Building relations through stories

“Building Relations through Stories” is an Indigenous-led project focused on non-extractive, land-based work rooted in Indigenous epistemologies. The research honours territorial protocols and prioritizes giving back to the community by facilitating the gathering of traditional knowledge to be passed on to future generations. The project is led by Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Hereditary Chief Chepximiya Siyam’ Janice George.

The Sḵwx̱wú7mesh are one of the Original Peoples of the lands now occupied by the city of Vancouver. Chief Janice George will invite all 16 hereditary chiefs of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nation to participate in talking circles, where they will share origin stories and reflections on land stewardship. By reclaiming familial chieftainship stories from the land and educating non-Indigenous community members on the importance of being a respectful guest—rather than a settler who perpetuates colonial dynamics—this project supports Sḵwx̱wú7mesh self-determination and aims to foster stronger relationships between newcomers, Canadian-born settlers, and the Squamish Nation.

This study will result in the creation of a docuseries and a children’s book. These resources will empower the Squamish Nation’s hereditary chiefs to share previously less accessible knowledge with current and future generations. The docuseries will be made available not only to the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nation but also to settlement and community organizations for use in their programming for newcomers and settlers to support reconciliation. The children’s book is designed for use in the classrooms of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh elementary school and for children and family audiences more broadly.

Sḵwx̱wú7mesh hereditary chiefs will be invited to reflect on the following questions:

1. What are the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Squamish Nation families’ traditional leadership stories?
2. If there was something you wanted children to know in seven generations, what would it be?
3. How can uninvited guests best show respect and care for the land?

Art-based methods (weaving workshops), autoethnography, oral history, talking circles

• Belonging in Unceded Territory (external link)  (Antje Ellermann)

This project is currently in the Planning phase.

Expected completion date: December 2025

Citizenship; Indigenous-led project; narratives of belonging; storytelling