Cultural Immersion

We acknowledge that our fieldwork in the town of Churchill and the northern lands we work on, including Wapusk National Park, include lands of the Dene, Cree, Inuit, and Métis and includes Treaty 5 lands. This experiential course is an intensive introduction to and connection between the ecology and Indigenous cultures of the sub-arctic.

In addition to enriching the student experience on the course, this links to one of the main program objectives: Experience different cultures in the Canadian north and learn how to incorporate Local and Traditional Knowledge with ecological research and develop ways to interact with communities in order to do research in a respectful way that includes reciprocity.

Indigenous perspectives are woven through many aspects of the course’s teachings and discussions, and you will also have several opportunities to interact with and learn from local indigenous people. Examples in recent years include:

Trapper Stanley Spence, who will regale you with tales of life in the Northern wilds, demonstrate several working traps, and lead you through the identification of wildlife pelts from the area.

A legendary Metis musher, Dave Daley, who will speak about dogs and their management in northern and remote communities - you may even get to greet a few of his furry companions and workers.

We have been fortunate to speak with several Dene Elders over the years on this course, including the late Caroline NAME and RELATION TO BOOK. Elders share their traditional knowledge, including some historical and contemporary artifacts, and speak to the devastating relocation of the Sayisi Dene. It is expected that students have read the novel Night Spirits to educate themselves on this topic. Those who do reach a greater understanding of this important topic.

Students are also expected to demonstrate overall understanding of the concepts, opportunities, and challenges in working with Indigenous communities, and linking science and traditional knowledge. For many students, this course provides a depth of cultural connection that leaves a great impression on their lives and career paths - read what some of them have had to say about their experiences below:

"These past ten days have changed my view on the North in very extreme ways. The book Night Spirits along with the local people I met here in and around Churchill drastically shifted the way that I look at these communities and those who make them up." - Amanda H, 2011

"I really enjoyed the experience of being able to listen to the elders in the town of Churchill because they can give an insight of the area that no one else is able to. They can also put some things in context and talk about changes both positive and negative." - Ross W, 2013

"I’ve learned more about Canadian history here than any history or native studies class has ever taught me; and more importantly, I started to actually care about it." - Vanessa B, 2018