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University of Toronto Scarborough

Indigenous Initiatives

Elders & Knowledge Keepers

Importance of Elders and Knowledge Keepers

Students and the Indigenous Initiative staff are gathered around Elder Josh for a picture after Naming Ceremony in IC building

Indigenous Elders/Elders-in-Residence and Knowledge Keepers are very important members who come from various First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities.

These terms/titles can have many different meanings but often it refers to an Indigenous person who has attained great knowledge of history, carries wisdom, and has traditional teachings. Since pre-colonial times, Elders and Knowledge Keepers have been passing their culture, values, and guidance through formal and informal education using Indigenous pedagogy.

Appointments with Elders and Knowledge Keepers

We want to ensure that campus community members can benefit from the teachings, wisdom, and support of Elders and Knowledge Keepers as they visit the UTSC campus.

Elders and Knowledge Keepers can provide guidance on:

It is important to know that not all Elders and Knowledge Keepers carry the same teachings and may not have all of the answers you are seeking. For example, a First Nation Elder may carry different cultural perspectives and teachings than an Inuit elder. Land Acknowledgements are not "performed" by Elders or Indigenous community.

Indigenous Cultural Services at UTSC

Elders and Knowledge Keepers are an essential part of our community in supporting the UTSC community in learning Indigenous ways of knowing through ceremony, stories, and sharing.

Some examples of requests can include: