Working Together: Becoming an Indigenous Serving Institute
Terms and Definitions
Epistemology
Epistemology refers to the philosophy of how knowledge is generated and created. It is “the theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope. Epistemology is the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion.” (Oxford Dictionary, 2022)
Epistemic justice
Epistemic justice may be used interchangeably with knowledge democracy, and within the context of my research, refers to the need for equality in worldviews within all aspects of higher education, as higher education is traditionally associated with producing and disseminating knowledge. Although the knowledge that higher education produces is often of Eurocentric origins, epistemic justice asks that knowledge be created and disseminated in a way that involves diverse ways of knowing or worldviews.
“The concept of knowledge democracy acknowledges the importance of multiple knowledge systems, such as organic, spiritual and land-based systems; frameworks arising from social movements; and the knowledge of the marginalized or excluded. It is about open access for the sharing of knowledge, making it a powerful tool for taking action in social movements to deepen democracy and to struggle for a fairer and healthier world. Higher Education institutions today exclude many of the diverse knowledge systems in the world, including those of indigenous people and excluded racial groups, and those excluded on the basis of gender, class, or sexuality.” (Hall and Tandon, 2017, as quoted in Lemkes, 2018)
Ethical space of engagement
Ethical space of engagement or ‘the contact zone’ in intercultural translation refers to the ‘space between epistemologies’(Goodchild, 2021). Ermine (2007) discusses how an ethical space of engagement emerges when two disparate worldviews are poised to engage one another (p.193). De sousa santos (2014) uses the term intercultural translation to explore when two cultures engage each other, and the contact zone as that space of engagement.
Decolonization
Decolonization is “the process of deconstructing colonial ideologies of the superiority and privilege of Western thought and approaches. Decolonization involves valuing and revitalizing Indigenous knowledge and approaches, and weeding out Western biases or assumptions that have impacted Indigenous ways of being” (Cull et al., 2018, p.7).
Indigenization
Indigenization is “the collaborative process of naturalizing Indigenous intent, interactions, and processes and making them evident to transform spaces, places, and hearts. In the context of post-secondary education, this involves including Indigenous perspectives and approach” (Cull et al., 2018, p.7).
Reconciliation
In the context of this research, I will draw from the definition of reconciliation as given in the North Island College Indigenization Plan, Working Together. In this plan, reconciliation is specific to Canadian reconciliation, and is “the process of redressing the legacy of residential schools” (Shopland et al., 2021).
“One of the toughest will be those decisions that need to be made by non-Indigenous Canadians because reconciliation isn’t a question of whether Indigenous people should give more but how much non-Indigenous Canadians are willing to give back” (Shopland et al., 2021,p. 13).
Applying this question to this specific research, reconciliation will be the act of giving back authority and power over the decision making process in which things are done within the governance structures of North Island College.
Governance
“Governance encompasses the system by which an organization is controlled and operates, and the mechanisms by which it, and its people, are held to account. Ethics, risk management, compliance and administration are all elements of governance” (Governance Institute of Australia, 2022).
Na̱nwaḵola
Na̱nwaḵola is the Kwak’wakwakw practice of “bringing wise peoples together to seek solutions” (personal communication, Sara Child, 2022).