Chair, Indigenous Arts Practices and Pedagogies

The Salish Weave Endowment Fund at SFU supporting the Chair in Indigenous Arts Practices and Pedagogies in the Faculty of Education was established by Christiane and George Smyth, who are activist collectors of Salish art. This position was created in cooperation between the Smyths and the Faculty of Education with the aim of supporting the resurgence, and ongoing thriving, of Salish arts (such as performances, installations, exhibits and a variety of writing genres such as poetry, novel, creative nonfiction, memoir, and/or other forms that further and promote our understanding of arts scholarship) through education and the enactment of Indigenous arts as knowledge practices. This is intended to be achieved through an Indigenous knowledge transmission process that is intergenerational and inherently an aspect of enacting Indigenous pedagogies and practices.

In the context of its core value of Indigeneity, the Faculty of Education wishes to cultivate scholarship that honours and embodies the values inherent in Salish arts practices with a focus on Indigenous knowledges and processes of education through art-making ecologies. For the inaugural Chair in Indigenous Arts Practices and Pedagogies, it is strongly encouraged for Indigenous scholars with a history and practice of immersion in and engagement with Indigenous arts, education, cultures, and communities to apply. The successful candidate will have a deep understanding of Indigenous inquiry and of the potential of transformation through the enactment of Indigenous arts and education practices in supporting the resurgence and continued thriving of Salish knowledge practices. The initial term of the Chair will be for a minimum period of 5 years and may be renewed once. The successful candidate will also be appointed as a tenure-track faculty at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education.

Key Responsibilities

Relationship Building and Connections

• Being aware of and sensitive to traditional protocols in order to build and sustain reciprocal relationships with local Indigenous communities (e.g., artists, Elders, youth) to support the visioning and enactment of educational and research partnerships that support knowledge mobilization and transmission related to Salish arts practices. Such partnerships would further support those communities’ goals with respect to self-determination, knowledge transmission, and sovereignty.
• Helping the Faculty cultivate and deepen reciprocal recognition and respectful relationships with Indigenous communities and contributing to the strengthening of responsible and relevant relationships and understandings across the Faculty.
• Involving academic colleagues from a diversity of disciplines (including teacher education and SFU Galleries), along with Indigenous community and K-12 school partners, in developing and sustaining mutually beneficial research and educational collaborations focusing around Salish arts practices, including the Salish Weave collection held at SFU Galleries.
• Communicating academic and community knowledge in ways that contribute to provincial, national, and global dialogues on Indigenous resurgence through Indigenous arts practices and pedagogies.
• Participating in the Salish Weave Board—Welcome to the Salish Weave Collection - Salish Weave

The Candidate

The successful candidate will have demonstrated strength and practice in Indigenous arts, education, and knowledges; Indigeneity and Indigenous community engagement, and a scholarly track record of research excellence. As well, this person will have demonstrated their potential for creating strong collaborations with Salish artists, their families and communities within the term of the Chair to further an innovative and high-quality research program, including the translation, activation and animation of knowledge in dialogue with Indigenous communities and knowledge holders.

Experience

The search committee acknowledges that no single individual is likely to meet all of the following criteria in equal measure; nevertheless, the successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate:

• Strong, respectful, reciprocal relationships and engagement with Indigenous artists and communities.
• An extensive network of colleagues and organizations engaged in collaborative efforts related to Indigenous knowledges, education, and Indigenous arts practices. Experience with intergenerational artist development and commissioning of new works is considered an asset.
• The capacity to build sustainable partnerships and secure external research grant funding.
• Success in working collaboratively with colleagues, students, and staff in academic, research, artistic, K-12, and community contexts.
• Participation in research collaborations across diverse disciplines and forms of knowledge creation related to Indigenous arts practices.
• Contributions to knowledge exchange, integration, and mobilization with Indigenous communities, specifically Indigenous arts practices.

To Apply

Simon Fraser University is an institution whose strength is based on our shared commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion. Diversity is an underlying principle of our Strategic Vision, which pledges SFU to “foster a culture of inclusion and mutual respect, celebrating the diversity reflected among its students, faculty, staff and our community.” SFU is committed to ensuring no individual is denied access to employment opportunities for reasons unrelated to ability or qualifications. Consistent with this principle, SFU will advance the interests of underrepresented members of the work force, including Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, racialized persons and women; embrace gender and sexual diversity; ensure that equal opportunity is afforded to all who seek employment at the University; and treat all employees equitably.

In accordance with Section 42 of the BC Human Rights Code, this opportunity is limited to applicants who self-identify as Indigenous or have Indigenous ancestry. Candidates are invited to submit a self-identification narrative/story of their Indigenous lived experience and a letter of support from Indigenous community to be considered for this position. We understand and acknowledge the deleterious effects of colonial and ongoing systems and structures such as residential schools, the 60s scoop and “status” cards on Indigenous (First Nation, Inuit or Métis) identity. This process is therefore intended to be interpreted in a broad understanding of Indigenous lived experiences and Indigenous community. Support letters for example, include letters from urban-based organizations, respected community elders outside place-based family/Nations for those in the process of reclaiming place-based connections and similar expressions of support. We acknowledge the potential emotional labour and/or (re)traumatizing impacts of sharing personal narratives in this context and encourage applicants to consider this fully in their decision-making to apply

For more details or to further explore this important strategic leadership opportunity, please contact:

Mike Eager • Partner

Pathways Executive Search

Telephone: 613-619-8686

MikeE@PathwaysExecutiveSearch.com

Meaghen Fillion • Consultant

Pathways Executive Search

Telephone: 204-292-8937

MeaghenF@PathwaysExecutiveSearch.com

Pathways Executive Search is a national recruitment firm offering Indigenous-focused professional services. With a mission to make recruitment and career journeys less challenging and more equitable, Pathways is guided by Indigenous values and principles of Indigenous inclusion, which underscore the capacity to build an inclusive process for all racialized and equity-deserving professionals.