DEPARTMENT of ANTHROPOLOGY, ECONOMICS & POLITICAL SCIENCE
Indigegogy Minor
Indigegogy, a term coined by Opaskwayak Cree Elder and retired professor Stan Wilson to describe “Indigenous pedagogy,” centres learning that is grounded in Indigenous connection, culture and community.
Built through consultation with Indigenous scholars and Knowledge Keepers, the first Indigegogy minor in Canada offers you a unique, multi-disciplinary program that puts Indigenous knowledge, experience and cultural perspectives at the heart of the program. You weave First Nations, Métis and Inuit viewpoints throughout courses on Indigenous histories, languages, land-based learning, identity, relationality and the interconnectedness of all life (wâhkohtowin).
Whether you want to deepen your understanding of Indigenous histories and worldviews or bring Indigenous cultural perspectives into your future career, this minor gives you a culturally informed and meaningful path forward.
Why take this minor?
You think critically about Indigenous systems of knowledge and support efforts toward reconciliation and decolonization. You are passionate about land-based learning, sustainability and developing a deeper understanding of the past and present. The Indigegogy minor gives you the chance to learn in ways that honour Indigenous cultures, histories and perspectives. It adds depth and context to your degree and complements programs such as English, history, sociology, anthropology, biology, environmental sciences and political science.
What to expect
In this minor, you learn how to approach reconciliation, ethical research and community engagement with care and respect. You start with courses that introduce Indigenous perspectives, worldviews and histories, and you study topics such as identity, oral traditions, cultural practices and the impacts of colonial policies.
In senior-level courses, you explore treaties, kinship and governance while examining how Indigenous and Western worldviews intersect in areas like sustainability and education. You use critical Indigenous theory to discuss topics such as Indian Residential Schools, cultural and language revitalization and Indigenous health. You also have opportunities to learn through hands-on experiences like beading, seasonal harvesting and independent research projects.
Your future
Deepening your understanding of Indigegogy helps you bring valuable knowledge and insight to relational learning, cultural revitalization and decolonial approaches, and you can contribute to more inclusive, ethical and community-minded practices—skills that are increasingly important across all sectors.
When you choose a minor in Indigegogy, you learn and experience:
- Indigenous worldviews
- Indigenous ways of knowing
- Indigenous relational perspectives
- Indigenous protocols
- Indigenous governance
- Indigenous research and methodologies
- Indigenous sustainability methods
- cultural knowledge
- policy analysis
- treaty literacy
- community engagement strategies
- ethical responsibility
- land-based learning
- ethical relationships
- strategies towards reconciliation and decolonization
This minor brings valuable knowledge of Indigenous worldviews and practices to areas such as:
- Indigenous relations and engagement
- Indigenous education and support
- Indigenous policy and research
- community relations and facilitation
- land stewardship and environmental roles
- community outreach and development
- social and cultural programming
- museum and gallery education
- advocacy and communications
- community engagement and coordination
We recommend these resources to learn more about working in the Indigegogy field:
- Careers and Experience: career counselling and support from MacEwan career development specialists
- kihêw waciston Indigenous Centre: personal, academic, financial and cultural support for Indigenous students at MacEwan University
- Indigenous Research Group: supports collaborative research centred on reconciliation and relationship-building with the goal of uplifting Indigenous voices
- National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR): archives and programming on residential schools and reconciliation
- Native Land: interactive maps and learning tools about Indigenous territories and treaties
- Alberta Indigenous Organizations and Service Directory: a provincial directory of Indigenous-led groups
The Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) has detailed occupational profiles, salary survey data, trend reports and assessment tools to help you choose and plan a career that matches your skills and interests.
Program of study
This minor is open to students in the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science. Courses for your minor are only one component of the degree requirements you need to graduate. To see all courses required for the minor, check the program of study in the academic calendar.
Requirements can change from year to year. You will follow the program of study outlined in MacEwan University’s Academic Calendar for the year you declare your major/minor or the year you are accepted into an Honours program.
Academic advisors in the Faculty of Arts and Science have prepared resources to help you understand how your major/minor fits within overall degree coursework. Consult the academic planning information to choose and enrol in courses and complete the major/minor declaration process.