AS A SPOKESPERSON FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS, award-winning writer, activist, novelist and poet Dr. Jeannette Armstrong has always sought to change deeply biased misconceptions related to Aboriginal Peoples.

Dr. Armstrong feels passionately that the best way to accomplish this is through her role as an associate professor of Indigenous Studies in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, where she gets to research, develop, educate and inform the minds of the next generation.

“I get excited when students are inspired and new insights occur,” she says.

Whether it’s in the classroom or the community, Dr. Armstrong cherishes the opportunity to enrich students across a wide variety of topics. Her research into Indigenous philosophies and Okanagan Syilx thought and environmental ethics that are coded into Syilx literature has been recognized locally and globally, and she serves as a member of the En’owkin Centre.

In 2021, Dr. Armstrong was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) in the area of community, culture and global studies. The fellowship of the RSC comprises over 2,000 Canadian scholars, artists and scientists who are peer-elected as the best in their field and have made remarkable contributions in the arts, humanities, sciences and public life.

“I’m extremely passionate about Indigenous research that advances knowledge and will better guide environmental practices,” says Dr. Armstrong. “At UBC’s Okanagan campus, I know that my research directly contributes to the Syilx Okanagan community, as well as other Indigenous communities, in terms of tangible applications in the betterment of cultural revitalization toward positive change.”

A story to tell

Known for her literary work, Dr. Armstrong has written about creativity, education, ecology and Indigenous rights. Slash, which Dr. Armstrong published in 1985, is considered by many as the first novel by a First Nations woman.

Commissioned by the curriculum project for use as part of a Grade 11 study in contemporary history, Dr. Armstrong wanted Slash to connect with and relate to her students.

Slash explores the history of the North American Indian protest movement through the critical perspective of the central character, Tommy Kelasket, who is eventually renamed Slash. In the novel, Tommy encounters intolerance and racism in an assimilationist school system but his family encourages him to be proud of his Okanagan heritage.

“Slash positions the reader to walk in the moccasins of an Indigenous Okanagan person, encouraging an Indigenous view of that period rather than the one-sided view available in popular media,” says Dr. Armstrong.

In 2016, Dr. Armstrong was named the first First Nations recipient of the George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award, British Columbia’s most prestigious literary honour recognizing local authors. The award recognized Dr. Armstrong’s outstanding contributions to B.C. literature.

Indigenous language fluency

One important project Dr. Armstrong has spent several years working towards is the creation of UBC Okanagan’s Bachelor of Nsyilxcn Language Fluency (BNLF)—a first for Canadian universities.

Developed in collaboration with the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and the En’owkin Centre, the program is designed to work closely with community members to provide a comprehensive and high-quality education in Nsyilxcn, while also helping speakers gain a deep understanding of the language, culture and customs of the Syilx Okanagan Nation.

“The idea that there’s only knowledge in English or French is absolutely not true,” says Dr. Armstrong. “Language is identity. Indigenous knowledge systems and an Indigenous paradigm—how we view the world and how we interact—is deeply rooted in language.”

She adds that the transfer of Indigenous ideas and consciousness can only happen through the knowledge systems that are resident in the language.

“We hope to help foster a revitalization of the Nsyilxcn language in our communities and to see it spread across all domains of community life,” she says. “This is an important step in acting on Indigenous peoples’ rights to develop and transmit their languages, knowledge and oral traditions.”

As part of the University of British Columbia’s own response to the TRC’s Calls to Action, in 2019 UBC Okanagan signed a declaration in front of Elders, chiefs and community members from throughout the Syilx Okanagan Nation, on whose unceded territory UBC Okanagan is located.

The declaration formally committed the university to delivering on five recommendations developed by UBCO’s Aboriginal Advisory Committee. One of those five commitments was to develop activities to support the revitalization of Indigenous language fluency; other recommendations included developing and delivering an Indigenous culture orientation program for all faculty and staff; creating a senior advisor role on Indigenous affairs; advancing Indigenous teaching and research; and expanding health and wellness services to better support Aboriginal students.

“To study in your language and your knowledge systems, which many English speakers take for granted, is not there for Indigenous peoples,” Dr. Armstrong says. “UBC Okanagan is at the cutting edge in making that breakthrough — it’s a powerful statement of reconciliation.”

She adds that the declaration signing was not only an important step for UBCO, but especially for students. “For all students of this institution, there is great opportunity to make change happen so we can have a better future for all our people.”

Canada Research Chair

In 2013, Dr. Armstrong was honoured for her work and was appointed a Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Indigenous Knowledge and Philosophy. Her chair was renewed for another five-year term in 2018 to further research, document, categorize and analyze Okanagan Syilx oral language literature.

Oral Syilx stories contain a wealth of Indigenous knowledge but much of this knowledge is largely inaccessible because no extensive work to date has been undertaken by a fluent speaker.

As CRC, Dr. Armstrong aims to address existing barriers to research within the Indigenous community by surveying, analysing and categorizing Syilx captikwl (oral story) and smamay (legends) from a variety of published and unpublished collections.

Western conventions have created a cultural blindness to Indigenous methods of knowledge documentation in storytelling. As well, analysis of Syilx culture and language contexts has not been conducted using a combination of Syilx story and Western literary conventions.

