Conclusion

Connections, intersections, and relationships are the strengths of Indigenization. This guide has focused on ways in which non-Indigenous teachers and educators can expand their teaching practice and personal development. Each section of this guide has addressed a realm of Indigenizing:

Inform: Decolonizing one’s beliefs takes time; colonization continues today, and truth telling, such as was done through the Truth and Reconciliation process, is the way to overcome intolerance and discrimination.

Include: The other side of unlearning is relearning. Indigenous worldview and knowledge systems are about relationships with the natural world, communities, and families. Educating yourself about Indigenous ways of doing and being involves inviting knowledge systems into the classroom and listening to the generosity of those who share their expertise in multiple ways.

Integrate: To work in a good way with a good heart and mind goes beyond intention. It involves recognizing your responsibility to include authentic information, to carry yourself in a respectful way with other pedagogical practices, and to accept teachings in a non-traditional way. Instead of adding information to your course content, you are now looking at ethical ways of transforming the learning paradigm.

Infuse: We are working in a time when systemic changes in curriculum support and legitimize Indigenous epistemologies and perspectives in higher education. The collaborations, partnerships, and supports are there for you to try, learn from, and use to augment your teaching practice, so that Indigenization becomes a natural way to teach and learn.

This guide is a beginning point; the nuances, beauty, and strengths of local Indigenous knowledge systems and perspectives will transform your practice. You are not alone in the wilderness; there are others who can walk alongside you. Thank you for using this guide. We encourage you to adopt, adapt, and redistribute promising practices to other institutions. Be the change.