Introducing the Indigenous Knowledge Systems Lab (IKS Lab) at Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig
Logo by Carrianne Agawa, Artist-in-Residence with IKS Lab at Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig
about our logo
Artwork by Carrianne Agawa, IKS Lab Artist-in-Residence
The artist, Carrianne Agawa, wanted to highlight the color schemes of Norval Morriseau's artwork in the logo as a homage to Norval's traditional woodland art and the bright colors he used to convey our traditional stories. Looking towards the future and sitting in the direction of the western doorway, the Indigenous astronaut - neither fe/male - holds a book as if reading the stories it has yet to tell. It is the researcher, the one who sees both worlds upon Ska-gamik kwe, who sits with Nokimos as they chart the cosmos for all our relations. The astronauts' boots have teepee threads to remind them that no matter where they explore they will know who they are and where their home is.
Our story
After many moons of yarning over bowls of tea with Dr. Tyson Yunkaporta, Apalech Clan in far North Queensland, Australia, and author of Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World, Dr. Melanie Goodchild founded the IKS Lab in 2024. The Lab was launched at Makwa Waakaa'igan (Algoma University) and is now housed at Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig, an Indigenous post-secondary institute. The Shingwauk IKS Lab is a sister entity to the IKS Lab at Deakin University, founded by Melanie's relative Tyson Yunkaporta. In 2024 Dr. John Davis, Joshua Waters and Stephanie Beck travelled from Australia to Bawating (place of the rapids) where Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig is located for kinship and embassy ceremonies to link the two sister labs.
Dr. Melanie Goodchild & Dr. Tyson Yunkaporta, Founder & Senior Research Fellow at IKS Lab, Deakin U
ketegaunseebee
PhD Candidate and Senior Research Fellow Joshua Waters and Dr. John Davis from IKS Lab at Deakin visiting Ketegaunseebee (Garden River) First Nation for ceremonies with Dr. Melanie Goodchild and family, May 2024
Stephanie beck
Artist Stephanie Beck, IMAGI-NATION Ko-Founder, Beck Design Studios and AIME visiting Ketegaunseebee First Nation for ceremonies with Dr. Goodchild and family, May 2024
Professor song
Artist Stephanie Beck and Professor Song visit Algoma University campus in Baawaating to ko-llaborate on the IKS Lab sister entities, May 2024
OUr methodology
Yarns "are like conversations but take a traditional form we have always used to create and transmit knowledge," says Tyson Yunkaporta. Yarning over cups of Niibiishabo (tea) is our approach for exploring the sacred space between ideas, worldviews and mental models! Our method is called ComplexiTEA, Dr. Goodchild leads transformative change projects and processes that begin by sitting around ishkode (fire) and having cups of tea together. Tapping into the brilliant thought patterns of our Anishinaabe ancestors, tea is mashkiki (medicine) that helps us ingest and metabolize the stories we hear.
Meet the Team
We are delighted to introduce you to our caravan of kindred spirits, complexity geeks and artistic souls
Founder
Dr. Melanie Goodchild
Founder and Senior Fellow with IKS Lab. Relational Systems Thinking designer.
Artist-in-Residence
Carrianne Agawa
Zhaa Ankwad Kwe (Yellow Cloud Woman) aka Carrianne Agawa is our Artist-in-Residence and Senior Fellow with IKS Lab. She is an Art and Expressive Arts therapist and owner of Maadjitiwin Consulting.
Senior Fellow
Joshua cubista
Joshua Cubista is a Senior Fellow with the IKS Lab. He is the Transformative Research Scholar at the Community Engaged Scholarship Institute at the University of Guelph.
spiritual advisors
We are delighted to introduce you to our special knowledge holders, cultural advisors, spiritual helpers, Elders and cross pollinators from pluriversal systemic traditions
Cultural Advisor
Dr. Dan Longboat/Roronhiakewen (he clears the sky)
Dr. Longboat is Haudenosaunee, Turtle Clan is from the Six Nations community on the Grand River. He is an Associate Professor in the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies at Trent University. We are so grateful he is one of the IKS Lab cultural advisors. He promotes using a “Good Mind” as part of our responsibilities in taking the collective actions needed to restore the Earth for the next seven generations. Dr. Longboat is Dr. Melanie Goodchild's Uncle and she is his niece, bringing strong kinship energy to our work.
Cultural Advisor
Melissa Roberts
Melissa Roberts, Anishinaabe, is an Elder, knowledge keeper, powwow dancer, grandmother and retired educator. We are so grateful that she brings her makwa (bear) healing energy to the IKS Lab. Melissa is a consultant, facilitator and speaker. She leverages her deep roots in Anishinaabe teachings to enhance educational offerings. She actively develops and facilitates interactive online sessions tailored to Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners, focusing on cultural competency, practices, and modern challenges Indigenous communities face. She is a maker of things and pollinator of ideas.
Senior Fellow
Vanessa reid
Vanessa Reid is an architect of cultural evolution who works at the intersection between systems and soul. She co-founded the Living Wholeness Institutewhich works around the world to co-create cultures and communities of practice dedicated to systems transformation amidst complexity, collapse and chaos. Vanessa has Masters degrees in both architecture and process-oriented psychology and brings her depth of practice and wild perspective to her work with the Wolf Willow Institute for Systems Learning and the Trailblazery’s Hedge School, lauded for its ‘exploration of the possible.’
Tea sharpens and clears the mind, eases all tensions - be they mental or physical - and promotes a calm so deep that all the worries and troubles of everyday life are dispelled for a while.