Learn from exceptional faculty with backgrounds in both Western and Indigenous knowledge, and experience cross-cultural learning. Learn how Indigenous peoples in Canada and around the world are shaping our globe through a creative blend of Indigenous and Western knowledge. You will study the historical and contemporary interactions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous societies, and the cultural foundations of Indigenous life in areas such as performance, literature, politics, ecology, and governance.
*Please note that this page is under construction.
Full-Time Faculty
Paula Sherman
Acting Department Chair, Director of Indigenous Studies Ph.D. program and Associate Professor | paulasherman@trentu.ca
Research Interests: Indigenous Histories, Indigenous Women, Indigenous relationships within the Natural World, Colonialism and Resistance, Indigenous Performance.
Classes:
Chris Furgal
Associate Professor | chrisfurgal@trentu.ca
B.Sc. (Western), M.Sc., Ph.D. (Waterloo)
Research Interests: My research interests are in the fields of environmental health risk assessment, management and communication in cooperation with Indigenous populations. A particular focus of the work is on communities living in rapidly changing natural environments such as coastal and Arctic ecosystems.
Classes: INDG-ERST 3730Y; 4740Y; INDG 6701H
http://heicresearch.com/
Dan Longboat
Associate Professor & Director,
Indigenous Environmental Studies & Sciences | dlongboat@trentu.ca
B.A. (Trent), M.E.S., Ph.D. (York)
Research Interests: Indigenous Environmental Studies and Sciences
Classes: INDG-ERST 2601Y; INDG-ERST 3634H; INDG-ERST 4730Y
Barbara Wall, Moktthewenkwe (Bodwewaadmii Anishinaabe)
Associate Professor and Director of Studies, Indigenous Studies PhD Program | barbarawall@trentu.ca
B.Sc. (Michigan Technological University), M.Sc. (University of California, Berkeley), Ph.D. (Trent)
Barbara teaches undergraduate courses within the Indigenous Environmental Studies and Sciences program as well as gradute courses within the Indigenous Studies PhD program. Experiential learning and Universal Design is emphasized using Indigenous pedagogies.
Research and Teaching Interests: Indigenous Knowledges and foodways, Indigenous Environmental Studies and Sciences, Anishinaabe Culture and History.
David Newhouse (Onondaga)
Full Professor and former Director of the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies (on sabbatical) | dnewhouse@trentu.ca
B.Sc., M.B.A. (Western)
David Newhouse is Onondaga from the Six Nations of the Grand River community near Brantford, Ontario. He is Professor of Indigenous Studies at Trent University in the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies and Professor of Business Administration in the Trent School of Business. His research interests focus on the emergence of modern Indigenous society. He is the founding editor of two peer reviewed journals: CANDO Journal of Aboriginal Economic Development and aboriginal policy studies, a journal devoted to urban Indigenous issues.
He received the Jackie Muldoon Award for Faculty Service in 2023 and a 3M National Teaching Fellowship for teaching innovation in 2022. He was also awarded the Trent University Teaching Award for Educational Leadership and Innovation in 2016. He is the Chair of the Aboriginal Peoples Post-Secondary Working Group at CAUT and the Grievance Officer for the Trent University Faculty Association.
INDG 1001H and 1002H - Indigenous Credit Requirement (ICR) focus courses; INDG Major's Capstone courses 4201H and 4202H; Business Administration as well as Indigenous Studies courses taught.
Skahendowaneh Swamp (Mohawk)
Associate Professor & Chair of Indigenous Knowledge,
Wolf Clan Faithkeeper | skahendowanehswamp@trentu.ca
B.A (McMaster)
Research Interests: Iroquoian cultural and language
Classes: INDG 2100Y; INDG 3180H; 4180H; INDG 4150Y Summer; INDG 6600Y
Mark Dockstator
Associate Professor | mdockstator@trentu.ca
Bio coming soon!
Kevin Fitzmaurice
Associate Professor | kevinfitzmaurice@trentu.ca
As an ally scholar, Dr. Kevin Fitzmaurice is a Co-Investigator and National Steering Committee Member with the 'A Safe and Affordable Place to Call Home: A Multi-disciplinary Longitudinal Outcomes Analysis of the National Housing Strategy' and an Ontario Regional Co-Director with the 'Urban Aboriginal Knowledge Network (UAKN)'. He is also a Co-Investigator with the 'Making the Shift: Youth Homelessness Innovation Lab (Sudbury/Timmins)' and the 'Maamwizing Indigenous Research Institute / Race Gender Diversity Initiative'. His areas of teaching and research specialization include Urban Indigenous Studies, Housing and Homelessness, Indigenous-Settler Politics and Law, Indigenous Critical Theory, and Indigenous Research Methods.
