Indigenous Ways of Knowing – Indigenous Education Council – Indigenous Land Acknowledgement – Collaboration with Indigenous communities – Multi-faceted Education – President’s Committee on Indigenous Issues
Indigenous Knowledge and Education
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Indigenous Ways of Knowing
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Multi-faceted Education
Our Indigenous instructors, many from the local area, allow students a more multi-faceted education. Students have the opportunity to experience: • Workshops on corn harvesting and its many usages. • Rafting and portaging through the many water systems located near the campus. • Medicine walks that explore indigenous plants to the area and their usages. • And many more unique learning experiences.
Partnering with Community Knowledge Keepers
In order to deliver knowledge-rich courses, Knowledge Keepers and Elders from local Indigenous communities are consulted on both academic programming and service delivery for students. We are proud of our relationships with the Indigenous community and have been privileged to host people who are willing to share their knowledge, stories, and songs with all of our students. Harvey Longboat, a Cayuga Chief and educator, had a vision was to have a local post-secondary institution focused on language and culture backed by the McMaster University but not interfering with local education. This is our crowning achievement in his honour, along with a $15,000 scholarship in his name. The Harvey E. Longboat Graduate Scholarship for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Students was established in 2009, recognizing and acknowledging his remarkable contributions to the McMaster community. Visit the Graduate Studies website to learn more about the Harvey E. Longboat Graduate Scholarship and how to apply.
President’s Committee on Indigenous Issues (there is also the First Nation, Métis and Inuit Priorities (FNMI))
McMaster University's Indigenous Studies Department and the President's Committee on Indigenous Issues have a long history of responding to community needs. When Six Nations educational leaders were concerned about the number of Aboriginal students in medical school, this led to a decade of meetings that resulted in the department building pathways for students to pursue health sciences or medical school. The Indigenous Students Health Sciences (ISHS) Office has since been established to help students in complete health sciences programs and to advance changes to the curriculum in Health Sciences. As you can see, we are continuing to grow both at the community level and here at McMaster University.
McMaster University Indigenous Education Council
The Indigenous Education Council includes representatives from the University’s senior administration and ensures a direct link to McMaster’s governing bodies. McMaster University is committed to building relationships and enhancing its engagement with local First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, supporting and encouraging Indigenous students, staff and faculty members, promoting Indigenous education and the study of Indigenous knowledge and culture, and ensuring the participation of First Nations, Inuit and Métis representatives in the University’s decision-making process.
Learn more about the McMaster University Indigenous Education Council