“When you say ethical leadership… Do we need to put ‘ethical’ in there? Leadership should be ethical to be begin with, right? It’s one and the same.” — Mixalhíts’a7

Foreword

This chapter reflects a cross-cultural conversation between the book authors (Alana, Olubukola, and Rumana) and two St’at’imc matriarchs (Mixalhíts’a7 and Grizzlypaws). We have chosen to maintain the integrity of that conversation by sharing portions of the dialogue, oral stories, and lessons embedded within them to reflect and honour an Indigenous epistemology that is relational and dialogic in a way that demonstrates our commitment to decolonizing research methodologies (Smith, 2023).

The conversation that follows discusses Indigenous leadership approaches from a St’at’imc perspective. Rather than presenting the transcribed conversation verbatim, we themed portions, removing some of the small talk, filler words (e.g., “like” and “hmmm”), and unfinished thoughts that naturally occur when friends gather to ruminate on complex topics like leadership.

You will notice that we interspersed the conversation with short thematic paragraphs that we saw emerge from the conversation. We acknowledge that the need to organize and categorize information to make the lessons explicit reflects a Western epistemology that has a preference for reductionist ideologies. This theming may detract from the typical circular, interconnected style common to many Indigenous peoples (Wilson, 2008). However, we verified that these themes accurately reflect the intent of the conversation and made changes based on our conversations with Mixalhíts’a7 and Grizzlypaws.

Author Introductions

Laura Grizzlypaws proudly identifies with her ancestral name, ‘Stálhalamcen — Grizzly Paws’ and is of St’át’imc descent. From the ancestral lands of her people, she emerges as an ardent advocate for Indigenous knowledge and education. With a Master of Education in Education Foundation Land-Based Education, a bachelor’s degree with minors in Linguistics and First Nation Studies, and a Bachelor of Education in Curriculum Development and Instruction, Grizzlypaws is deeply committed to academic excellence. Her dedication has earned her recognition, including a Language Heroes award for her contributions to the British Columbia Salishan language family. Beyond academia, Grizzlypaws excels in music and athletics. Her albums “Come Home” and “Muzmit.stumc” reflect her commitment to language preservation and cultural expression. In athletics, she has achieved remarkable success in fitness competitions, earning medals and accolades. Grizzlypaws recently authored “Sulyalesta,” a children’s book celebrating St’át’imc language and culture, further solidifying her impact in Indigenous education. Currently pursuing her Doctor of Education Leadership at Simon Fraser University, Grizzlypaws continues to merge traditional practices with contemporary education, leaving a profound legacy in Indigenous knowledge and academia.

Mixalhíts’a7, a proud member of the St’at’imc Nation and a devoted mother of three, embodies the values of her Indigenous culture in all facets of her life. She has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education degree from Simon Fraser University and a master’s degree from the University of British Columbia; she is also a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Waikato in New Zealand under the supervision of esteemed scholar Dr. Linda Tuhiwai Smith. Her research intertwines academia with ancestral wisdom, centering on storywork, a profound method of healing and reclaiming narratives, focusing on the experiences of her mother and two sisters at residential school and their subsequent journey to healing. Through her research, she seeks to amplify Indigenous women voices, honour intergenerational research and resilience, and contribute to the ongoing process of truth and reconciliation. Mixalhíts’a7 is deeply committed to language revitalization efforts within her community. She is currently entering her third year in the language mentor-apprentice program for St’at’imcets. Her experience as a former classroom teacher in Indigenous-based schools further informs her research and advocacy work, grounding her academic endeavours in the realities of Indigenous education. Guided by Indigenous values of reciprocity, respect, and interconnectedness, Mixalhíts’a7 continues to be a trailblazer in the field of Indigenous education, weaving together traditional knowledge with contemporary scholarship to create meaningful change.

