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The World Council of Indigenous Peoples define Indigenous peoples as ”people, living in countries which have populations composed of differing ethnic or racial groups, who are descendants of the earliest populations living in the area and who do not as a group control the national government of the countries within which they live.”
Indigenous Studies at the University of Lethbridge is dedicated to community-engaged scholarship, and research of the priorities and aspirations of Indigenous peoples in Canada and throughout the world. Within the department, Indigenous and non-Indigenous students have the opportunity to learn and think about Indigenous knowledges in creative, transformative and critical ways. The department offers courses that engender a rigorous and respectful understanding of Indigenous peoples’ languages, knowledges, cultures, histories, politics, arts, intellectual traditions, and research methodologies.
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Department Highlights
Indigenous Studies Department Winter Term Welcome Back Event
Did you know that the Department of Indigenous Studies is celebrating our 50th anniversary in 2025? To start our year of celebrations, please join us for a student and faculty get-together. We’ll have a welcome prayer, light refreshments & making tobacco twists.
When: Wednesday January 8th
1:30pm – 2:45pm
Where: A4 – Department of Indigenous Studies
Do you want to learn Niitsi’powahsin, the language of our territory?
In the Winter 2025 semester we are offering four different courses:
BKFT1000. Spoken Blackfoot for beginners. Instructor: Caroline Russell. No previous knowledge required.
BKFT2000. Spoken Blackfoot for those who have some knowledge. Instructor: Caroline Russell. If you have already taken BKFT1000, if you took Blackfoot in High School, or if you come from a family that speaks some Blackfoot, then this course is for you.
BKFT3850. Advanced spoken Blackfoot. Instructor: Mary Fox. If you have taken BKFT2000, or if you already are quite familiar with the language and want to improve your fluency, then this course is for you.
BKFT2210. Linguistic structure of the Blackfoot language. Instructor: Inge Genee. If you are interested in the sounds and grammar of Blackfoot and how its structure differs from English, then this course is for you. No previous knowledge required.
The Nov 29, 2024 episode of CBC's Unreserved features Blair Many Fingers, an MA student in the Dept. of Indigenous Studies.
Listen to the broadcast hosted by Rosanna Deerchild when she heads to Alberta to explore popular tourist destinations through an Indigenous lens. In this episode Rosanna visits Áísínai'pi (where the pictures are), which holds more than 200 petroglyphs and pictographs that tell the story of the Blackfoot in southern Alberta. They help tell a different story of a province known for its hikes, ski slopes and dinosaur bones. From the Rockies to the Badlands, take the road less traveled with Indigenous guides, including Blair Many Fingers.
Shining Student Malit'i (Satisfied wherever you go or are at), Georgia Walkus
At the University of Lethbridge, inspirational professors and mentors have played a pivotal role in expanding Maliťi, Georgia Walkus's worldview and encouraging her to dream big, leading her to contemplate pursuing Indigenous law …
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Shining Educational Leadership Graduate litspyaapainskiaki (Singing in the Wind), Irene Young Pine
Guided by her past, Irene Young Pine (MEd '24 (BA/BEd '11)) continues her journey towards cultivating the next generation of teachers. Drawing from the reconciliation of her own lived experiences, she looks …
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Fine Arts Shining Student Jackson Paquette
Shining Student Jackson Paquette takes inspiration from his surroundings, from the concrete hallways of the University of Lethbridge, to the sweeping grasses in the coulees.
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Put Your Knowledge to Work
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