Hosting an Indigenous Guest Speaker, Leader or Elder on Campus
Our Elders Program aims to provide students with an ongoing opportunity to build relationships with Elders on campus and gain a wider sense of community and provide learning opportunities through inter-generational connections.
It also allows Selkirk College staff and faculty to get to know some Elders in the community, develop a deeper understanding of the diversity of Indigenous perspectives and seek council from trusted cultural advisors as needed.
Our Values...
The foundation of how we interact with Elders and Knowledge Keepers at Selkirk College is based on relationship, interconnectedness, context and reciprocity. Self-reflection on these values is encouraged for individuals seeking support from Elders. These values are touchpoints to ensure that we are on a good path of relationship, interconnectedness, context and reciprocity.
To learn more about Our Elders Program read our handbook here.
- The importance of our Elder connection
- More about our values
- How to request or host an Elder
Requesting Elder Services
While some Elders and activity facilitators may provide a single service or have a one specialization, others may provide multiple services or have a vast field of expertise. It is important to not assume that each person is an expert in all areas related to their culture. A person may have a specialty or expertise but are not necessarily Elders. Being an Elder in a community is a very special designation and the term should not be used lightly.
Coordinating with Indigenous Services is necessary due to travel distance and expense reimbursement, honourariums as well as specific protocol including greetings and presentation of a gift. Please give six to eight weeks notice.
Please let us know your expectations to help facilitate your request through the following forms:
Nation Government Leaders Request Form
Indigenous Services Staff Presentation Request Form
**Please note: Indigenous Services and the Elders in Residence will not lead the Kairos Blanket Exercise for the 2020/21 academic year.
Here are some examples of different types of Elders and Knowledge Keepers:
- TEKK or TKK (Traditional Ecological Knowledge Keeper or Traditional
- Language Keeper)
- Story Teller
- Orator
- Herbalist
- Tradition Teacher
- Traditional Artist
- Advisor
- Spiritual Elder
Examples of Different Practices and Services
- ceremony
- prayer (opening, closing, meal time or blessing)
- welcome
- traditional knowledge sharing
- class instruction
- advising
- counseling
Honorarium Guide
Depending on the situation, there may be some flexibility with the honorarium amount. By working in partnership with Indigenous Services when hosting a guest, we are able to maintain consistency with the Elders and services providers that we work with on a regular basis. Some service providers attend classes as a employee representative of their place of work and do not receive an honorarium. They would still receive a tobacco offering at the start of the class and gift at the end. Indigenous Services works with the following honorarium guide.
- Visits and services rendered for up to an hour: $50 - $100 (may vary)
- Visits and services rendered for between 2 - 4 hours: $200 - $400 (may vary)
- Services rendered for a full day: To be negotiated on an individual basis with the Elder or TEKK.
Travel Expenses
In some instances travel expenses will also need to be provided. Depending on the distance that the Elder or the Traditional Knowledge Keeper will be travelling, the travel costs can range between $30 up to $300 for out of town guests. Guests may also require meals and overnight accommodations.