Dr. Armstrong’s work involves analyzing Syilx traditional knowledge to inform and revitalize contemporary Syilx society. She also contributes to local ecological and sustainability practices, and links story knowledge to such areas as Syilx governance, land use and health. Her analysis is being conducted in the Nsyilxcen Okanagan language and includes approvals by fluent language speakers for accuracy of translations.

“Through my research, my goal is to make the Indigenous knowledge of the Syilx Okanagan accessible, while also providing planning and development support within Syilx Okanagan First Nation communities.”

The post Jeannette Armstrong works to protect Indigenous philosophies and oral Syilx stories appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.

AS A SPOKESPERSON FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS, award-winning writer, activist, novelist and poet Dr. Jeannette Armstrong has always sought to change deeply biased misconceptions related to Aboriginal Peoples.

Dr. Armstrong feels passionately that the best way to accomplish this is through her role as an associate professor of Indigenous Studies in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, where she gets to research, develop, educate and inform the minds of the next generation.

“I get excited when students are inspired and new insights occur,” she says.

Whether it’s in the classroom or the community, Dr. Armstrong cherishes the opportunity to enrich students across a wide variety of topics. Her research into Indigenous philosophies and Okanagan Syilx thought and environmental ethics that are coded into Syilx literature has been recognized locally and globally, and she serves as a member of the En’owkin Centre.

In 2021, Dr. Armstrong was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) in the area of community, culture and global studies. The fellowship of the RSC comprises over 2,000 Canadian scholars, artists and scientists who are peer-elected as the best in their field and have made remarkable contributions in the arts, humanities, sciences and public life.

“I’m extremely passionate about Indigenous research that advances knowledge and will better guide environmental practices,” says Dr. Armstrong. “At UBC’s Okanagan campus, I know that my research directly contributes to the Syilx Okanagan community, as well as other Indigenous communities, in terms of tangible applications in the betterment of cultural revitalization toward positive change.”

A story to tell

Known for her literary work, Dr. Armstrong has written about creativity, education, ecology and Indigenous rights. Slash, which Dr. Armstrong published in 1985, is considered by many as the first novel by a First Nations woman.

Commissioned by the curriculum project for use as part of a Grade 11 study in contemporary history, Dr. Armstrong wanted Slash to connect with and relate to her students.

Slash explores the history of the North American Indian protest movement through the critical perspective of the central character, Tommy Kelasket, who is eventually renamed Slash. In the novel, Tommy encounters intolerance and racism in an assimilationist school system but his family encourages him to be proud of his Okanagan heritage.

“Slash positions the reader to walk in the moccasins of an Indigenous Okanagan person, encouraging an Indigenous view of that period rather than the one-sided view available in popular media,” says Dr. Armstrong.

In 2016, Dr. Armstrong was named the first First Nations recipient of the George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award, British Columbia’s most prestigious literary honour recognizing local authors. The award recognized Dr. Armstrong’s outstanding contributions to B.C. literature.

Indigenous language fluency

One important project Dr. Armstrong has spent several years working towards is the creation of UBC Okanagan’s Bachelor of Nsyilxcn Language Fluency (BNLF)—a first for Canadian universities.

Developed in collaboration with the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and the En’owkin Centre, the program is designed to work closely with community members to provide a comprehensive and high-quality education in Nsyilxcn, while also helping speakers gain a deep understanding of the language, culture and customs of the Syilx Okanagan Nation.

“The idea that there’s only knowledge in English or French is absolutely not true,” says Dr. Armstrong. “Language is identity. Indigenous knowledge systems and an Indigenous paradigm—how we view the world and how we interact—is deeply rooted in language.”

She adds that the transfer of Indigenous ideas and consciousness can only happen through the knowledge systems that are resident in the language.

“We hope to help foster a revitalization of the Nsyilxcn language in our communities and to see it spread across all domains of community life,” she says. “This is an important step in acting on Indigenous peoples’ rights to develop and transmit their languages, knowledge and oral traditions.”

As part of the University of British Columbia’s own response to the TRC’s Calls to Action, in 2019 UBC Okanagan signed a declaration in front of Elders, chiefs and community members from throughout the Syilx Okanagan Nation, on whose unceded territory UBC Okanagan is located.

The declaration formally committed the university to delivering on five recommendations developed by UBCO’s Aboriginal Advisory Committee. One of those five commitments was to develop activities to support the revitalization of Indigenous language fluency; other recommendations included developing and delivering an Indigenous culture orientation program for all faculty and staff; creating a senior advisor role on Indigenous affairs; advancing Indigenous teaching and research; and expanding health and wellness services to better support Aboriginal students.

“To study in your language and your knowledge systems, which many English speakers take for granted, is not there for Indigenous peoples,” Dr. Armstrong says. “UBC Okanagan is at the cutting edge in making that breakthrough — it’s a powerful statement of reconciliation.”

She adds that the declaration signing was not only an important step for UBCO, but especially for students. “For all students of this institution, there is great opportunity to make change happen so we can have a better future for all our people.”

