Musqueam Indian Band
The First Nations and Endangered Languages Program (FNEL), the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the UBC Point Grey Campus is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓-speaking Musqueam. We value our long-standing relationship with the Musqueam Nation and are grateful for all the ways in which they support and strengthen our program.
To visit the Musqueam Nation’s website, please click here.
To learn about our partnership with Musqueam and years of collaboration with its Language and Culture Department, click here.
Arts Indigenous Student Advising
UBC Arts Indigenous Student Advising (AISA) in the Faculty of Arts supports the success of new and continuing First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students. Advising staff are available year-round to help with course planning, degree requirements, academic concession, graduation checks and finding your on-campus community. Click here to visit AISA’s website.
First Nations House of Learning
The First Nations House of Learning (FNHL) was established in 1987 with a mandate to make the University’s vast resources more accessible to Indigenous Peoples, and to improve the University’s ability to meet the needs of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit.
To this end, the First Nations House of Learning is dedicated to providing a positive environment for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students, staff, and faculty. Learn more about FNHL here.
UBC Vancouver Indigenous Portal
Operated by the First Nations House of Learning, the UBC Vancouver Indigenous web portal is a resource for information relating to Indigenous programs, initiatives, research and services that are available on the UBC Vancouver campus. You will also find information about general services that may be of interest, including a directory of Academic Advisors on campus, information about Housing, Childcare, Recreation and Counselling, and much more. Visit the Indigenous Portal here.
Indigenous Initiatives – Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Technology
The primary focus of Indigenous Initiatives at the Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Technology (CTLT) is to support the development of a higher standard of professionalism when conducting discussions on Indigenous and other contentious social issues. This unit provides expertise and support for initiatives committed to improving classroom climate and campus environments conducive to student success, and strengthening local capacity to conduct effective approaches to cross-cultural dialogues. It also initiates, advances, and maintains curriculum and academic resources to address the gaps and insufficiencies in knowledge around Indigenous topics.
To learn more about Indigenous Initiative’s services and resources, visit their website here.
X̱wi7x̱wa Library
X̱wi7x̱wa Library is part of the continuing development of First Nations/Indigenous education at the University of British Columbia. In recognition of the generosity of William and June Bellman to the First Nations Longhouse, X̱wi7x̱wa, the Squamish Nation name “Echo”, was presented to Mr. William Bellman at the First Nations Longhouse opening ceremonies by the late Chief Simon Baker, Squamish Nation (May 25, 1993). The new Library also carries this name. The library’s history began in the early 1970′s with the founding of the Indian Education Resource Centre. The collection later became the Native Indian Teacher Education Program (NITEP) collection. A Stauffer Foundation grant (1984) enabled the provision of some NITEP library services and the upgrading of the collection. When the First Nations House of Learning opened the new Longhouse and Library in May 1993, NITEP transferred the collection to X̱wi7x̱wa.
In 2005, an Agreement between the First Nations House of Learning and the UBC Library created the X̱wi7x̱wa Library as a branch of the UBC Library. At the time and continuing to the present (2013) X̱wi7x̱wa is the only Indigenous branch of university library system in the country. Core funding was allocated for collections and new staff positions including a reference librarian and a cataloguing assistant. The X̱wi7x̱wa Library continues the ongoing development and maintenance of its unique Indigenous classification system (originally based on the Brian Deer (Union of BC Indian Chiefs) and associated Indigenous subject headings established by Gene Joseph. In 2005, the Library of Congress authorized a joint application from the UBC Library Cataloguing Division and the X̱wi7x̱wa Library to develop the First Nations House of Learning Indigenous Thesaurus and give international recognition to the First Nations House of Learning Subject Headings.
To visit the X̱wi7x̱wa Library’s website, click here.
NITEP – Indigenous Teacher Education Program
NITEP began as an elementary teacher education program in September of 1974 in response to needs expressed by Indigenous people throughout BC for a more effective and relevant teacher education program.
There is a shortage of Indigenous teachers in BC, and an increasing number of Indigenous people desire to become teachers. NITEP was designed to meet these particular needs. The intention of the program is to build upon and strengthen the cultural heritage and identity of the professionals in training. Using these strengths as a base, students develop the skills and academic knowledge expected of beginning educators.
To learn more about NITEP, click here.
Museum of Anthropology
The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia is world-renowned for its collections, research, teaching, public programs, and community connections.
MOA houses one of the world’s finest collections of Northwest Coast First People’s art in an award-winning building designed by Canadian architect Arthur Erickson. Opened in 1976, the concrete and glass structure is based on the post-and-beam structures of northern Northwest Coast First Nations. MOA’s Great Hall displays huge totem poles, feast dishes, and canoes from the Kwakwaka’wakw, Nisga’a, Gitxsan, Haida, and Coast Salish peoples, while smaller pieces in gold, silver, argillite, wood, and other materials are exhibited elsewhere in the galleries. The Museum grounds were designed by landscape architect Cornelia Oberlander and feature indigenous plants and grasses and spectacular views of mountains and sea. The outdoor sculpture complex includes two Haida Houses and several totem poles by some of the finest contemporary First Nations artists of the Northwest Coast. MOA also has the world’s largest collection of works by Haida artist Bill Reid, a gallery devoted to a collection of European ceramics unique to North America, and a series of innovative Multiversity Galleries showcasing MOA’s world-wide research collections.
To visit MOA’s website, click here.
Oral History and Language Laboratory
The Oral History and Language Laboratory (OHLL) is part of the Audrey & Harry Hawthorn Library & Archives Department at the Museum of Anthropology. The OHLL is a media recording, digitization and editing facility. It provides technical services, support and consultation in the areas of media recording, digitization and preservation. These services support language, oral history and material culture research, and are provided to members of the UBC Faculty of Arts, and to both UBC and community project partners.
The Oral History & Language Lab is located in the Museum in Room 219B adjacent to the Harry & Audrey Hawthorn Library & Archives (Room 221) Access to the Oral History & Language Lab is always by appointment with the OHLL Coordinator.
To visit the Oral History and Language Laboratory’s website, please click here.
Indigitization
Indigitization is a collaborative initiative between Indigenous communities and organizations, the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, the Museum of Anthropology, and the School for Library, Archival and Information Studies to facilitate capacity building in Indigenous information management. This project is committed to clarifying processes and identifying issues in the conservation, digitization, and management of Indigenous community knowledge. It does so by providing information resources through the Indigitization toolkit and by enabling community-led audio cassette digitization projects through grant funding and training. Indigitization seeks to grow and work with a network of practitioners to develop effective practices for the management of digital heritage that support the goals of individual communities.
To learn more, visit the Indigitization website.