Historical Impacts of Colonization on Indigenous Leadership Practices

Indigenous communities have been practicing leadership since time immemorial. As Herns Jensen (2024) asserted, “Indigenous peoples’ history did not begin with colonialism.” However, when we engage in a conversation about Indigenous leadership, specifically St’at’imc perspectives of leadership, it is essential that we consider the impacts of colonization in Canada and how colonialism has (mis)shaped systems of governance and leadership within Indigenous communities. Kenny (2012) reminded us that Indigenous leadership has taken on many forms: “autonomy, imperialism, colonization, resistance, and renaissance” (p. 1). Here, we offer a discussion between two St’at’imc matriarchs on the ongoing processes of colonization and decolonization that influence leadership and governance in Canada, including gender roles; the relationship between land, language, and leadership and identities for Indigenous communities; and efforts to regain traditional matriarchal leadership models amidst the ongoing struggle to integrate Indigenous knowledge and practices within a predominantly Western educational system.

— Mixalhíts’a7: You have a system where women are the decision-makers. And then, you are forced to construct a system that is alien — a system that is patriarchal in nature. Sadly, the matriarchal conception of leadership changed with the Indian Act and with residential schools. Colonizers forced patriarchal systems upon us. Now, it seems men think, “women are below us”; that we’re toxic during our moon time. Now, women must cover their bodies so that we can’t see their cleavage; they must wear long skirts. That makes my mom so upset. When she was young, women didn’t have those restrictions. They didn’t have to cover their bodies; women weren’t body shamed for showing skin. They weren’t ashamed of their bodies. Colonial ideologies have changed how women are perceived; women have been devalued.

— Grizzlypaws: Some of the concerns that arise from ethical leadership stem from historical challenges in our Indigenous communities, including the oppression that Indigenous communities have faced… centuries of colonization, oppression, and marginalization. It still creates hurdles for many Indigenous leaders to assert their role and be heard. There is a lack of representation of Indigenous leaders within their communities. Even amongst Indigenous community members, there are biases and lateral violence because of colonization, which are perpetuated by misunderstandings and persistent discrimination from non-Indigenous peoples.

— Mixalhíts’a7: Electing a chief and council on the reserve was a forcibly imposed colonial idea of leadership. This was how the Canadian government communicated that they did not want to promote a matriarchal system. It gave a lot of power to men and allowed that alien patriarchal system to infest on our reserves, infecting our communities. Where men were now feeling like, “Oh! I run the show!” Colonial teachings are still present and are reflected in our day-to-day life. For example, my mom talked about how we pray. She explained that when we pray, St’at’imc people do not stand up and bow our heads. But we see that happening a lot in our communities. Traditionally, we used to sit on the floor, touch Mother Earth, and look up at the sky. This causes confusion — people don’t know how to behave — which has created an internal conflict within our communities. Some people will say, “Look, she’s not standing while praying.” But it is because we’re trying to go back to the actual traditional way of doing things. The misconceptions are still strong.

Decolonization and Indigenization in Educational Leadership

The constructs of learning and leading are contextual: geographically, culturally, linguistically, and socially. Students’ learning is deeply influenced by their identity: how they see themselves and how the world sees them. Yet, as Herns Jensen (2024) argued, “Western models of education still continue to devalue and de-legitimize Indigenous knowledge systems, and public-school systems still systematically discriminate against Indigenous parents and children.” Alternatively, from a St’at’imc perspective, learning is a communal endeavour. Yet Western educational systems are individualistic, competitive, and, as a result, adversarial (Blackstock, 2007).

From a St’at’imc perspective, intergenerational learning is highly valued. McLeod (2012) described an intergenerational framework for female First Nations leadership based on an adaptation of medicine wheel teachings that positions the leader as a learner informed by personal reflections on experiential relationships and connections. Yet Western educational systems often ignore students’ prior learning and the learning developed through family and community connections (Chrona, 2022). As Grizzlypaws and Mixalhíts’a7 discuss, the challenge of decolonizing systems inherently designed for oppression requires a paradigm shift and reconciliation between two divergent worldviews; this requires that we go beyond superficial measures and open our minds to new ways of viewing learning and leadership. It means adopting a holistic approach to educational leadership that recognizes the interconnectedness of land, water, and all living things, encompassing physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

— Mixalhíts’a7: How do you decolonize a system that was meant to oppress?

