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Indigenous Resources

This guide will help you find information relevant to Indigenous topics in Treaty 6, Treaty 7, and Métis ancestral lands.

Who is an Elder or Knowledge Keeper?

WATCH 
Watch the video Indigenous Information Literacy - Chicago Elder Citation (1:12-3:14).

This video will introduce you to citing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers. As you watch, consider what defines an Elder or Knowledge Keeper.

Indigenous Information Literacy: Elder Citation Chicago by Rachel Chong at KPU Library (2020).

APA (7th ed.)

Citing the Traditional Knowledge and Oral Histories of Indigenous peoples may occur in several different ways:

  1. If the information is recorded in a format that can be found again (e.g. video, audio, interview transcript), cite it in the text and include an entry for that type of source in your reference list.
Example: In-Text

Mumilaaq Qaqqaq notes that "mumi is dance (in Inuktitut) and laaq is little one" (Neary, 2019, para. 13).

Example: Reference List

Neary, D. (2019, Nov. 13). Quaqqaq to bring NDP leader Jagmeet Singh to Nunavut. Nunavut News. https://nunavutnews.com/nunavut-news/qaqqaq-to-bring-ndp-leader-to-nunavut/

  1. If you spoke directly with an Indigenous person, use a version of the citation format used for personal communications:
    You should include the person's full name along with the nation or specific Indigenous group that they are a part of.  If there are other details that are relevant, such as location, include that information too. Next, write "personal communication" and the specific date when the communication took place. It is important that you ask for permission to include the person's name in your assignment.
Example: In-Text

Mary Two-Axe Earley (Kanien'kehá:ka [Mohawk] elder, from the reserve of Kahnawà:ke, Quebec, Canada, personal communication, March 1995) explained how the Indian Act discriminated against First Nations women. She described... 

Example: Reference List

Not included in Reference List.

  1. If you are an Indigenous person sharing your own experiences or the Traditional Knowledge or Oral Tradition of your people, include a description of yourself as part of the text to help add context about where the information originated. For example, you may want to consider including the nation you belong to. 

Be very careful when working with published works, especially older works, to ensure that the information about Indigenous peoples is accurate and appropriate to share. For example, some stories are told only at certain times of year or by certain people.

Tips

  • See the APA Manual (8.9) for more information and examples.

Chicago (18th ed.)

Numbers in parentheses refer to specific chapters and sections in The Chicago Manual (18th ed.) 

Unlike other personal communications, Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers should be cited in the notes and in the bibliography.

General Format

Full Note

1. First Names Last Name, (Traditional Names [if applicable]), Nation/Community, Treaty Territory [if applicable], City/Community they live in [if applicable], Topic/Subject of communication [if not mentioned in the text], interview [specify only if not clear from the text], month day, year.

Bibliography

Last Name, First Name (Traditional Names [if applicable]). Nation/Community. Treaty Territory [if applicable]. City/Community they live in [if applicable]. Topic/Subject of communication. Interview, month day, year.

Example

Full Note

1. Delores Cardinal, Goodfish Lake Cree Nation, Treaty 6, lives in Edmonton, Oral Teaching, interview, April 4, 2004.

Bibliography

Cardinal, Delores. Goodfish Lake Cree Nation. Treaty 6. Lives in Edmonton. Oral Teaching. Interview, April 4, 2004.

Tips

For additional considerations related to Indigenous languages and to conventions in English (including capitalization of terms like Elder), see 11.49–52

Notes

Some Elders and Knowledge keepers will prefer to be listed under their Traditional Name rather than their legal name, sometimes without listing a legal name also. Whenever possible, confirm with the Elder or Knowledge Keeper.
If you would like to approach an Elder or Knowledge Keeper for teachings, remember to follow protocol. If you are unsure what their protocol is, please ask them ahead of time.

MLA (9th ed.)

The formal MLA style does not have a format for Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers so NorQuest College has developed this citation style in the spirit of wahkôhtowin and reconciliation. It has been adapted with their permission. 

In-Text Citation

Unlike most other personal communications, Elders and Knowledge Keepers should be cited in-text and in the reference list. The in-text citation format should be formatted as:

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

Citation Format

The citation format for the reference list follows the following format:

1. Last name, First name.

2. Nation/Community.

3. Treaty Territory if applicable.

4. City/Community they live in if applicable.

5. Topic/subject of communication if applicable.

6. Date Month, Year.

Example

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

Note

If you would like to approach an Elder or Knowledge Keeper for teachings, remember to follow protocol or if you are unsure what their protocol is, please ask them ahead of time.

Citing Treaties

Treaties may be cited as legal documents/legislation or as primary documents/archival materials.