A decolonized space, rooted in ceremony, that builds capacity at UBC for researchers to engage in meaningful, appropriate, and relational partnerships with Indigenous communities, collectives, and organizations.
Working with others in ways that honour our connectedness with each other, the lands, the waters, and the animals.
Process and outcomes are given and received in equal measure with compassion and care.
Freedom to envision and enact new systems and processes rooted in decolonial and Indigenous values.
Honouring the work of those who came before us, and those who will come after us, by working intentionally, thoughtfully, and in a process-focused way.
Prioritization of the long-term well-being of those we support. A commitment to walking lightly on Mother Earth.
Community-driven work that is accountable to the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis we seek to support, with respect to our Host Nations.
Since the project’s beginnings, Roots has relied on our values of reciprocity and relationality as the foundation of our work. We have been able to build a web of support within the UBC community and beyond, finding opportunities to uplift other Indigenous-focused initiatives and receive support and guidance in return. Learn more about Our Story and how we have built a community through support and reciprocity.
Roots began as a pilot initiative within the larger Faculty of Medicine project, Creating Structures for Meaningful Indigenous Community and UBC Health Partnerships (or simply, Creating Structures). The Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) and the Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health (CEIH) partnered on Creating Structures to consider what is needed to better support reciprocal, relational, and appropriate partnerships with Indigenous communities for health and wellness research.
To explore this, our team hosted conversations with those engaged in Indigenous-led research to get a better picture of what it’s like to do this type of work within UBC. The Roots Circle was born out of these conversations, in which we heard that researchers want a decolonized space where they can visit and learn from one another. In the Spring of 2024, the first Roots Circle was hosted in collaboration with the Indigenous Research Support Initiative (IRSI), with support from the First Nations House of Learning (FNHL).
Roots has since grown from one circle into a collective of initiatives aiming to support Indigenous-led research and decolonize the ways we work together. Roots: An Indigenous Partnered Research Circle (or, known simply as the Roots Circle) is our primary initiative, and is funded by the Faculty of Medicine. The Roots Circle is informed and supported by Roots for Indigenous Partnered Research, a membership-based research cluster of Indigenous and allied researchers who are passionate about seeing change within our systems.
Roots, in partnership with IRSI, the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT), and the Knowledge Exchange (KE), is also developing the Honouring Connections workbook, set to be available in the fall of 2026. This workbook aims to act as a starting point for anyone wishing to adopt a more decolonized outlook, and will be an activity and reflection-based resource that guides individuals or teams to explore their relationship with the lands and people they work with.
Our team is so grateful to everyone who has helped us grow over the years, and we’re excited to continue nurturing Roots and the relationships we’ve made along the way.
