New Indigenous Studies department chair uses Stó:lō knowledge to advance higher education

Stó:lō scholar Wenona Hall is opening a new chapter for the Department of Indigenous Studies at Simon Fraser University (SFU). As the new department chair, Hall’s goals include launching a graduate program and introducing new options for undergraduate students in the coming years.

Introducing new educational opportunities in SFU Indigenous Studies

Hall began her appointment as department chair in September 2023. Prior to joining SFU as an associate professor in November 2022, Hall was the founding chair of the Indigenous Studies program at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV).

At UFV, Hall led Stó:lō community-based research projects and educated students from across disciplines about processes of decolonization and Indigenous resurgence. “Program development is an area of expertise I have developed over the years,” Hall says of the skillset she contributes towards creating a much-anticipated graduate program in Indigenous Studies at SFU.

Alongside plans to introduce a graduate program, Hall says that undergraduate students at SFU can also expect new choices to support their educational goals in a changing world.

“We offer a strong Indigenous Studies major and minor,” says Hall. “We want to explore partnerships with other academic programs at SFU. We are developing new courses that meet the ever-changing decolonial societal demands, as well as the increasingly sophisticated needs of students.”

Reflecting Indigenous experiences in teaching, learning, and research

A triple alumnus of SFU, Hall holds her Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and PhD from the university. As a result, Hall has unique insight into the student experience and why SFU Indigenous Studies matters.

“I was attending university at a time when Indigenous resources were not offered as part of the curriculum,” Hall remembers. “After class, I would head to the Bennett Library and reapply what I had learned through the lens of Indigenous knowledge. Today, our Indigenous Studies students at SFU can learn from our Indigenous and allied faculty, and through our courses, engage with Indigenous sources and references on diverse subjects.”

In an era when Indigenous content was not yet encouraged in higher education, Hall was surprised to encounter a professor at SFU who was supportive of her desire to explore Indigenous knowledge through her coursework in criminology. Hall first met this professor — Ted S. Palys, who would later supervise her MA and PhD research in Criminology at SFU — in an undergraduate course he was teaching. “Our shared interests helped open the door to my research on Stó:lō justice and Indigenous Governance,” Hall reflects on forging her own path to pursue further education.

As a result of her MA thesis, Hall helped to establish the Qwi:qwelstom Justice process. Her PhD studies helped various First Nations communities integrate Indigenous Governing Principles into contemporary Land Codes.

Belonging to the Sq’ewqéyl First Nation and Ts’elxwéyeqw Tribe, located in Chilliwack, Hall’s connection and responsibilities to her community have guided her academic career, and her values as an educator, scholar, and leader.

“I am passionate about making space for Indigenous teachers and pedagogy within Western institutions during this time of reconciliation,” Hall declares. “I know how difficult it can be to speak truth to power, having spent a decade teaching from an anti-colonial and anti-racist framework to future social workers, criminologists, teachers, and historians. The emotional labour alone can be taxing for all — let alone addressing the inter-generational racism of settler colonialism.”

Collaborating with Indigenous scholars and allies across the university community

As Hall embarks on her work as department chair at SFU Indigenous Studies, she is humbled by the company she joins, “I am now working alongside the likes of annie ross and Eldon Yellowhorn — sorry if I am a bit starstruck!”

The honour of meeting many Indigenous scholars she admires from across the university community, such as Michelle Pidgeon and Clifford Atleo, has also inspired Hall during her first months as chair.

Hall is also thrilled to have recently welcomed Canada Research Chair (CRC) Zoe Todd and Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) Nicholas Reo to the department as faculty members.

“I am so pleased to begin this next chapter of my academic career at SFU,” says Hall. “I have felt warmly welcomed and supported by the members and staff of SFU Indigenous Studies and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. I cannot wait to see what the next several years will bring.”