic Office of Indigenous Affairs (INAF)
- Sarah Cormode - INAF
- Sally Hunter - Victoria Native Friendship Centre
Knitting Knowledge and Power: The Story of the Coast Salish Knitters
Film Screening and panel discussion with:
- UVic professor and filmmaker Christine Welsh
- Chief Lydia Hwitsum - Cowichan Tribes
- May Sam - Tsartlip Elder
- Sylvia Olsen – UVic PhD student
Supporting Indigenous Student Success: Highlights from the BC-wide Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association CBR Project
- Budd Hall – Director, UVic Office of Community-Based Research
- Fran Hunt-Jinnouchi – Director, UVic Office of Indigenous Affairs (INAF)
- Kendra Underwood – Director, Saanich Adult Education Centre
- Tye Swallow – Instructor, Saanich Adult Education Centre
Indigenous-Centered Research and Pathways to Community Regeneration
- Jeff Corntassel – Indigenous Governance (IGOV), associate professor, graduate adviser
- Adam Gaudry - IGOV student
- Carla Lewis - IGOV student
- Molly Wickham - IGOV student
- Mick Scow - IGOV student
The Importance of Human Dignity When Working in Indigenous Communities
- Cathy Richardson – School of Social Work, Indigenous Specializations
- Audrey Chartrand – Master of Social Work graduate/family worker
Grants facilitation assistance in applications for research grants and contracts includes identifying potential funding agencies, providing information on application procedures and advising on the preparation of proposals.
Centre for Aboriginal Health Research
Director: Dr. Jeff Reading
The Centre for Aboriginal Health Research is a University of Victoria research centre created in May 2008. It is dedicated to promoting and engaging in health research in partnership with Aboriginal peoples to improve their health. The Centre for Aboriginal Health research acknowledges with respect the Coast Salish and Straits Salish peoples on whose traditional territories the Centre is graciously hosted.
The Centre provides a supportive environment for students, researchers and communities to engage respectfully in research activities that aim to address the urgent health disparities experienced by First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada. Through engaging with stakeholders in Aboriginal health in British Columbia, across Canada, and internationally, the Centre seeks to assume an active advocacy role in promoting relevant and ethical health research that seeks to improve Aboriginal peoples’ health.
The Centre currently hosts a number of projects in Aboriginal health including the Network Environments for Aboriginal Health British Columbia (NEARBC).
Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health (IAPH)
The Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health (IAPH) was established in June 2000, along with the twelve other Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
IAPH fosters the advancement of a national health research agenda to improve and promote the health of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada, through research, knowledge translation and capacity building. The Institute's pursuit of research excellence is enhanced by respect for community research priorities and Indigenous knowledge, values and cultures.
Centre for Youth and Society
Director: Dr. E. Anne Marshall, RPsych, PhD (Toronto)
The Centre for Youth and Society, formally established at the University of Victoria in 2002, designs and conducts research anchored by collaborative partnerships with local, national, and international youth serving and youth led organizations.
Research fellows of the centre are scholars from diverse faculties united by their interest in catalyzing the well being of youth, public interest and research impact. Our efforts are concentrated in interdisciplinary research, graduate student training and knowledge mobilization on the relationship between youth and society.
The mission of the Centre for Youth and Society is to promote the health and well-being of youth from diverse social, economic and ethnic backgrounds in evolving societal circumstances. The centre brokers university-community partnerships to generate and mobilize knowledge regarding youth strengths, challenges, and opportunities.
Current research clusters include: youth mental health, literacy, youth and new technologies, Indigenous youth, youth and the economy, youth health and recreation, community-youth engagement, youth with special needs, and knowledge mobilization tools for youth and other audiences.
Our efforts:
- Address the concerns, assets and priorities of youth, in dialogue with society as a whole, so that programs, research and training initiatives are responsive, innovative and well-designed.
- Advance inter-disciplinary community based research and training on a wide array of current issues and events affecting youth.
- Provide strong evidence based recommendations and advocate with youth to influence policy-makers.
- Facilitate research impact by taking scholarly research to places where it can foster new public programs and social innovation.
- Shape educational frameworks in ways that harness the tremendous strengths and capacities of youth.
The University of Victoria is committed to enriching the quality of the student experience. We aim to provide a culturally appropriate environment that encourages and supports the success of Aboriginal and Indigenous students in their pursuit of knowledge and higher education.
Here are just some of the student opportunities available to extend theoretical and research knowledge to service learning:
Centre for Aboriginal Health Research (CAHR)
The Centre for Aboriginal Health Research (CAHR) supports the engagement of students in all aspects of the research process, including publication, authorship and conference presentations. Students have the opportunity to engage with Aboriginal communities, health researchers, health practioners and policy-makers while working to contribute to ongoing research and collaborative projects and event planning. For more information email cahr@uvic.ca.
Indigenous research apprenticeship
Students will gain practical experience within a university research setting. In consultation with the apprenticeship coordinator, the student will identify an area of research interest and undertake 200 hours of research under the supervision of a faculty member from any department. Students will prepare and submit a final project report. Note: Registration is limited to students in the LE,NONET program.