Introduction

What do we mean when we talk about Indigenous Education? Does this mean education about Indigenous peoples? Education for Indigenous peoples? Education with Indigenous pedagogies? These are very different things and require different attention and action (symposium participant, 2022). The Working Together Indigenization Plan, published in 2021 and created through the collaborative voices of the 35 Nations and Indigenous organizations that NIC seeks to serve, works to address all components of ‘Indigenous Education’, as outlined in the seven goals and underlying objectives (Shopland et al, 2021). However, through the Indigenization Think Tank Symposium, it became clear that higher emphasis is placed on the ‘Indigenization’ of existing programs and governance structures of North Island College. While this work is vitally important and must be of top priority if an institute is to achieve epistemic justice, there are a few fatal flaws in focusing solely on this pursuit. Specifically, Indigenous knowledge keepers, including faculty and administrators at the institute, are at workload capacity. Additionally, as “reconciliation” is in full swing in what is now known as Canada, Nations and Indigenous organizations require their people's knowledge, expertise and energy to do this work. Therefore, there are fewer knowledge keepers available for organizations such as colonial institutes to draw from as they embark on their own journey of reconciliation through decolonization (which inherently requires the guidance and leadership of Indigenous peoples). Further, while the Indigenization of existing programs and structures is a necessary step toward increasing recruitment and retention of and supporting the success of Indigenous students, it wrongfully implies that Indigenous students seek to find success in the colonial careers that higher education institutes filter students into. While this may be the case for some, this style of thinking can be seen as another form of assimilation: preparing Indigenous students for a colonial world, instead of disrupting and reconfiguring the colonial systems right down to the roots (decolonization). Indigenization of existing programs and governance structures is necessary so long as there is the recognition that to increase the numbers and the capacity of Indigenous knowledge keepers, an institute in pursuit of true decolonization must center all of the peripheral efforts around language and culture resurgence through an Indigenous-led approach to education. 

 

This capstone project will outline possible solutions to remove the barriers that inhibit the ‘Indigenizing’ of existing practices and outline possibilities of what it might look like to move towards an ‘Indigenous-serving’ approach at North Island College. Further, this project will outline the necessary actions to begin the implementation of such solutions, namely the implementation of the Working Together Working Group. 

 

The information outlined throughout this capstone is a compilation of the voices of the participants of the Indigenization Think Tank Symposium (and those that participated through interviews in place of attending the symposium). Additionally, this capstone project has been reviewed and verified for accuracy by symposium and interview participants. It is important to note that although this capstone may have my name in the title of ‘author’, the entirety of this project has been Indigenous-led, through the guidance of Kelly Shopland (Executive Director of Indigenous Education at NIC and a member of the K'ómoks First Nation), Sara Child (Facilitator of Indigenous Education and a member of the Kwakiutl First Nation), and Marisa Bennett (Manager of Indigenous and Community Partnerships and a member of the Ahousaht First Nation). I am eternally grateful for the leadership of these wise women, and to have the opportunity to have this capstone act as a supporting vessel for their goal of NIC becoming an Indigenous-serving institution.