Canada Research Chair

In 2013, Dr. Armstrong was honoured for her work and was appointed a Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Indigenous Knowledge and Philosophy. Her chair was renewed for another five-year term in 2018 to further research, document, categorize and analyze Okanagan Syilx oral language literature.

Oral Syilx stories contain a wealth of Indigenous knowledge but much of this knowledge is largely inaccessible because no extensive work to date has been undertaken by a fluent speaker.

As CRC, Dr. Armstrong aims to address existing barriers to research within the Indigenous community by surveying, analysing and categorizing Syilx captikwl (oral story) and smamay (legends) from a variety of published and unpublished collections.

Western conventions have created a cultural blindness to Indigenous methods of knowledge documentation in storytelling. As well, analysis of Syilx culture and language contexts has not been conducted using a combination of Syilx story and Western literary conventions.

Dr. Armstrong’s work involves analyzing Syilx traditional knowledge to inform and revitalize contemporary Syilx society. She also contributes to local ecological and sustainability practices, and links story knowledge to such areas as Syilx governance, land use and health. Her analysis is being conducted in the Nsyilxcen Okanagan language and includes approvals by fluent language speakers for accuracy of translations.

“Through my research, my goal is to make the Indigenous knowledge of the Syilx Okanagan accessible, while also providing planning and development support within Syilx Okanagan First Nation communities.”

The post Jeannette Armstrong works to protect Indigenous philosophies and oral Syilx stories appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.

AS A SPOKESPERSON FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS, award-winning writer, activist, novelist and poet Dr. Jeannette Armstrong has always sought to change deeply biased misconceptions related to Aboriginal Peoples.

Dr. Armstrong feels passionately that the best way to accomplish this is through her role as a professor of Indigenous Studies in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, where she gets to research, develop, educate and inform the minds of the next generation.

“I get excited when students are inspired and new insights occur,” she says.

Whether it’s in the classroom or the community, Dr. Armstrong cherishes the opportunity to enrich students across a wide variety of topics. Her research into Indigenous philosophies and Okanagan Syilx thought and environmental ethics that are coded into Syilx literature has been recognized locally and globally, and she serves as a member of the En’owkin Centre.

In 2021, Dr. Armstrong was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) in the area of community, culture and global studies. The fellowship of the RSC comprises over 2,000 Canadian scholars, artists and scientists who are peer-elected as the best in their field and have made remarkable contributions in the arts, humanities, sciences and public life.

“I’m extremely passionate about Indigenous research that advances knowledge and will better guide environmental practices,” says Dr. Armstrong. “At UBC’s Okanagan campus, I know that my research directly contributes to the Syilx Okanagan community, as well as other Indigenous communities, in terms of tangible applications in the betterment of cultural revitalization toward positive change.”

A STORY TO TELL

Known for her literary work, Dr. Armstrong has written about creativity, education, ecology and Indigenous rights. Slash, which Dr. Armstrong published in 1985, is considered by many as the first novel by a First Nations woman.

Commissioned by the curriculum project for use as part of a Grade 11 study in contemporary history, Dr. Armstrong wanted Slash to connect with and relate to her students.

Slash explores the history of the North American Indian protest movement through the critical perspective of the central character, Tommy Kelasket, who is eventually renamed Slash. In the novel, Tommy encounters intolerance and racism in an assimilationist school system but his family encourages him to be proud of his Okanagan heritage.

“Slash positions the reader to walk in the moccasins of an Indigenous Okanagan person, encouraging an Indigenous view of that period rather than the one-sided view available in popular media,” says Dr. Armstrong.

In 2016, Dr. Armstrong was named the first First Nations recipient of the George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award, British Columbia’s most prestigious literary honour recognizing local authors. The award recognized Dr. Armstrong’s outstanding contributions to B.C. literature.

INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE FLUENCY

One important project Dr. Armstrong has spent several years working towards is the creation of UBC Okanagan’s Bachelor of Nsyilxcn Language Fluency (BNLF)—a first for Canadian universities.

Developed in collaboration with the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and the En’owkin Centre, the program is designed to work closely with community members to provide a comprehensive and high-quality education in Nsyilxcn, while also helping speakers gain a deep understanding of the language, culture and customs of the Syilx Okanagan Nation.

“The idea that there’s only knowledge in English or French is absolutely not true,” says Dr. Armstrong. “Language is identity. Indigenous knowledge systems and an Indigenous paradigm—how we view the world and how we interact—is deeply rooted in language.”

She adds that the transfer of Indigenous ideas and consciousness can only happen through the knowledge systems that are resident in the language.

“We hope to help foster a revitalization of the Nsyilxcn language in our communities and to see it spread across all domains of community life,” she says. “This is an important step in acting on Indigenous peoples’ rights to develop and transmit their languages, knowledge and oral traditions.”

As part of the University of British Columbia’s own response to the TRC’s Calls to Action, in 2019 UBC Okanagan signed a declaration in front of Elders, chiefs and community members from throughout the Syilx Okanagan Nation, on whose unceded territory UBC Okanagan is located.

