Gary Evans, Interim Dean

IKERAS Minor in Indigenous Studies

The Minor in Indigenous Studies is a cross-disciplinary program to provide a better understanding of the place and importance of the Indigenous history, culture and knowledge systems.  The program starts with the broad teachings of Turtle Island and includes as part of the core courses the foundation stones of the Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research and Applied Studies (IKERAS) and importance of Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing to the creation of a better globe and community.  A Minor in Indigenous Studies offers students the ability to complement the learnings of their major degree.  The carefully selected set of core courses and elective Indigenous courses provide the student knowledge that can be beneficial for future graduate studies or for integration into their careers going forward.  Mi’kmaq culture and knowledge feature in a number of courses respecting whose land we are privileged to share knowledge on.  All courses are taught by Indigenous instructors.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR IN INDIGENOUS STUDIES
A Minor in Indigenous Studies consists of twenty-one (21) semester hours of credit taken from the list of approved courses.

The four core courses that must be taken to achieve a minor include:

• IKE 1040 Indigenous Teachings of Turtle Island
• IKE 2000 IKERAS Foundations
• IKE 2020 Indigenous Peoples of Canada
• IKE 3062 Introduction to Indigenous Knowledge and Worldviews

In addition, students must select three IKERAS elective courses.  Not all elective courses are offered every year.

Indigenous Studies Minor Core Courses
IKE 1040 Indigenous Teachings of Turtle Island
IKE 2000 IKERAS Foundations
IKE 2020 Indigenous Peoples of Canada
IKE 3062 Introduction to Indigenous Knowledge and Worldviews

Elective Courses for Minor in Indigenous Studies
IKE 2010 Mi’kmaq Language I
IKE 2030 Indigenous Knowledge and Climate Change
IKE 2042 Introduction to Indigenous Music, Film, and Art
IKE 2046 Indigenous Literature
IKE 2055 Introduction to the Indian Act
IKE 2060 Mi’kmaq Foodways
IKE 3065 Indigenous Health, Healing and Wellness
IKE 3090 Special Topics Course

COURSES

1040 INDIGENOUS TEACHINGS OF TURTLE ISLAND
This course is an introduction to the various Nations on Turtle Island. It will be a combination of classroom and culturally-based learning.  Anchored in L’nu (Mi’kmaq) knowledge, students will learn about ceremony, protocol, Elders and traditional teachers.  In turn, these will help foster a mental, physical, emotional and spiritual understanding of Indigenous worldviews and ways of knowing.  This course also introduces Canada’s history of genocide and cultural assimilation imposed upon Indigenous Peoples.  It will discuss why anyone living in Canada needs to know this history.
Three semester hours of credit

2000 IKERAS FOUNDATIONS
This course is based on the foundations that led to the creation of the IKERAS Faculty.  The formation of the Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research and Applied Studies (IKERAS) is grounded in three prime documents; the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commissions (TRC) 94 Calls to action, the 2019 231 Calls to Justice by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and the 2018 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).  Students will learn the importance of each document and why they represent the cornerstones to reconciliation.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 1040
Three semester hours of credit

2010 MI’KMAQ LANGUAGE I
This course is intended for students with no proficiency in the language. This course introduces the Mi’kmaq language, through the study of pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar. It includes numerous oral drills, frequent written exercises, short oral presentations and simple readings. The objectives are to improve listening comprehension and fundamental vocal expressiveness.
PREREQUISITE:  None
Three semester hours of credit

2020 INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN CANADA
Students will be introduced to the historical and contemporary social, economic, legal and political perspectives of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada. Using anthropological and sociological theories and scholarly work, as well as ‘experiencing’ cultural practices through ‘community connections’ and visual culture, the primary focus will be to develop a student’s understanding of and respect for Indigenous peoples in Canada.
Cross-listed with Sociology/Anthropology 2220.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 1040
Three semester hours of credit

2030 INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND CLIMATE CHANGE
This course brings knowledge of Canadian Indigenous communities’ relationship to the environment as valuable lessons for understanding climate vulnerability, impacts and adaptation.  Students will be led by a local First Nations teacher whose valuable insights to implementing efficient uses of our land and spiritual relationships with nature can assist in addressing global sustainability.
Cross-listed with ACC 2030.
PREREQUISITE:  None
Three semester hours of credit

2042 INTRODUCTION TO INDIGENOUS MUSIC, FILM, AND ART
Students will be introduced to the evolution of Music, Film, and Art of Indigenous First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada. Students will develop an understanding of how these works represent spiritual and living narratives, how these were shaped, and continue to be shaped, thus defining the lives of Indigenous peoples in Canada.
PREREQUISITE:  None
Three semester hours of credit

2046 INDIGENOUS LITERATURE
This course will serve as an introductory survey to Indigenous literature on Turtle Island (what is now Canada, the US and Mexico). The work we study will span the period often called the Native Literary Renaissance, and the years immediately preceding this, from 1954 onwards. This was a time when work written by Indigenous writers reaches a main-stream non-Indigenous, non-academic audience.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 1040
Three semester hours of credit