Classes: INDG 1002H, INDG 3201H and INDG 3202H, INDG 4201H
Elizabeth (Liz) Osawamick
Assistant Professor | eosawamick@trentu.ca
Elizabeth (Liz) Osawamick (Giniw Miigwan) is an Indigenous Knowledge Keeper, and currently teaches Anishinaabemowin in the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies, Trent University and is President of Anishinaabemowin Teg. Liz is of the Anishinaabe / Odawa Nation and is of the beaver clan and is originally from Wiikwemkoong Unceded First Nation located on Manitoulin Island. She currently resides with her family in Hastings, Ontario. Liz is a Nokomis (Grandmother), an Anishinaabe Midewiwin-kwe community leader, Water Walker and activist, jingle dress dance. Originally inspired by the late Nokomis Josephine Mandamin-ba, she is a leader of the Kawartha Lakes area Water Walks under the guidance of her aunt/elder Dr. Shirley Williams. She has been walking for the water in the Michi Saagiig (Mississauga) territories of the Kawartha Lakes region for fourteen years, along with daughter and other Anishinaabe-kwewag. Liz has dedicated her life to her people, her language, the lands, and the waters.
M
ara Heiber (she/her)
Assistant Professor | mheiber@trentu.ca
Ph.D. (Trent)
Mara is settler from downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada and is European descent.
Mara completed a Ph.D. at The Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies, a M.E.S. at York University in volunteering and Palliative Care. Her research interests include Indigenous-settler relations and how identity influences individual choices in terms of engaging with decolonizing and anti-colonial frameworks. Her research focuses on how performance can impact identity, cultural connections and consciousness.
Mara studied at Claude Watson School for the Arts in Toronto and has worked with many Indigenous performance artists. She teaches several ICR (Indigenous Content Requirement) courses at Trent including INDG 1001H (Foundations for Reconciliation), INDG 1002 (Critical Incidents in Indigenous Studies), CUST-INDG 1570H (The origins of performance and theatre in Indigenous and Cultural Studies) INDG 3010Y (Indigenous Masked Dance and Storytelling) and INDG 3560Y (The Living History of Indigenous Dance and Theatre).
Robin Quantick
Assistant Professor | rquantick@trentu.ca
B.A. (Trent), B.Ed (Queen's), M.Ed. (Queen’s), Ph.D. (Trent)
Robin is cross-appointed to the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies, the Trent School of Business and Master of Management - Graduate Studies.
Robin's research interests fall in to two areas:
Justice Issues: Prisons and prison education with particular emphasis on the disproportionate representation of incarcerated Indigenous men and women in Canada. The focus of this work is on Elders and their role in the successful community reintegration of incarcerated Indigenous men and women.
Decolonizing Curriculum Design: I am interested in the challenges of Indigenization in the academy and in the community. I am particularly interested in research that explores the application of Indigenous Knowledge and Universal Design for Learning in the design and delivery of decolonizing courses of study.
Courses taught: ADMN 1001H, INDG/ADMN 3040H, ADMN 3800H, MSMG 5210H, MSMG 5490H & MSMG 5920H.
Jackson Pind
Assistant Professor | jacksonpind@trentu.ca
Jackson is an Assistant Professor of Indigenous Methodologies in Chanie Wenjack School of Indigenous Studies at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario. He was formerly the inaugural Postdoctoral Fellow in Indigenous Education at the Faculty of Education, Queen’s University. He finished his doctorate in education during the Fall of 2021 with a focus on the history of Indian Day Schools in Ontario in partnership with Curve Lake First Nation which was awarded the 2022 Canadian History of Education Dissertation Prize.
Areas of Supervision: Anishinaabeg history, Indigenous education, Indigenous-settler relations, Counter-mapping/Digital historical mapping, and Climate change history.
Classes: INDG 1001H and INDG 1002H, INDG 3813Y, INDG 6701Y
Jack Hoggarth
Assistant Professor &
Chair of Anishinaabe Knowledge | jhoggarth@trentu.ca
Jack is the Chair of Anishinaabe Knowledge, as well as an Assistant Professor of Michi Saagiig Culture & Knowledge within the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies. He pursued his academic education at Trent University, the University of Northern British Columbia, and Western University. In addition to his academic background, Jack continues to learn his traditional Anishinaabeg education, in which, he is a member of the Minweyweywigaan Midewigaaning. His home communities are Kawartha Nishnawbe First Nation, Curve Lake First Nation, Teetł’it Zheh (NT), and Old Crow First Nation (YT).
Areas of Supervision: Anishinaabeg oral history, traditional governance, and the clan system, Anishinaabeg ceremonial practices and traditional knowledge, Anishinaabeg ontological, pedagogical, and eschatological frameworks, and First Nation archaeology.
Mark Dockstator
Jenn Cole
Bio's coming soon!
