About this guide
This research guide presents a curated selection of key print and electronic books related to Indigenous Knowledge held at the Camosun Library. Works are organized by discipline and theme (though many are cross- or interdisciplinary) and focus on Indigenous Knowledge from local, national, and international contexts. For instructors seeking to Indigenize their curriculum, these resources represent a starting point for investigating various forms of knowledge from the perspectives of Indigenous Peoples and their colleagues.
This guide is a work in progress and will be added to and expanded. If you have suggestions for Indigenous Knowledge books that are not yet part of our collection, please let us know by emailing your ideas to library@camosun.ca.
For additional resources available through the Camosun Library, visit the Indigenous Studies Guide.
Photograph of Bukʷi·la· by Nuu-chah-nulth artist Art Thompson (Tsa Qwa Supp), 1997.
We seek knowledge in these territories
Camosun College is located in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia with campuses on the Traditional Territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples. We acknowledge their welcome and graciousness to the students who seek knowledge here.
Learn more about the name "Camosun" by reading The Legend of Camossung, reproduced with permission of Cheryl Bryce, Songhees Nation.
SENCOTEN: A Dictionary of the Saanich Language by Indigenous Knowing resources at the Camosun Library
Welcome to the Camosun College Library Indigenous Knowing Guide. This guide is for members of the Camosun and greater community seeking resources by Indigenous authors or information related to Indigenous topics.
Where to find books & e-books
To search for books and e-books by Indigenous authors or Indigenous topics use the following tools:
Single Search tool
A tool that searches the Camosun catalogue and majority of Camosun databases. Use the "advanced search" function to increase the complexity of your keyword search or to limit your results to print and electronic books.
A-Z Database list: Indigenous-themed topics
Tailor your search to humanities and history-specific databases by searching the A-Z Databases list. Access the list from the library homepage, clicking on the "Articles & databases" tab, and selecting the "Databases - search for articles, e-books, media" link.
Once at the A-Z Databases list, you can search for databases by name alphabetically, or use the "filter by subjects" drop-down menu to search by discipline. Select from databases including JSTOR, Humanities Abstracts with Full Text, and Academic Search Complete.
The Canada Commons collection provides content from Canada's scholarly and independent publishers as well as public policy papers from think tanks and government sources. It features a variety of e-resources by Indigenous authors and information on Indigenous topics.
Canada Commons collection content is not always represented using the library's Single Search tool. You can access Canada Commons using the links below, or using the A-Z database list to search for the latest holdings in this collection of Canadian e-resources.
Thomas King, 2017
Call Number: E 77 K566 2017
Bob Joseph & Cynthia F. Joseph, 2019
Call Number: E 78 C2 J67 2019
Lee Maracle, 2017
E-book and in print: PR 9199.3 M3497 A6 2017
Herman Michell, 2011
Call number: E 96.2 M53 2011
Myra Rutherdale, Kerry Abel, & Whitney P. Lackenbauer, 2018
E-book and in print: E 78 C2 R66 2018
Bob Joseph & Cynthia F. Joseph, 2017
Call Number: E 78 C2 J75 2017
Like most post-secondary libraries, the Camosun Library uses international standards for classifying and describing information. The majority of the publications and databases for which it provides access also use these same standards. Libraries use subject headings as words to describe and organize things and ideas. When you search the library databases, your keywords are checked against and for related subject headings.
Library categorization systems influence the information we access and the ways we think about words and their meanings. Vocabularies and classification systems are designed to make information accessible to library users. However, many Western information categorization and organization systems are rooted in colonial practices, express Western world views, and uphold values of white supremacy.
Who determines what subject headings are used is also very political. Much of the library and publishing world relies on the American Library of Congress system of cataloguing. The Library of Congress’s subject headings and vocabulary perpetuates many colonial ideas. Many of its terms are outdated, racist, or derogatory and have not been updated. This is especially true when referencing specific Indigenous communities or groups. Names that were created for Indigenous groups by cultural outsiders may still be in use.
If you are searching for information on an Indigenous topic, you may need to search a number of terms – many of which may seem outdated or inappropriate – to find information. Two subject terms used frequently in our Library catalogue are "Native Peoples – Canada" and "Indians of North America". These are standard terms used in most academic libraries, even though they don't accurately reflect the current language used to describe Indigenous peoples in Canada today.
Below are some of the terms used to describe resources related to Indigenous topics:
If you're looking for information on a specific people, search for that group: Haida, Salish, Métis, etc.
Be careful about alternate spellings: for example, Nisga or Niska or Nisga'a. Find the most resources by searching for all the different spellings together using "or": Niska OR Nisga OR Nisga'a
*Note: You will notice the lower-case "p" in "peoples" in these subject terms. These Library of Congress (LOC) subject terms have not been capitalized to demonstrate respect as we have formulated in Camosun Style Guide. While many libraries are working to update and change LOC terms, the Library of Congress itself is slow to change and has not yet addressed capitalization as a means of indigenization and/or respectful description.