2052 INDIGENOUS RESISTANCE AND DECOLONIZING
Students will be introduced to how colonialism has caused and continues to cause irreparable harm to Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada and throughout the world. The harm permeates all relations including our animals and plants, our planet (Mother Earth), and those elements that sustain life. Students learn about the Indigenous warrior spirit which has risen to resist the on-going colonial and post-colonial hegemony. Students will understand the complexities and work of decolonizing by which resistance takes shape and hold in a time when all relations need it most.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 1040
Three semester hours of credit

2055 INTRODUCTION TO THE INDIAN ACT
Students will be introduced to the Indian Act which has dominated, impacted and shaped the lives of Indigenous peoples in Canada since its inception in 1876. Students will develop an understanding of the purpose of the Act, and how through its many amendments it continues to serve as an apparatus of power and control over all aspects of Indigenous peoples’ lives. This course will examine why this discriminatory framework is not so easily abolished and will challenge students thinking about broader issues of much needed change within colonial institutions.
PREREQUISITE:  None
Three semester hours of credit

2060 MI’KMAQ FOODWAYS
Food is a central element in Indigenous livelihoods. The storage, processing, preparation, and transportation of Mi’kmaq food is a critical component of this course.  There will be a hands-on opportunity to prepare contemporary Mi’kmaq recipes and concurrently learn cultural teachings about food and its use in ceremonies.
PREREQUISITE:  None
Three semester hours of credit

2110 MÉTIS CULTURE, HISTORY AND GOVERNANCE
This course will provide an overview of Métis identity, culture, Language(s), history and governance. Métis ethnogenesis will be explored to build awareness that Métis does not simply mean, “mixed.” Grounded in authentic teachings, students will be immersed in perspectives and understandings unique to Métis. Academic research will support accurate, authentic narratives of historical and contemporary issues that have shaped who Métis are, the distinct history and resilience as a people and a Nation.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 1040
Three semester hours of credit

2220 BEADWORK: THE SYMBOLS OF INDIGENOUS CULTURAL RESILIENCE AND VALUE
This course will explore how beadwork symbolized Indigenous perseverance in the aftermath of colonization and the residential school system. The course will examine the importance of beadwork both before and after European contact. The course will investigate how beading plays a vital role in restoring cultural ties and spiritual belief and how it continues to be significant in demonstrating Indigenous resiliency as well as highlighting the diverse cultural value of Indigenous peoples. The student will learn beading techniques along with the histories of Mi’kmaq beading and storytelling across Turtle Island.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 1040
Three semester hours of credit

2230 THE MI’KMAQ OF EASTERN CANADA
This is an ethnological-style course examining traditional Mi’Kmaq culture and how it has evolved historically. It introduces students to L’nu cultural practices about the body, food, traditional medicines, religion, politics, and the natural world.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 1040
Three semester hours of credit

2320 WABANAKI CONFEDERACY
This course covers the Tribes of the East Coast of the United States and Canada that formed a political/military alliance to support each other during the French Indian Wars. It situates them in their tribal lands and examines some notable individuals and their accomplishments. Relevant legislation that affects them will be covered.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 1040
Three semester hours of credit

2800 INDIGENOUS LAWS IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY
This course explores Indigenous law and constitutionalism, the impacts of colonization on Indigenous laws and its ongoing legitimization in contemporary society. This course will examine how Indigenous legal traditions are articulated through decolonizing approaches such as drawing out of Indigenous historic knowledge systems based on Indigenous worldviews. It also examines how these laws can be applied at a time of transitioning to self-governance and practicing self-determination. What will be learned is how Indigenous laws
differ from western laws; how to understand the Indigenous constitutionalism as an Indigenous governance framework; how to engage with Indigenous stories and articulate their legal principles; and how Indigenous laws can be applied in Indigenous contemporary settings by examining their spaces for their ongoing
application and practices.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 1040
Three semester hours of credit

3010 MI’KMAW LANGUAGE II
This course continues learning from IKE 2010 allowing the student to build on both their vocabulary and understanding both written and oral.  This course requires a significant amount of time dedicated to assignments and application of the language.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 2010
Three semester hours of credit

3056 INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND JUSTICE
Students will be introduced to how colonialism perpetuates inequality of Indigenous peoples and results in their over-representation in the criminal justice system, now referred to as ‘the new residential schools in contemporary Canadian society’ and other unjust systems in Canada.  Students will understand the systemic issues that prevent the fair and equitable treatment of Indigenous peoples despite measures that are intended to curb the rise of their incarceration. An examination of social justice and criminological theories will be of benefit to students interested in understanding inequities in larger systems beyond criminal justice, and potential pathways to end this disturbing reality.
PREREQUISITES:  IKE 2000, and IKE 2055 OR IKE 2800
Three semester hours of credit

