Decolonizing the Post-Secondary System: Embracing Indigenous Ethics in Academia

As an Indigenous academic and sessional instructor, I have observed firsthand the lack of exposure to understanding and applying Indigenous ethics in the post-secondary spheres, particularly in the areas of curriculum design, facilitation, data collection, and communication with Indigenous communities. This lack of understanding and application can be detrimental to efforts towards decolonization and reconciliation.

The usual Eurocentric methods that are still upheld and clung to by academics, judges, lawyers, and other professionals have proven to be inadequate in addressing deeper societal change. The colonial band-aid solutions that have been implemented have only served to exacerbate situations at a devastating rate. In order to truly rectify this, a different lens is needed – one that is decolonized. One solution is looking at problems and solutions through the lens of Indigenous ethics.

Indigenous ethics come from the seven Grandfather teachings of love, respect, bravery, truth, honesty, humility, and wisdom. These values and laws have stood the test of time being passed down from generation to generation on this land we now call Canada. These ethics give humans the power to understand nuanced, complex, ever-changing and seemingly overwhelming problems. By embracing Indigenous ethics, we can begin to implement responsive, fluid and dynamic solutions.

Problems with the current system include the fact that Eurocentric rules, policies, and regulations are continually enacted in most spheres that Indigenous people come into contact with. Brandishing the colonial “way” at any meeting becomes detrimental to Indigenous peoples’ health and well-being. Also, having Indigenous peoples as the “token Indigenous colleague” while others plough through the agenda is not going to work anymore.

We must remember that Canada is a multi-juridical country and that we have common law, civil law and Indigenous law that must be upheld and respected. It is not enough to see Indigenization and decolonization efforts as just an “anti-racism exercise.” Indigenous peoples have and always have had their own ways of doing things and they have a right to their own ways of doing things that either supersedes or is equal to that of colonial law, never less than.

In conclusion, the current approach to education and applying Indigenization and decolonization efforts thoughtfully and ethically can be for efforts towards ending racism towards Indigenous peoples. However, for me, it is an exercise in educating people that Indigenous laws have been here for thousands of years before they came to the land and that a multi-juridical approach is needed. Indigenous ethics flow into Indigenous law. The first thing they need to learn is Indigenous ethics which are love, truth, respect, honesty, bravery, humility, and wisdom before they go further with anything else. It is time for the post-secondary system to embrace Indigenous ethics and decolonize their approach to education.