Library & Learning Commons: APA Style Guide: Indigenous Sources

RESPECTFUL RESEARCH

Indigenous Information Literacy
Publication Date: 2022 - OER
This book outlines best principles for working with Indigenous print and oral sources in academic research. Topics include evaluating Indigenous print sources for credibility and authenticity, finding Indigenous authors, and respectfully working with Elders.
Authentic Engagement of FIrst Nations and Métis Traditional Knowledge Keeprs
Call Number: 2017
The Wıĉihitowin Conference Committee presents this document is a starting point for organizations to engage Traditional Knowledge Keepers in their community in a respectful and meaningful way.
Indigenous Writes: a guide to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit issues in Canada
Call Number: E78 .C2 V69 2016
Discusses the relationship between Indigenous peoples and Canada: the fundamental issues from the time of contact -- the terminology of relationships; culture and identity; myth-busting; state violence; and land, learning, law and treaties--along with wider social beliefs about these issues.
Pulling Together: Indigenous Guides
Publication Date: 2018 - OER
These guides are intended to support the systemic change occurring across post-secondary institutions through Indigenization, decolonization, and reconciliation. A guiding principle from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada process states why this change is happening. These guides are the result of a collaboration between BCcampus and the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training.

HOW TO CITE INDIGENOUS ELDERS AND KNOWLEDGE KEEPERS

Respectful research when speaking with Elders and Knowledge Keepers is sensitive. We are following other libraries' recommendations for templates and example citations as well as the APA manual,

Please watch this presentation on Dec olonizing Citation by Bronwen McKie to understand the relationship between colonization and citations.

The following examples are from, Referencing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers, created by Lorisia McLeod (James Smith Cree Nation) and NorQuest Elders, NorQuest College

Cite personal communications with Elders and Knowledge Keepers in both your in-text citations and in your reference list.

More than personal communication Citation templates for Elders and Knowledge Keepers.

Format:

Name of Elder/Knowledge Keeper with year of communication (Follow the same guidelines that you would use for a paraphrase or direct quote)

Example:

Delores Cardinal described the nature of the... (2018).
OR
The nature of the place was... (Cardinal, 2018).

Format:

Last name, First initial., Nation/Community. Treaty Territory if applicable. Where they live if applicable. Topic/subject of communication if applicable. Personal communication. Month Date, Year.

Example:

Cardinal, D., Goodfish Lake Cree Nation. Treaty 6. Lives in Edmonton. Oral
teaching. Personal communication. April 4, 2004.

PROTOCOLS

Kwantlen Polytechnic University has provided information regarding protocol guidelines that are customary in Coast Salish traditions.

If you would like to approach an Elder or Knowledge Keeper for teachings, remember to always follow preferred protocols.
If you are unsure what protocols are being practiced, please ask them ahead of time.
Protocols often include how the Elder/Knowledge Keeper wishes to be known, how much of their information may be shared, and how much of their time they will gift you.
Provide the Elder/Knowledge Keeper with a copy of what you have produced.

Always be respectful and aware of the injustices that Elders/Knowledge Keepers may have lived. They may be reluctant to share their information after having had their information and knowledge taken from them without their consent.

21 things you may not know about the Indian Act : helping Canadians make reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a reality
Call Number: KE7709 .J67 2018
A guide to understanding the Indian Act and its impact on generations of Indigenous Peoples, as well as an examination of how Indigenous Peoples can return to self-government, self-determination, and self-reliance.

CITATION GUIDELINES

More Than Personal Communication: Templates For Citing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers
Introduces the citation templates for Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers created in partnership with the staff of the NorQuest Indigenous Student Centre. These citation templates have been adopted/linked to by twenty-five institutions across Canada and the United States. They represent an attempt to formalize something that Indigenous scholars have been doing for decades: fighting to find a better way to acknowledge our voices and knowledges within academia.
More Than Personal Communication Citation templates for Elders and Knowledge Keepers (YouTube)
Summary: While working at NorQuest College Libraries, Lorisia MacLeod (James Smith Cree Nation) worked with the Indigenous Student Centre to develop new citation templates to be used in APA and MLA for citing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers. These citation formats are meant to promote the culturally respectful use of Indigenous knowledge and people in research and challenge the status quo of who we cite.
Citing Indigenous Elders & Knowledge Keepers
If your assignment includes information from an interview or personal communication with an Elder or Knowledge Keeper, ensure you have their permission to include their name and opinions in your paper.
If your interviewee prefers to use their Indigenous/traditional name, use this to replace the name (in-text) or last name and first initial (reference list).
Also, consider providing a copy of your finished paper to your interviewee.
Personal Communications: Indigenous Peoples
The manner of citing Traditional Knowledge or Oral Traditions (other terms are “Traditional Stories” and “Oral Histories”) of Indigenous Peoples varies depending on whether and how the information has been recorded - only certain cases use a variation of the personal communication citation.