The declaration formally committed the university to delivering on five recommendations developed by UBCO’s Aboriginal Advisory Committee. One of those five commitments was to develop activities to support the revitalization of Indigenous language fluency; other recommendations included developing and delivering an Indigenous culture orientation program for all faculty and staff; creating a senior advisor role on Indigenous affairs; advancing Indigenous teaching and research; and expanding health and wellness services to better support Aboriginal students.

“To study in your language and your knowledge systems, which many English speakers take for granted, is not there for Indigenous peoples,” Dr. Armstrong says. “UBC Okanagan is at the cutting edge in making that breakthrough — it’s a powerful statement of reconciliation.”

She adds that the declaration signing was not only an important step for UBCO, but especially for students. “For all students of this institution, there is great opportunity to make change happen so we can have a better future for all our people.”

CANADA RESEARCH CHAIR

In 2013, Dr. Armstrong was honoured for her work and was appointed a Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Indigenous Knowledge and Philosophy. Her chair was renewed for another five-year term in 2018 to further research, document, categorize and analyze Okanagan Syilx oral language literature.

Oral Syilx stories contain a wealth of Indigenous knowledge but much of this knowledge is largely inaccessible because no extensive work to date has been undertaken by a fluent speaker.

As CRC, Dr. Armstrong aims to address existing barriers to research within the Indigenous community by surveying, analysing and categorizing Syilx captikwl (oral story) and smamay (legends) from a variety of published and unpublished collections.

Western conventions have created a cultural blindness to Indigenous methods of knowledge documentation in storytelling. As well, analysis of Syilx culture and language contexts has not been conducted using a combination of Syilx story and Western literary conventions.

Dr. Armstrong’s work involves analyzing Syilx traditional knowledge to inform and revitalize contemporary Syilx society. She also contributes to local ecological and sustainability practices, and links story knowledge to such areas as Syilx governance, land use and health. Her analysis is being conducted in the Nsyilxcen Okanagan language and includes approvals by fluent language speakers for accuracy of translations.

“Through my research, my goal is to make the Indigenous knowledge of the Syilx Okanagan accessible, while also providing planning and development support within Syilx Okanagan First Nation communities.”

SOMETIMES SCIENCE leads to discoveries that change society. Sometimes societal changes open the door for scientific advancement.

Zach Walsh, Associate Professor of Psychology, studies medicinal cannabis use. He says we are at an historic turning point in the public perception and use of medicinal plants, and our understanding of how to use them to help people suffering from a variety of issues.

Why Psychology?

“We are at an extraordinary intersection of a social-change movement and scientific explosion that will directly affect the lives of people around the globe,” he says. “Canada and British Columbia are leading the way in the acceptance of using cannabis for therapeutic purposes. Canada was among the first countries in the world to have a medical cannabis program.”

CONNECTING TO THE COMMUNITY

Dr. Walsh, who is a registered clinical psychologist and co-director of the Centre for the Advancement of Psychological Science and the Law at UBC’s Okanagan campus, balances his work as a clinical psychologist with his active research program.

“Researching the medicinal use of cannabis allows for a mix of applied and theoretical perspectives, and gives people in the community answers to pressing issues. The place where community engagement and high-quality science mix is a rewarding place to be as a researcher and an educator.”

SUPPORTING STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

Since joining UBC Okanagan in 2009, Walsh has supervised students through the Irving K. Barber School Undergraduate Research Award program, which gives undergraduate students the opportunity to pursue innovative and original research.

He also believes in the importance of students working in the community to see the “big picture science” and experience one-on-one contact with practitioners and patient. Students see how research directly affects the lives of people who rely on plant-based medicines.

Walsh’s students have visited local seniors groups to discuss the benefits of medicinal cannabis for ailments such as arthritis, and have presented work at international conferences and to the House of Commons in Ottawa.

UNTANGLING MISCONCEPTIONS

“There is so much we don’t know about the use of medicinal plants,” he says. “Refining medicines derived from cannabis and other plants will have a dramatic effect on the health of Canadians and people worldwide. How do we make the best use of these plants and combine them with other therapies to create better outcomes for people who are suffering?”

Walsh believes British Columbia and UBC Okanagan are perfect places to conduct this type of research. “Our campus is small enough that undergraduates can work closely with faculty and senior researchers, and be involved in high-level research at one of the top research universities in the world.

“And, what better place to study an issue like this than in Kelowna, Canada, where tolerance and freedom are valued and celebrated?”

—by Deanna Roberts

The post Exploring therapeutic uses of medicinal cannabis appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.

SOMETIMES SCIENCE leads to discoveries that change society. Sometimes societal changes open the door for scientific advancement.

Zach Walsh, Associate Professor of Psychology, studies medicinal cannabis use. He says we are at an historic turning point in the public perception and use of medicinal plants, and our understanding of how to use them to help people suffering from a variety of issues.

Why Psychology?

“We are at an extraordinary intersection of a social-change movement and scientific explosion that will directly affect the lives of people around the globe,” he says. “Canada and British Columbia are leading the way in the acceptance of using cannabis for therapeutic purposes. Canada was among the first countries in the world to have a medical cannabis program.”

