Kathy Absolon, Wilfrid Laurier University
Associate Professor
Director, Centre for Indigegogy, Indigenous Field of Study, Faculty of Social Work
Waterloo, Ontario
kabsolon@wlu.ca
Office:
(519) 884-0710 ext. 5229
Expert In
Indigenous history, decolonization, Indigenization
Indigenous knowledge and contemporary issues
Indigenous research methodologies
Indigenous social work practice
Indigenous wholistic professional development
Indigenous wholistic teaching, learning
Reconciliation
Resources for Indigenous, Metis, First Nations, Inuit
Bio/Research
Aaniin! I'm pleased to be a part of Indigenizing Laurier and the growing Indigenous academic community here. I am Anishinaabekwe from Flying Post First Nation. My academic journey has been a pathway of unlearning, healing, re-learning and finding who I am as an Indigenous woman & what my place...
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Bio/Research
Aaniin! I'm pleased to be a part of Indigenizing Laurier and the growing Indigenous academic community here. I am Anishinaabekwe from Flying Post First Nation. My academic journey has been a pathway of unlearning, healing, re-learning and finding who I am as an Indigenous woman & what my place is in the academy. My Anishinaabe name is Minogiizhigo kwe which translates to mean Shining Day Woman, the one who brings goodness & beauty to the day.
In 2008, I received my PhD from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. "Kaandossiwn, this is how we come to know: Indigenous research methodologies in the academy" was my dissertation title with a focus on Indigenous research. I received my Masters in Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University in 1991. My Masters research was titled: “Healing the Fallen Eagle" with a focus on Indigenous knowledge in social work.
In 2007 I came to the Aboriginal Field of Study in the Faculty of Social Work (now Indigenous Field of Study) at Laurier with a blending of teaching, practice and community work. Prior to coming to Laurier, I taught in different universities across Canada.
In Saskatchewan at the Regina Campus, I was an assistant professor in the Department of Indigenous Studies at First Nations University of Canada from 2003-2007. In my social work practice, I was a program manager for B’saanibamaadsiwin Native Mental Health Program in Muskoka Parry Sound.
From 1992-1996, I was in British Columbia as an assistant professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Victoria where I co-designed and delivered decentralized community based Indigenous social work programs to a variety of Indigenous territories across British Columbia.
My practice background continues to include community work and support to Indigenous communities and organizations.
The Centre for Indigegogy: Indigenous Centred Wholistic Development
Currently, I am the Director of the newly formed Centre for Indigegogy. Indigenous centred wholistic development. We are engaging in an Indigenous Educators' Certificate in Indigegogy commencing August 2017 and a Decolonizing Certificate for educators beginning in September 2017. What's unique about our Centre is that it offers experiences for learning steeped in ceremony, circle work and in the presence of medicines. Our approach is wholistic and transformative. Watch for our Centres' updates for emerging opportunities in Indigenous wholistic approaches.
Prior to my PhD, I had been involved in community based capacity building research projects and research that gathered Indigenous knowledge and cultural teachings. Through my doctoral research, I have been primarily focused Indigenous research methodologies and how Indigenous researchers are bringing their worldviews to their research projects. I continue to participate on research projects that centre Indigenous worldviews as pivotal to the methods of the search. Recently, I have completed a research project utilizing Indigenous methodologies with the visual arts and media. This research involved gathering stories of hope, resilience, strength and survival that contribute to positive cultural mirrors of Indigenous peoples. This project is called "Resistance, resilience, strength and hope" and documents stories of survival from a survivor of the Indian Residential School legacy. Additionally, I am involved in a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council funded project called “Walking the Prevention Circle: Re-searching community capacity building for violence prevention" as a co-investigator. This is a national scope project with diverse Indigenous communities in British Columbia, Nunavut, Saskatchewan and Ontario.
The Centre for Indigegogy is my most recent project. I spend much of my time growing, developing, collaborating so the Centre takes its place in responding to the TRC Calls to Action.
Click to Shrink <<
In 2008, I received my PhD from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. "Kaandossiwn, this is how we come to know: Indigenous research methodologies in the academy" was my dissertation title with a focus on Indigenous research. I received my Masters in Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University in 1991. My Masters research was titled: “Healing the Fallen Eagle" with a focus on Indigenous knowledge in social work.
In 2007 I came to the Aboriginal Field of Study in the Faculty of Social Work (now Indigenous Field of Study) at Laurier with a blending of teaching, practice and community work. Prior to coming to Laurier, I taught in different universities across Canada.
In Saskatchewan at the Regina Campus, I was an assistant professor in the Department of Indigenous Studies at First Nations University of Canada from 2003-2007. In my social work practice, I was a program manager for B’saanibamaadsiwin Native Mental Health Program in Muskoka Parry Sound.
From 1992-1996, I was in British Columbia as an assistant professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Victoria where I co-designed and delivered decentralized community based Indigenous social work programs to a variety of Indigenous territories across British Columbia.
My practice background continues to include community work and support to Indigenous communities and organizations.
The Centre for Indigegogy: Indigenous Centred Wholistic Development
Currently, I am the Director of the newly formed Centre for Indigegogy. Indigenous centred wholistic development. We are engaging in an Indigenous Educators' Certificate in Indigegogy commencing August 2017 and a Decolonizing Certificate for educators beginning in September 2017. What's unique about our Centre is that it offers experiences for learning steeped in ceremony, circle work and in the presence of medicines. Our approach is wholistic and transformative. Watch for our Centres' updates for emerging opportunities in Indigenous wholistic approaches.
Prior to my PhD, I had been involved in community based capacity building research projects and research that gathered Indigenous knowledge and cultural teachings. Through my doctoral research, I have been primarily focused Indigenous research methodologies and how Indigenous researchers are bringing their worldviews to their research projects. I continue to participate on research projects that centre Indigenous worldviews as pivotal to the methods of the search. Recently, I have completed a research project utilizing Indigenous methodologies with the visual arts and media. This research involved gathering stories of hope, resilience, strength and survival that contribute to positive cultural mirrors of Indigenous peoples. This project is called "Resistance, resilience, strength and hope" and documents stories of survival from a survivor of the Indian Residential School legacy. Additionally, I am involved in a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council funded project called “Walking the Prevention Circle: Re-searching community capacity building for violence prevention" as a co-investigator. This is a national scope project with diverse Indigenous communities in British Columbia, Nunavut, Saskatchewan and Ontario.
The Centre for Indigegogy is my most recent project. I spend much of my time growing, developing, collaborating so the Centre takes its place in responding to the TRC Calls to Action.
Click to Shrink <<