Introduction to Indigenous Histories
Primary records pertaining to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis histories may be accessed through digital sources, libraries, and archives. Such records might include:
- English, French and Indigenous language newspapers
- Memoirs, autobiographies, and testimonies
- Poetry and artistic work
- Oral histories
- Images
- Governmental records
- Church records
Please note that not all records pertaining to First Nations communities are freely available to the general public. Refer to the First Nations Information Governance Centre's First Nations Principles of OCAP to learn more about principles for collecting, protecting, sharing, and using First Nations data in your research.
Additional Guides and Resources
- British Columbia Assembly of First Nations - Interactive MapUse this interactive map of British Columbia to see the location of Indigenous communities.
- First Peoples' Map of B.C.Explore and contribute to the interactive map of the Indigenous Languages, Arts and Heritage in B.C.
- Indigenous FoundationsAn information resource on key topics relating to the histories, politics, and cultures of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada.
- Early Canadiana Online This link opens in a new windowEarly Canadiana Online (ECO) is a full text, searchable, online collection of more than 3,000 books and pamphlets documenting Canadian history from the first European contact to the late 19th century.
Subject: History.
Finding Primary Sources at Douglas College Library
Some primary sources are available in print, DVD, or audio formats through Douglas College Library OneSearch (note: these sources will be reprints of original documents):
To find them, start with a KEYWORD search on your topic selecting keyword(s) and combine it with one of the following terms, using the word "AND":
- Correspondence
- Letters
- Personal narratives
- Interviews
- Diaries
EXAMPLE: indigenous AND personal narratives
Try a search in the Douglas College Library OneSearch below.
Image credit: Thomas Hawk
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/legalcode
