The Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Languages (CIKL) is the result of a collaborative effort among Indigenous and non-Indigenous faculty and researchers at York University. The Centre responds to the need for a space that brings together Indigenous faculty, researchers, students and community members, as well as all those doing Indigenous and decolonizing research.
Emerging from The Indigenous Framework for York University: A Guide to Action, CIKL addresses the 10 Principles of the Framework and will support the following items, in particular:
- Facilitate research that is relevant to Indigenous Life, and respects Indigenous approaches to knowledge and learning (no. 5)
- Establish spaces for Indigenous cultures and community within the university (no. 7)
- Ensure that the perceptions and experiences of Indigenous community members are reflected in the classroom, on campus and in university life (no. 8)
The Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Languages engages with the York University Strategic Research Plan in several key ways. Not only will the Centre promote and facilitate research around York’s six research strengths but will be a crucial avenue for the growth of research in Indigenous Futurities, a key area identified for further growth and acceleration in the Strategic Plan.