— Grizzlypaws: Power imbalances within educational institution create challenges for Indigenous leaders, educators, and learners, and it has impacted what we have seen and experienced serving on university committees and trying to engage in decision-making processes. There is a hard imbalance between the traditional Indigenous approach to education and Western educational systems. There are already limited resources and a lack of support, which negatively impacts cultural preservation. Institutions set up 10-year strategic plans outlining a commitment to truth and reconciliation but then make it impossible for Indigenous leaders to follow their way of leadership. To move in the direction of Indigenous ways of leadership, we must commit to decolonization, cultural responsiveness, and inclusivity within educational institutions. It involves creating space for Indigenous leaders to be able to thrive and for non-Indigenous peoples to provide them with support without taking over or imposing their own beliefs of what “good” leadership looks like. We need to look at polices to facilitate truth and reconciliation and honour self-determination of Indigenous peoples.

— Mixalhíts’a7: Nothing is truly Indigenous unless you are out on the land, speaking the language, and following the principles and worldviews of the local Indigenous nation.

— Grizzlypaws: The diversity of Indigenous peoples is important with regards to the land and being the stewards of our land. For our Indigenous communities, we teach each student that it’s the interconnectedness of the land, water, and all living things and that holistic approaches to education encompass physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of well-being. There must be integrity and accountability for institutions. There must be a demonstration of actions that respect the traditional knowledge systems of any cultural group. There must be a relationship based on trust, honesty, and reciprocity that benefits the local Indigenous communities and advances the institution toward honouring reconciliation. That’s pretty much it.

— Mixalhíts’a7: The university says they want to decolonize Robert’s Rules of Order. How do you do that? What does that look like? Do we have an Elder here? Do we have the voice of students? Are we doing that in an authentic way? Sometimes, it’s okay to have Robert’s Rules or another type of meeting structure. It has its place in the setting; it does its job, and we must do what we must do. But we can’t just do something to say we decolonized it just to get the check mark. “Look at us, we decolonized our meetings and we’re sitting in a circle and we’re taking turns talking,” but shouldn’t we be doing that anyways? It doesn’t need to be a decolonial Indigenous thing.

— Grizzlypaws: Not all Indigenous knowledge should be shared with institutions. Institutions are always grabbing and taking Indigenous knowledge for their advantage, or what they perceive as Indigenous knowledge. We must make sure there is cultural sensitivity and an environment that respects but also honours the diversity of Indigenous cultures, languages, and traditions.

— Mixalhíts’a7: I chose the University of Waikato, New Zealand, as my university to do my PhD research because I didn’t want that tokenism from another Western institution to hold space for the story that I wanted to share and the story of my mom. That give-back piece. Giving back to my mom because she’s the one that drove me to education. I grew up with the belief that you need to get an education to survive and walk in both worlds. The University of Waikato is based on Indigenous knowledge. My supervisor (Linda Tuhiwai Smith) is renowned, and I knew that our story would be safe.

St’at’imc Leadership Ethics

Kenny (2012) starts her chapter on “Liberating Leadership Theory” by calling us to “let the children lead” (p. 2) and to envelope them in the wisdoms of the land, ancestors, elders, and story. This theory of leadership is based on the belief that children are inherently good and that it is our duty to recognize and nurture their strengths (Chrona, 2022).

Alana recalls experiencing this strengths-based perspective firsthand; she has been transformed by three immersive experiential learning opportunities focused on St’at’imc family, culture, and teaching and learning. During these immersive experiences, her teachers did not tell her how to be inclusive; they modeled inclusivity, and she felt included. It was in the way they described a son as observant rather than anti-social or a daughter as brave rather than shy — with the emphasis placed on their strengths rather than perceived weaknesses. It was how events were structured so that everyone could participate in song and dance, regardless of age, skill, or access to resources. She will never forget when a St’at’imc child handed her a drum so that she could join the circle. She had never drummed before, as she was not a member of the St’at’imc community, but she felt welcomed and like she belonged.

Ethical leadership also involves cultural sensitivity and inclusion. In “Elders’ Teachings on Leadership,” Leon (2012) reminded us that “providing relevant cultural content is essential in Indigenous leadership education” (p. 55). This includes acknowledging and respecting the diversity of Indigenous cultures and ensuring that Indigenous knowledge is appropriately integrated and protected within educational settings.