CONNECTING TO THE COMMUNITY

Dr. Walsh, who is a registered clinical psychologist and co-director of the Centre for the Advancement of Psychological Science and the Law at UBC’s Okanagan campus, balances his work as a clinical psychologist with his active research program.

“Researching the medicinal use of cannabis allows for a mix of applied and theoretical perspectives, and gives people in the community answers to pressing issues. The place where community engagement and high-quality science mix is a rewarding place to be as a researcher and an educator.”

SUPPORTING STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

Since joining UBC Okanagan in 2009, Walsh has supervised students through the Irving K. Barber School Undergraduate Research Award program, which gives undergraduate students the opportunity to pursue innovative and original research.

He also believes in the importance of students working in the community to see the “big picture science” and experience one-on-one contact with practitioners and patient. Students see how research directly affects the lives of people who rely on plant-based medicines.

Walsh’s students have visited local seniors groups to discuss the benefits of medicinal cannabis for ailments such as arthritis, and have presented work at international conferences and to the House of Commons in Ottawa.

UNTANGLING MISCONCEPTIONS

“There is so much we don’t know about the use of medicinal plants,” he says. “Refining medicines derived from cannabis and other plants will have a dramatic effect on the health of Canadians and people worldwide. How do we make the best use of these plants and combine them with other therapies to create better outcomes for people who are suffering?”

Walsh believes British Columbia and UBC Okanagan are perfect places to conduct this type of research. “Our campus is small enough that undergraduates can work closely with faculty and senior researchers, and be involved in high-level research at one of the top research universities in the world.

“And, what better place to study an issue like this than in Kelowna, Canada, where tolerance and freedom are valued and celebrated?”

—by Deanna Roberts

SOMETIMES SCIENCE leads to discoveries that change society. Sometimes societal changes open the door for scientific advancement.

Zach Walsh, Associate Professor of Psychology, studies medicinal cannabis use. He says we are at an historic turning point in the public perception and use of medicinal plants, and our understanding of how to use them to help people suffering from a variety of issues.

Why Psychology?

“We are at an extraordinary intersection of a social-change movement and scientific explosion that will directly affect the lives of people around the globe,” he says. “Canada and British Columbia are leading the way in the acceptance of using cannabis for therapeutic purposes. Canada was among the first countries in the world to have a medical cannabis program.”

CONNECTING TO THE COMMUNITY

Dr. Walsh, who is a registered clinical psychologist and co-director of the Centre for the Advancement of Psychological Science and the Law at UBC’s Okanagan campus, balances his work as a clinical psychologist with his active research program.

“Researching the medicinal use of cannabis allows for a mix of applied and theoretical perspectives, and gives people in the community answers to pressing issues. The place where community engagement and high-quality science mix is a rewarding place to be as a researcher and an educator.”

SUPPORTING STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

Since joining UBC Okanagan in 2009, Walsh has supervised students through the Irving K. Barber School Undergraduate Research Award program, which gives undergraduate students the opportunity to pursue innovative and original research.

He also believes in the importance of students working in the community to see the “big picture science” and experience one-on-one contact with practitioners and patient. Students see how research directly affects the lives of people who rely on plant-based medicines.

Walsh’s students have visited local seniors groups to discuss the benefits of medicinal cannabis for ailments such as arthritis, and have presented work at international conferences and to the House of Commons in Ottawa.

UNTANGLING MISCONCEPTIONS

“There is so much we don’t know about the use of medicinal plants,” he says. “Refining medicines derived from cannabis and other plants will have a dramatic effect on the health of Canadians and people worldwide. How do we make the best use of these plants and combine them with other therapies to create better outcomes for people who are suffering?”

Walsh believes British Columbia and UBC Okanagan are perfect places to conduct this type of research. “Our campus is small enough that undergraduates can work closely with faculty and senior researchers, and be involved in high-level research at one of the top research universities in the world.

“And, what better place to study an issue like this than in Kelowna, Canada, where tolerance and freedom are valued and celebrated?”

—by Deanna Roberts

The post Exploring therapeutic uses of medicinal cannabis appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.

SOMETIMES SCIENCE leads to discoveries that change society. Sometimes societal changes open the door for scientific advancement.

Zach Walsh, Associate Professor of Psychology, studies medicinal cannabis use. He says we are at an historic turning point in the public perception and use of medicinal plants, and our understanding of how to use them to help people suffering from a variety of issues.

Why Psychology?

“We are at an extraordinary intersection of a social-change movement and scientific explosion that will directly affect the lives of people around the globe,” he says. “Canada and British Columbia are leading the way in the acceptance of using cannabis for therapeutic purposes. Canada was among the first countries in the world to have a medical cannabis program.”

CONNECTING TO THE COMMUNITY

Dr. Walsh, who is a registered clinical psychologist and co-director of the Centre for the Advancement of Psychological Science and the Law at UBC’s Okanagan campus, balances his work as a clinical psychologist with his active research program.

“Researching the medicinal use of cannabis allows for a mix of applied and theoretical perspectives, and gives people in the community answers to pressing issues. The place where community engagement and high-quality science mix is a rewarding place to be as a researcher and an educator.”

