Research in the Tłı̨chǫ region has historically been broad in scope, covering a variety of research interests including the environment, health and wellness, and Tłı̨chǫ language, culture and way of life. The number of projects we are able to support is steadily increasing as we build the capacity to move beyond only being able to support the research interests of other organizations and individuals, to identifying, planning and implementing the research that is of most value to people in our communities and to the Tłı̨chǫ Government.
One of the core guiding principles of Dedats’eetsaa is to integrate Tłı̨chǫ traditional knowledge into all we do. Through ensuring the application of Indigenous and community methodologies, we work to ensure that traditional knowledge is a core component of all research projects that take place in the Tłı̨chǫ region. By rooting projects in Indigenous ways of knowing, researchers will ensure that their research is situated in the contextual, relational and integrated Tłı̨chǫ worldview—and that knowledge generated by this research has the potential to contribute to real solutions to the issues facing our people and land.
“That way of life is our elders’ culture. When our forefathers lived on this earth, from the time they woke up until the time they went to sleep they worked on the land. Even though they didn’t speak English, when they spoke it was a great education for us... Today, we are talking about their traditions. We are talking about how we can make them strong within our people once again!”
– Jimmy B. Rabesca (1990) in Strong Like Two People.
For more information about Tłı̨chǫ traditional knowledge, visit our research projects database.