Presence – A Research Guide to Indigenous Materials at the CDMLA

A finding aid highlighting videos, ephemera, publications  and other records created by, with, or about Indigenous peoples within the archive.

Additions and Corrections

If you have come across materials at the CDMLA that have not been included in this guide or would like to contribute your own materials or understandings please contact us! We also welcome corrections, additions or additional context you may have for material descriptions – respecting the people who were involved and their stories is very important to us. We know that this is an imperfect project and only the beginning of doing right by these materials and those involved.

This guide’s current content is shaped by the particular knowledge of the originating archivist and what they were able to discover, with a focus on naming communities, places and non-producer contributors. However all materials are not present and it was not possible to name all communities and contributors with what is present in the materials themselves.

Feedback and Concerns

If you have suggestions or feelings you’d like to share about the guide or ideas for improvement, feedback is always welcome. This is an imperfect tool that documents complex sometimes challenging or harmful materials and legacies as well as moving and impactful works by Indigenous creators.

Support

Some of the materials cover potentially challenging topics. Terminology, names and language used in materials also reflects the time of their creation. Other materials reflect the biases and racism of settler producers or collaborators.  If you’d like to discuss or debrief any of the materials or need support please call or email.

As well, navigating archival collections and websites can be daunting and sometimes difficult or confusing. CDMLA staff are here to support you in connecting with the materials and contributors you are interested in.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us. library@vivomediaarts.com