Part-Time Faculty
Lynne Davis
Associate Professor | lydavis@trentu.ca
B.A. (Queen’s), M.A. (Sussex), M.A. (Alberta), Ph.D. (Toronto)
Research Interests: Lynne’s areas of specialization are Aboriginal community development, building sustainable communities, social change, international development, popular education, and Aboriginal alliances with social movements.
Classes: INDG-IDST 3050Y; INDG 4050H; INDG 4051H; INDG 3813Y; INDG 6601Y
Joeann Argue
Assistant Professor | jargue@trentu.ca
B.A., Guelph; B.A. Trent; MFA Vermont College of Fine Arts
Joeann joined the Faculty of the Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies in 2012. She currently teaches Indigenous Orality and Exploring Indigenous Time.
Joeann has a deep understanding of the process of Traditional teaching and learning. She has carried many bundles during her time at Trent, providing the services of Indigenous Counsellor, Director of the First Peoples House of Learning and as Theatre Coordinator and Instructor over the past two decades. A member of Unity, the well know Traditional Women's singing group, Joeann has lent her voice in many capacities to the sounds of Spirit as their voices enter the various events for which they are asked to sing.
Joeann's research interests are in all aspects of storytelling, performance, and Indigenous philosophical concepts of time and space.
Phil Abbott | pabbott@trentu.ca
Research and Teaching Interests: Settler Colonialism and Resistance, Treaty History, History Education, Historical Consciousness, Impacts of 19th century European settlement.
Classes: INDG 1001H, INDG 1002H
Mitchell Huguenin
Education Developer, Indigenous Pedagogy with Centre for Teaching & Learning
Instructor, Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies and School of Education | mhuguenin@trentu.ca
Hailing from Penetanguishene, Mitchell is a registered citizen of the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO), a Métis rights-holder from the historic Georgian Bay Métis community, and a proud descendant of the Drummond Island Métis with ancestral ties to the North-West Company at Red River. Mitchell developed the first Indigenous-centric courses offered at Durham College. With his leadership, Durham developed an Indigenous course requirement in 2021 for all Health and Community Services (HCS) students. He is currently a part-time instructor with Trent University’s Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies and in its School of Education. Mitchell is also the inaugural Education Developer for Indigenous Pedagogy in Trent’s Centre for Teaching and Learning.
Research interests:
• Indigenous education and pedagogy
• Curriculum design in higher education
• Metis history in Ontario
• Metis culture, identity, and self-government
• Indigenous health and physical activity
Classes: INDG 2560H
Jane Gray | jagray@trentu.ca
Assistant Professor
Jane spent 16 years in sustainability policy work including as a senior analyst for the Cabinet Policy Secretariat in Manitoba, an Executive Director for Manitoba’s Climate and Green Initiative Branch and as a Director for International NGO, The Climate Group, working with sub-national governments and businesses from around the world. Her work has included co-creating traditional land planning protocols with First Nations communities and policies and programs to help protect climate, water and land and to promote green economic development. She has also worked on policies and programs to promote healthy early childhood development. Since coming to Michi Saagiig territory she received her MA in Sustainability Studies and completed her PhD in the Chanie Wenjack School of Indigenous Studies focusing on the intersections between governance, sustainability and Indigenous Knowledges and ways to transform senior level policy processes to put the natural world at the foundation of decision-making.
She has been designing and teaching sustainability courses at the post-secondary level for the last 12 years and currently teaches in Indigenous Environmental Studies and Sciences and in the School of Business at Trent University. She is a non-indigenous person, deeply grateful for the opportunity to live, work and be part of the community on beautiful Michi Saagiig territory.
Heléna Mauti | hmauti@trentu.ca
B.A. (University of Toronto), M.A. (Trent University)
Heléna Mauti is a settler with Indigenous ancestry. She is the granddaughter of Italian immigrants from the Liri River watershed, Scottish settlers of the Matheson Clan from the Isle of Lewis, German-Austrian settlers, and Anishinaabe grandmothers from Rice Lake. She currently lives in Mono, Ontario, what is lovingly referred to as the 'Headwaters' of the Grand, the Humber, the Credit and the Nottawasaga Rivers. Her responsibilities lie to the People and Beings of the places her, and her ancestors have always lived on Anishinaabe Akiing. In addition to teaching in the IESS program, Heléna creates land-based programs braiding Indigenous Knowledges and STEM out of the University of Toronto's Engineering Outreach Office.
Research interests: Indigenous-Led Conservation and Land Back; Resurgence of Anishinaabe Ways of Knowing, Being, and Doing; anti-colonial Spirit-led methodologies; Indigenous land-based pedagogies
Classes: IESS 1001H
Heather Shpuniarsky | hshpuniarsky@trentu.ca
Classes: INDG 1001H, INDG 2030H, INDG 2001H & 2002H
Bio coming soon!
