Indigenous Ways of Being
This page will help you find information on Indigenous ways of knowing and being in Canada, focusing on aspects of survival, social life and culture, such as food, shelter, clothing, games, transportation, religion, and legends.
Building Effective Catalogue Searches
By subject heading - region - subdivision:
- Indigenous Peoples -- British Columbia -- Social Life and Customs
- Indigenous Peoples -- Canada -- Rites and Ceremonies
By group:
Useful subdivisions include:
- Social Life and Customs
- Folklore
- Food
- History
- Rites and Ceremonies
- Religion
- Legends
Note: Be aware that terms or forms of names used in cataloguing or in titles of books may be different from those currently in use. For best results, you may need to use a variety of keyword search terms or forms of names.
Examples:
- "Bella Bella" or "Heiltsuk"
- "Nootka" or "Nuchalnuth"
- "Indians" or "First Nations"
Useful Websites
Recommended Books
Being in Being: The Collected Works of Skaay of the Qquuna Qiighawaay
398.2097011 S62b
2001
Three traditional Haida stories recorded in 1900.
One drum : stories and ceremonies for a planet
299.713 W12o
2019
One Drum welcomes readers to unite in ceremony to heal themselves and bring harmony to their lives and communities. It draws from the foundational teachings of Ojibway tradition, the Grandfather Teachings.
Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes
970.103 W16e2
2006
Covers more than 200 American Indian tribes of North America. Includes 259 color illustrations (12 new to this edition), 11 color maps, cross-references, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index.
The First Nations of British Columbia: An Anthropological Overview
970.411 M94fa2
2014
Concise and accessible overview of BC's First Nations peoples, cultures, and issues.
Handbook of North American Indians
970.1 H23s
A collection of detailed ethnographies of indigenous peoples of North America. It has a very detailed index, and includes maps and illustrations. The references and bibliography also provide good starting points for most in-depth searches.
Isuma Inuit Studies Reader: An Inuit Anthology
970.419 R66i
2004
Uses articles from the last 200 years to create a picture of Inuit life.
An Iron Hand Upon the People: The Law Against the Potlatch on the Northwest Coast
970.411 C68i
1990
Explores the struggle against the Canadian government's outlawing of the potlach, a gift-giving ceremony central to the social and economic structure of many British Columbia First Nations and the resurgence of the custom when the ban was lifted in 1951.
One of the Family: Metis Culture in Nineteenth-Century Northwestern Saskatchewan
970.4124 M13o
2010
Examines and analyzes the social and cultural attributes that define the Métis as a distinct people.
Digital Library Resources
Northwest History Index
This card index in Special Collection provides access to the Northwest History Collection, a heritage collection covering the early history and exploration of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest.
The collection includes:
- magazine and newspaper articles
- pamphlets
- books
- chapters in books
- many other resources
As of August 1998, no new material has been added to the Northwest History Index. It is continued by the British Columbia Index.