SUPPORTING STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

Since joining UBC Okanagan in 2009, Walsh has supervised students through the Irving K. Barber School Undergraduate Research Award program, which gives undergraduate students the opportunity to pursue innovative and original research.

He also believes in the importance of students working in the community to see the “big picture science” and experience one-on-one contact with practitioners and patient. Students see how research directly affects the lives of people who rely on plant-based medicines.

Walsh’s students have visited local seniors groups to discuss the benefits of medicinal cannabis for ailments such as arthritis, and have presented work at international conferences and to the House of Commons in Ottawa.

UNTANGLING MISCONCEPTIONS

“There is so much we don’t know about the use of medicinal plants,” he says. “Refining medicines derived from cannabis and other plants will have a dramatic effect on the health of Canadians and people worldwide. How do we make the best use of these plants and combine them with other therapies to create better outcomes for people who are suffering?”

Walsh believes British Columbia and UBC Okanagan are perfect places to conduct this type of research. “Our campus is small enough that undergraduates can work closely with faculty and senior researchers, and be involved in high-level research at one of the top research universities in the world.

“And, what better place to study an issue like this than in Kelowna, Canada, where tolerance and freedom are valued and celebrated?”

—by Deanna Roberts

The post Exploring therapeutic uses of medicinal cannabis appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.

SOMETIMES SCIENCE leads to discoveries that change society. Sometimes societal changes open the door for scientific advancement.

Zach Walsh, Associate Professor of Psychology, studies medicinal cannabis use. He says we are at an historic turning point in the public perception and use of medicinal plants, and our understanding of how to use them to help people suffering from a variety of issues.

Why Psychology?

“We are at an extraordinary intersection of a social-change movement and scientific explosion that will directly affect the lives of people around the globe,” he says. “Canada and British Columbia are leading the way in the acceptance of using cannabis for therapeutic purposes. Canada was among the first countries in the world to have a medical cannabis program.”

CONNECTING TO THE COMMUNITY

Dr. Walsh, who is a registered clinical psychologist and co-director of the Centre for the Advancement of Psychological Science and the Law at UBC’s Okanagan campus, balances his work as a clinical psychologist with his active research program.

“Researching the medicinal use of cannabis allows for a mix of applied and theoretical perspectives, and gives people in the community answers to pressing issues. The place where community engagement and high-quality science mix is a rewarding place to be as a researcher and an educator.”

SUPPORTING STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

Since joining UBC Okanagan in 2009, Walsh has supervised students through the Irving K. Barber School Undergraduate Research Award program, which gives undergraduate students the opportunity to pursue innovative and original research.

He also believes in the importance of students working in the community to see the “big picture science” and experience one-on-one contact with practitioners and patient. Students see how research directly affects the lives of people who rely on plant-based medicines.

Walsh’s students have visited local seniors groups to discuss the benefits of medicinal cannabis for ailments such as arthritis, and have presented work at international conferences and to the House of Commons in Ottawa.

UNTANGLING MISCONCEPTIONS

“There is so much we don’t know about the use of medicinal plants,” he says. “Refining medicines derived from cannabis and other plants will have a dramatic effect on the health of Canadians and people worldwide. How do we make the best use of these plants and combine them with other therapies to create better outcomes for people who are suffering?”

Walsh believes British Columbia and UBC Okanagan are perfect places to conduct this type of research. “Our campus is small enough that undergraduates can work closely with faculty and senior researchers, and be involved in high-level research at one of the top research universities in the world.

“And, what better place to study an issue like this than in Kelowna, Canada, where tolerance and freedom are valued and celebrated?”

—by Deanna Roberts

The post Exploring therapeutic uses of medicinal cannabis appeared first on UBC Okanagan News.

MARY SONG was born an intergenerational residential school survivor. She grew up impacted by facets of colonial residential school, including abuse, lack of affection within the family structure, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

As a teenager, Song found addiction in many forms. In 2004, she lost her partner of eight years to alcohol poisoning. She was lost, struggling to establish a clear identity. Then in 2009, she decided enough was enough. To date, Song has been clean and sober. She’s come a long way and shows no signs of stopping.

Song graduated in 2016 at UBC Okanagan with a BA degree and a continued thirst to learn more about Indigenous survivors of the Residential School System. That turned into her current master’s degree research, which includes intergenerational survivors, the state of bonds within family structures, and the kinds of structures that help people in the community connect to each other and to the land.

Among survivors and their descendants, Song says she’s noticed a pall of negativity—a general lack of optimism and healthy supports. In this, she can empathize.

Song enrolled at UBC’s Okanagan campus in 2013. During her first year in Indigenous Studies, she also began learning about her mother’s history, as her mother was on a journey to tell her story for the first time.

Her world began to shift. Not until she was 30 years old did Song come to understand her mother’s way of living and the reasons why she grew up the way she did.

Hearing her mother’s story inspired Song to push for a clearer understanding of all the systems that played a role in her mother’s life and within her own. This was the motivation behind her first research project: analyzing and evaluating Indigenous student experiences in the education system.

Between UBC projects, Song worked for the School District in Kelowna as an Aboriginal advocate—someone to guide and support young people.