David King | davidking@trentu.ca
Classes: INDG 2001H & 2002H, INDG 3745H, INDG 3750H
Bio coming soon!
Kelly Harrison |
Classes: INDG 3102Y Summer
Bio coming soon!
James Wilkes: INDG-IESS 3631H and 3632H
Bio coming soon!
Don McCaskill | dmccaskill@trentu.ca
Daystar Rosalie Jones
Indigenous Performance Program
Daystar (Rosalie Jones) was born on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana and is of Pembina Chippewa ancestry on her mother's side. She holds a Master's Degree in Dance from the University of Utah with postgraduate work at Juilliard School in New York City. She studied Korean, Hawaiian, East Indian and Flamenco dance, mine with Reid Gilbert, and modern with Jose Limon and Hanya Holm. Over many years, she has gained a knowledge of the Indigenous dance and cultural forms of the Plains, the Northwest Coast, and Conchero Dance, among others. As a teacher, she was responsible for the revitalization of Performing Arts at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, during the early 1990's when she was Chair of the Department. In 1995, Daystar was awarded a two-year National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Choreographer's Fellowship.
Emeritus & Retired Faculty
Marrie Mumford (Métis)
Professor Emeritus | marriemumford@trentu.ca
Edna is Odawa/Ojibway from Wikwemikong, Manitoulin Island; head woman for the Eastern Doorway of the Three Fires Midewewin Lodge. She is well-known nationally as a Traditional teacher, ceremonialist, drum keeper and grandmother. She has been instrumental in the
re-introduction of Traditional teachings and ceremonies in the local area, and is an active researcher of Traditional medicines. Edna is the founder of the annual Aboriginal women’s symposium at Trent. It was through her vision that Indigenous Studies and Trent University started Nozhem Theatre, our Indigenous performance space that is developing an international reputation in Indigenous theatre and dance performance.
Research Interests: Indigenous theatre, arts and dance
Shirley Williams
Professor Emeritus, Elder, Activist, Nishnaabemowin Language
Shirley is a member of the Bird Clan of the Ojibway and Odawa First Nations of Canada. Her Anishinaabe name is Migizi ow Kwe meaning Eagle Woman. She was born and raised at Wikwemikong, Manitoulin Island and attended St. Joseph’s Residential School in Spanish, Ontario. After completing her NS diploma, she received her BA in Native Studies at Trent Univer-sity and her Native Language Instructors Program diploma from Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. Shirley received her Master’s Degree from York University in Environmental Studies. In June of 2004, Shirley retired from the Indigenous Studies Department and now holds the title, Professor Emeritus.
Edna Manitowabi
Edna is Odawa/Ojibway from Wikwemikong, Manitoulin Island; head woman for the Eastern Doorway of the Three Fires Midewewin Lodge. She is well-known nationally as a Traditional teacher, ceremonialist, drum keeper and grandmother. She has been instrumental in the re-introduction of Traditional teachings and ceremonies in the local area, and is an active researcher of Traditional medicines. Edna is the founder of the annual Aboriginal women’s symposium at Trent. It was through her vision that Indigenous Studies and Trent started Nozhem Theatre, our Indigenous performance space that is developing an international reputation in Indigenous theatre and dance performance.
Michele Lacombe
Professor Emeritus | mlacombe@trentu.ca
Dr. Michele Lacombe (B.A. McGill, M.A. and PhD York) is Professor Emeritus, cross appointed to Indigenous Studies (her home department) and Canadian Studies. Prior to retirement her teaching included graduate and undergraduate courses on Indigenous research methodologies, Indigenous literatures, women’s writing, gender and women’s studies, and critical theory. Of mixed-ancestry Maliseet and French culture, she is first degree Midewiwin in the Minweyweyigaan Lodge. Her current research project focusses on crosscurrents in creative writing from Maine and New Brunswick, the subject of a Fulbright Fellowship in American Indian Studies at the University of Arizona in 2023. She is interested in the relationship between Indigenous literatures and Indigenous knowledges in both 19th century colonial and contemporary contexts.
Professor Lacombe’s most recent publication is “Rogarou Genealogies in Cherie Dimaline’s Empire of Wild” in Studies in American Literatures 34: 3-4 (Fall-Winter 2022), 102-123. Selected earlier work includes articles and book chapters about Leanne Betasamosake Simpson (in Canadian Literature), Wabanaki poetry (in Studies in Canadian Literature), Innu poetry (in Indigenous Poetics in Canada), francophone Indigenous literatures (in Studies in Canadian Literature), Eden Robinson (in International Journal of Canadian Studies), and Acadian writer Antonine Maillet (Canadian Literature and Open Letter).