3062 INTRODUCTION TO INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND WORLDVIEWS
This course introduces Indigenous ways of knowing through active participation.  This course introduces students to an understanding of traditional ceremonies, worldview, creation stories and other narrative forms of knowing.  By taking part in basic ceremonies and related practices, students will obtain knowledge of how Mi’kmaq people connect to each other, the land, other creatures and the world.  This course will also explore certain ceremonies and teachings often referred to as “women’s teachings” by reviewing literature and conducting research on teachings, ceremonies, and issues related to Indigenous women.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 1040
Three semester hours of credit

3065 INDIGENOUS HEALTH, HEALING AND WELLNESS
Students will be introduced to the determinants of Indigenous peoples’ health in Canada. Using both the anthropological and sociological lens, students will develop an understanding of approaches to health and healing that resonate with Indigenous peoples through readings and a collective exploration. Students will understand that health is one of the most significant issues that defines the lives of Indigenous peoples in Canada.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 1040
Three semester hours of credit

3066 INTRODUCTION TO INDIGENOUS RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES
Students will be introduced to the foundations of Indigenous Research Methodologies which are grounded in the principles of ‘for and by Indigenous Peoples’, which emphasizes techniques and methods from traditional Indigenous knowledges and worldviews. Students will understand quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, and important concepts of ownership, control, access, and possession as well as duty to consult. Students will understand that Indigenous research methodologies are a powerful tool for social change as they are relational, inclusive and participatory in nature.
PREREQUISITES:  IKE 2000
Three semester hours of credit

3090 SPECIAL TOPICS COURSE
Topics or issues explored outside of existing courses.  Special topics offered by the Faculty of Indigenous, Knowledge, Education, Research and Applied Studies.
PREREQUISITE:  None
Three semester hours of credit

3221 MI’KMAQ SPIRITUALITIES
This course provides insight into L’nu cosmology by examining various Wabanaki’k Creation Stories, along with pan-Indigenous ceremonies, including smudging, fasting, pipe ceremonies, sharing circles, and sweat lodges, powwow drumming and dancing. It will examine hybrid Mi’Kmaq Catholicism and its modern-day manifestations.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 1040
Three semester hours of credit

3340 WABANAKI PEACE & FRIENDSHIP TREATIES
This course examines the chain of treaties commencing in the State of Maine between the Abenaki and English in Massachusetts, moving along the Eastern Seaboard into the Maritimes of Canada, involving Wabanaki Tribes and the British Crown. It will include the preceding conflicts, resolutions, and key players.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 1040
Three semester hours of credit

3350 STORYTELLING AND WABANAKI LEGENDS
Legends and oral traditions provide a deep connection to place and identity. One of the ways that Traditional Ecological Knowledges or Indigenous Territories are passed down is through oral tradition. This course is based on Wabanaki stories and legends about the land and its inhabitants.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 1040
Three semester hours of credit

3410 CANADIAN TREATIES AND SELF-GOVERNMENT AGREEMENTS
This course is a survey of the Numbered Treaties in Canada, along with the British Columbia (BC) Treaty process and modern-day Treaties, such as Self- Government Agreements.
PREREQUISITES:  IKE 2000
Three semester hours of credit

4090 INDIGENOUS SPECIAL TOPICS
Indigenous issues in Canada. Students will undertake a thorough and independent examination of a topic of interest with an opportunity to present their research findings to stakeholders in ways that respond to the TRC Calls to Action and advance reconciliation in Canada.
PREREQUISITES:  IKE 1040, One IKE 2000 level course and two IKE 3000 level courses
Three semester hours of credit

4096 APPLIED INDIGENOUS JUSTICE
Students will study various justice systems where Indigenous justice is being applied such as the Courts, federal and provincial corrections, and sentencing circles. This course will see students gain valuable and practical analytical and writing skills which can be applied to future careers in a variety of settings in ways that respond to the TRC Calls to Action and advance reconciliation in Canada. The format will be a combination of lecture and workshops.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 3056
Three semester hours of credit

4210 GIJITUAQASIN: ON THE LAND
This is an experiential land-based field course connecting students to Mother Earth utilizing a two-eyed seeing approach.  Elders and Knowledge-keepers will provide guidance to the students during this intensive course.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 1040
Three semester hours of credit

4240 IKA’TAQUEY: INDIGENOUS GARDENING & MEDITATIVE PRACTICES
Being mindful on the land provides a deep connection to Mother Earth. This is a hands-on experiential course where students learn and practice being present and mindful while growing a summer Mi’Kmaq garden.
PREREQUISITES:  IKE 1040 and permission of the instructor
Three semester hours of credit

4410 INDIGENOUS TERRITORIES USE-AND-OCCUPANCY RESEARCH METHODS
This course utilizes Indigenous Methodologies and Research Methods to design and collect data for projects based on a land use-and-occupancy method called Biographic Mapping. The course has a learning-experiential component in the field and instructors will coordinate the course with Elders and Knowledge-Keepers from the region.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 3066
Three semester hours of credit

4520 ISLANDS OF INDIGENEITY
Islands have traditionally been represented in a multitude of ways, for instance as warm-water tourism destinations, quiet retreats from the mainland and nature reserves, amongst others.  This course examines
islandness utilizing Indigenous worldviews.
PREREQUISITE:  IKE 1040
Three semester hours of credit