Now her research focus is the Carrier (Dakelh) Nation, specifically the Lejac Residential School in Fraser Lake in BC’s central interior. “My mom’s school,” she says, matter of factly.

Noting how poor communication skills have transcended Carrier generations, Song hopes her graduate pursuits—including aspirations for a PhD—will help to build bonds within family structures.

“The work requires a lot of communication—conversations, family camps, community gatherings, potlucks and learning the Dakelh language.”

THE CIRCLE OF HEALING

Song credits three Indigenous Studies professors at UBC Okanagan who made a difference along the way.

Why Indigenous Studies?

“I am inspired by Dr. Margo Tamez’s use of words, and her passion for working with many Indigenous organizations and groups around the world.

“Dr. Gregory Younging encouraged me to help those who still don’t know why they grew up the way they did, and are still asking those questions.

“And I am ever grateful to Dr. Jeannette Armstrong, who lifted me up and pushed me to find myself within my own personal journey and research area.”

Beyond the people, the services at UBC Okanagan also contribute to Song’s experience.

“Aboriginal Programs and Services has helped me in so many ways,” she says. “There are many resources available, ranging from academic advising, peer mentoring, and networking, that I needed and was provided.”

Song gave back by participating in the Aboriginal Programs and Services’ Peer Mentor Program to help other students find support and resources they needed on and off campus.

HELPING HANDS

Looking back at her undergraduate studies, Song cherishes the learning opportunities, stimulating discussion, and idea sharing in the Indigenous Studies program. Song is particularly passionate about helping indigenous people get to the moment where understanding or forgiveness occurs—to truly heal from trauma.

“Attending the Truth and Reconciliation Conference (TRC) in 2013 opened my eyes to see how much healing is still needed for those affected by residential schools and the Sixties Scoop,” says Song.

“This experience showed me that I am not alone. I am a survivor among many. This is exactly why I am committed to working with children in education, to help empower them and to help these children find their purpose regardless of their upbringing.

“I grew up without grandparents to go to for guidance. As a result, I have sought out and have collected older figures along the way for direction and support.

“Our elders are a very important source of information. They hold the foundation and roots of our culture. There’s much to learn from them, a wealth of knowledge and experience to tap into.

“I hope to one day serve in this role for the younger generation. But for now, I am no longer lost. I have found my calling to help indigenous students in school.”

IN THE PROCESS of helping grassroots movements find their voice, David Lacho also found his own.

As a linguistic anthropologist immersed in research, Lacho has worked to reclaim Indigenous placenames of the land, investigate the unique francophone Madelinot culture, translate a sapient humanoid language from French into English, and plunge into modern technology.

Fresh off of earning a Bachelor of Arts in 2015, Lacho went on a working holiday to teach English to junior- and high-school students in Marseille, France, where he also taught himself how to code.

Upon his return to the Okanagan, he began collaborating with community members of the Splatsin First Nation, the southernmost band of the Secwepemc Nation. Their language, Secwepemctsín, is endangered. Less than one per cent of over 800 band members speak Secwepemctsín and many who do are approaching 90 years old. So Lacho brought his diverse UBC education and knack for language revitalization and technology to the community.

Today Lacho works with the Splatsin Tsm7aksaltn (Splatsin Teaching Centre), where he collaboratively developed an augmented reality app with the community and its elders for language and learning revitalization. The idea evolved from their collaboration and iterative process. “That’s the whole point of it,” he says. “Being directed by community members.”

Jokingly self-described as a kind of “language IT guy,” Lacho is also the recent recipient of UBC Okanagan’s 2018 Master Student Researcher of the Year.

Among other awards, he was one of only 10 Canadian Master’s scholars in 2016 to receive the Canada Graduate Scholarships to Honour Nelson Mandela, awarded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. And, in 2017, Lacho went to do more fieldwork-this time in Papua New Guinea with funds from UBC’s Sharron Simpson Family Community Impact Award, the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences International Education Travel Subsidy, and funds from the National Science Foundation.

There, on the island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, he contributed to The Kala Language Project: Kala Walo Nua, a research endeavour led by UBCO anthropology professors Christine Schreyer and John Wagner, and Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum of Hawaii associate researcher Ken Longenecker.

From his many travels, Lacho has learned a few things.

“There’s something I didn’t understand before I began,” he says. “You’re always connected to your research in some way. You embody it. It becomes a part of you. And it becomes something you can’t just leave behind, especially when you’re doing research in the social sciences.”

PRESERVATION AND PROMOTION

Lacho began his academic journey at UBC’s Okanagan campus through the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences. As a double major in Anthropology and French, his primary area of research was at the intersection of language and culture, with a strong focus on using social media for dialect preservation and promotion.

With funding in the field from the MÎM research project (Mer du changement: une étude des Îles de la Madeleine), and the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research Award, Lacho spent six weeks in Quebec. Here, he researched how French speakers on the Magdalen Islands, a small archipelago in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, identified with their dialect both linguistically and socially, and how they viewed their dialect in relation to other forms of French. The regional municipality of the Magdalen Islands—Îles-de-la-Madeleine—has several dialects of French despite being only 205 square kilometres.

“The dialects of French spoken in the Magdalen Islands are endangered,” he says, “and their potential loss parallels the potential loss of cultural knowledge.”

