Indigeneity
Surrounded by Pacific Spirit forest and located within the academic community, UBC Child Care operates on the traditional, ancestral and unceded homelands of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓-speaking xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) people.
Acknowledging our location on xʷməθkʷəy̓əm’s traditional and ancestral homelands creates space and opportunities for education and awareness—in particular, in support of UBC’s Indigenous Strategic Plan and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action.
With Canada’s youngest citizens growing up within a context of changing Indigenous and non-Indigenous relations, we recognize that our educators are critical in promoting and bringing forward conversations about healing and social justice.
Our land acknowledgment
hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓
ʔi ʔə čxʷ ʔəw ʔəy̓ ʔal
ƛ̓a tə n̓a UBC Child Care ʔam̓ət
ʔi ʔə tə n̓a šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmaʔɬ təməxʷ
tə šxʷʔam̓əts tə shən̓q̓əmin̓əmqən.
hay ce:p q̓ə
English
Hello,
UBC Child Care is located on the unceded, traditional homelands of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓-speaking xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) people.
Thank you.
Our Indigenous Engagement Relations Pedagogist
UBC’s Early Childhood Educators walk beside Ena Point, our Indigenous Engagement Relations Pedagogist, as they create more meaningful and respectful pedagogies by bringing forward Indigenous knowledges, truths and histories and actively and continuously striving to decolonize, unpack and unlearn preconceived notions.
This new role was created in 2021 as part of an effort to help educators at each of our programs increase their fluency in Indigenous curriculum and programming and start to weave Indigeneity into the work they do every day.
“I feel like Ena’s role is our pathway to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. She is our connection to the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm community and through her valued work, we can help achieve and expand upon the goals and actions of UBC’s Indigenous Strategic Plan, by extending Indigenous education into the pre-Kindergarten setting, for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous children in our care.”
— Karen Vaughan, Director, UBC Child Care
What we can all do
Many of us think about how to integrate the work of truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples into our lives and work. There are many ways to do so, unique to each of us. Here are some suggestions.
Learn
Some of the work Ena is pursuing in this role includes:
“UBC is layered above the rich history of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm people stretching back to time immemorial. The stories are written on the land and should be acknowledged and respected. It is my hope to work towards strong partnerships with xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, honouring our reciprocal knowledge by learning how to weave both histories together in an honest way.” — Ena Point, Indigenous Engagement Relations Pedagogist, UBC Child Care.