Abstract

Since the 1970s there has been increased focus by institutions, government, and Indigenous nations on improving Aboriginal peoples participation and success in Canadian higher education; however disparity continues to be evident in national statistics of educational attainment, social determinants of health, and socio-economic status of Aboriginal compared to non-Aboriginal Canadians. For instance, post-secondary attainment for Aboriginal peoples is still only 8% compared to 20% of the rest of Canada (Statistics Canada, 2008, 2013). A challenge within higher education has been creating the space within predominately Euro-Western defined and ascribed structures, academic disciplines, policies, and practices to create meaningful spaces for Indigenous peoples. Indigenization is a movement centering Indigenous knowledges and ways of being within the academy, in essence transforming institutional initiatives, such as policy, curricular and co-curricular programs, and practices to support Indigenous success and empowerment. Drawing on research projects that span the last 10 years, this article celebrates the pockets of success within institutions and identifies areas of challenge to Indigenization that moves away from the tokenized checklist response, that merely tolerates Indigenous knowledge(s), to one where Indigenous knowledge(s) are embraced as part of the institutional fabric.

Highlights

  • IntroductionFor the rest of Canada, kindergarten to postsecondary education is a provincial jurisdiction with financial transfer payments from the federal government

  • Higher education has a responsibility to Indigenization, that is, to empower Indigenous self-determination, address decolonization, and reconcile systemic and societal inequalities between Indigenous and nonIndigenous Canadians

  • Disparities of educational attainment continue (Statistics Canada, 2008, 2013)

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Summary

Introduction

For the rest of Canada, kindergarten to postsecondary education is a provincial jurisdiction with financial transfer payments from the federal government This unique relationship has created a dual system in that the federal government does not see itself legally responsible for the post-secondary education of Indigenous peoples (Battiste & Barman, 1995; Paquette & Fallon, 2014; Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, 1996). The aims articulated in 1972 are even more relevant and pertinent to the conversation of what it means to meaningfully engage with Indigenization of higher education (Pidgeon, Muñoz, Kirkness, & Archibald, 2013) Building on this history, we have seen the emergence and recent resurgence in Indigenized-programs and services and Indigenous-specific post-secondary institutions across the country (Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), 2010; Human Capital Strategies, 2005; Pidgeon, 2005, 2014; The Aboriginal Institutes' Consortium, 2005; Usher, 2009). Indigenization provides insight into Indigenous envisioning for the educational experiences for the seven generations

Indigenization
Indigenous Wholistic Framework
Lessons Learned
Aboriginal Advisory Committee
Indigenous Leadership Positions
Aboriginal Strategic Plans
Student Services
Research
Respect in Practice
Identity Contestations
What Does a “Successfully” Indigenized Public College or University Look Like?
Findings
Conclusions
Full Text
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