TWEETING EN FRANÇAIS

Following six weeks of fieldwork, in which he worked extensively with the community conducting participant observation and doing interviews, Lacho developed a website to promote and maintain the diverse Madelinot dialects.

The site includes embedded audio clips and other resources. It also operates like a social-media platform to illustrate how the dialects are intertwined with the community’s sense of identity, pride, and culture. Lacho created YouTube clips and a Facebook page to showcase and share “Le Parler Madelinot [The Local Speech]: a language as colourful as the island houses.” The Twitter handle – #leparlermadelinot —has garnered 300 followers and kept the Madelinot conversation going.

“Not only is there an emotional attachment to your research,” Lacho says, “but you also carry a deep responsibility to the people who shared their stories and knowledge. You make friends. They become a part of you, and you feel an obligation to uphold your promise of change or action that was embodied within your research.

“My research suggested that many people considered their dialect to be inferior to Québécois. This influenced, on some levels, the community’s ability to have a strong voice in the rapid government planning and policy currently affecting the area.”

Assistant Professor Christine Schreyer, an anthropology and linguistics specialist, says Lacho excels at research and is committed to making it have real-world applications. She lauds his work for helping to draw attention to the unique dialects of French, and bringing awareness to the language and dialect diversity in Canada.

“In particular,” Schreyer says, “David’s research has helped individuals in the Magdalen Islands feel more pride in their dialect and has encouraged conversations on the dialects, including finding forgotten phrases and terms in Magdalen French, through the use of social media.”

SPEAKING UP FOR FRINGE CULTURES

Lacho didn’t come to UBC’s Okanagan campus knowing he was going to become passionate about linguistic anthropology and the positive change it can bring to community. Fresh out of a year at culinary school in Winnipeg, he moved in 2010 to Kelowna with designs on living the cultural and recreational B.C. lifestyle.

His first year of university at the Okanagan campus was about exploration—until he ended up in a linguistic anthropology class taught by Schreyer, his soon-to-be mentor. After that class, he was hooked on the close integration between language and culture.

Since March of 2012, Lacho has been involved in four different research projects with Dr. Schreyer, the UBC linguist renowned for creating the Kryptonian language for the Hollywood film Superman: Man of Steel.

First, Lacho helped translate results from Schreyer’s research study about Na’vi—the language created for the blockbuster movie Avatar—from French into English. The next fall, Schreyer hired Lacho as her research assistant on the project “Learning to Talk to the Land: (Re)claiming Taku River Tlingit Placenames,” a community-based mapping project using the GeoLive tool.

“David’s interest and passion in how social media and online technologies can help revitalize endangered languages has made him an invaluable member of our research team,” Schreyer says.

“He approaches his work on this project with great enthusiasm, and he has been involved with the design of the Taku River Tlingit Placenames website since the beginning. He constantly problem-solves design issues, edits and uploads information including audio files and photos, and has been involved with adapting community feedback from the Taku River Tlingit First Nation.”

Most recently, Lacho worked on a research project about the linguistic landscape of Bernard Avenue in downtown Kelowna. “Finding Meaning in Languages” looks to understand how different Kelowna residents notice and understand languages in the city, such as Sylix, the language of the Okanagan First Nations.

Find out more about our Anthropology program

Lacho credits his passion for knowledge and personal transformation to his parents. His mom is an elementary school teacher with Acadian roots who communicates almost exclusively in French with her son, who became fluent early on. “Everything she knows she shares,” Lacho says. “Knowledge isn’t supposed to be kept in a treasure box.”

“I don’t focus on the macro level,” he says. “I’m a micro-level person and believe it’s grassroots movements that change the world. You have to change the system from within. Things like helping small communities find their voice, or preserve their voice, or use their voice—that’s what motivates me.”

Part of his drive comes from the realization that one person can truly make a difference.

“It’s exciting to think you can empower people, and get them excited and motivated and involved in making a positive impact. And anyone can do it.

“I hope that in some way, by following my passion for helping others achieve their goals, I’m able to do my part in bringing about positive global change.”

THE UNIVERSITY OF LIFE

“University has taught me how to think critically and reflectively about my actions in all aspects of my life—personal, academic, career,” says David Lacho, mere months away from graduating with a BA from UBC’s Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences.

“University as an institution is such an amazing concept: People come together and ideas grow and evolve. Ideas are dynamic, always changing.”

When Lacho first arrived at UBC, he says it was to buckle down for a career, before coming to the realization that he could change his perspective on what it means to be in university. He soon learned that any student, any person, can spark change just by taking action.

“It sounds so cliché, but my university experience transformed me into a better global citizen.”

Mentored by Dr. Christine Schreyer, Lacho says he’s had tenure-track professors and sessional instructors alike who have “just blown my mind” during his studies at UBC’s Okanagan campus.

“We have amazing faculty and support staff here,” he says. “There are incredible people. My whole degree wouldn’t be what it is now, my experiences would have never turned out the way they did. The people here at UBC Okanagan are really what make this place so special.”

Credits

Cover photo by Craig Pulsifer
Video by Media Centre | Studio