— Mixalhíts’a7: Leadership is looking at the strength of an individual and providing a safe space and opportunities to flourish, and we need to do that right to make strong leaders that are going to be thoughtful of others. I notice the things that students gravitate towards and give them space to honour their strengths based on their personality traits and skills. I had one student that was always raising his hand, always questioning, always engaged with the topics that I was teaching. I saw him as taking a spokesperson role when things came up. I gave him opportunities to go up in front of class because that’s where he really shined. Whereas others… maybe that’s not their strength. Maybe they’re more artistic. Our job as matriarchal leaders is to help students find their passions and their strengths and to create opportunities for them to become a leader in terms of the things that they are passionate about. We notice something in somebody, and we want them to be good at it. Like an artist, if they’re carving and that’s their passion; the other people might be carving too, but you notice something in an individual and so you start their training. They train to be the master of a skill that is innate but needs to be nurtured. You notice a sparkle in someone, so you make sure that they have every opportunity to be the best they can be.

— Grizzlypaws: It involves rooting leadership in the values and traditions of cultural practices of Indigenous communities. Some of the key principles of ethical leadership are looking at respecting culture, and recognizing values, culture, and traditions of that specific community. Making sure that knowledge is integrated into the community programs or the educational institutions that they are engaged with, even the curriculum decision-making processes. Cultural sensitivity must be acknowledged for ethical leaders to promote inclusion in educational settings. Leaders need to seek the input of Indigenous community members, including Elders, parents, even students, and Knowledge Keepers, and involve them in decision-making processes. St’át’imc women historically held leadership roles in their communities. For thousands of years, many Indigenous communities followed a matriarchal form of leadership and governance. Women’s deep cultural knowledge and innate abilities helped create peace and prosperity within their communities. Many Indigenous women face ethical dilemmas in educational and leadership roles, including balancing cultural responsibilities with the demands of operating within a colonial framework. Much work needs to be done to reclaim and honour traditional matriarchal roles in the face of colonial influences.

— Mixalhíts’a7: When you say ethical leadership… Do we need to put “ethical” in there? Leadership should be ethical to be begin with, right? It’s one and the same.

— Grizzlypaws: Indigenous women have historically held important leadership roles within our families, communities, and society. Now, we are re-teaching our families and community members and advocating for the rights of Indigenous women. Indigenous women are trying to mend our daughters, our children, our aunties, and our grandmothers so that we can regain our cultural knowledge and traditional ways and laws. Indigenous women must undergo our own healing and reconciliation process to address the historical traumas and loss of our traditional ways. A lot of the work that I do involves taking responsibility and accountability for my community’s grief and loss. This involves taking accountability for the impact of colonization and oppression.

— Mixalhíts’a7: The older generation — my mom’s brothers — they know that the aunties and the woman are the ones that make decisions about family, schools, and education. The men sit and listen, and then they go and make it happen. They go and build the school or whatever needs to be done, but it’s always based on the direction of the women. Leadership is communal, but the women know. They make empathetic ethical decisions. It’s ingrained in them as a woman.

— Grizzlypaws: As members of historically matriarchal communities, women are reclaiming their role. There is an Indigenous movement of women advocating to reclaim their identities as leaders. Education is one component of reclaiming my life as a matriarchal leader. Those that do the hard work of being accountable for their grief are the ones that are going to create change.

— Mixalhíts’a7: When you reflect on what it means to be an Indigenous matriarch, it encompasses the four quadrants of spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional. It means being strong and uplifting others. How are you living in relation to those four quadrants on a day-to-day basis? If you’re not actively looking after yourself then how can you be a good leader? How can you make good decisions when you’re eating five bags of chips? As a matriarch, you must set a good example for other women. You must actively learn your language and know your songs. You might not be an expert, but you’re working at it. It’s the same with your health. Like Grizzlypaws said, women must take responsibility and accountability for their actions. We need to constantly be checking in on these types of things so that our children have the capacity to be the best that they can be. I had a conversation this morning with a colleague who is BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, person of colour) about leadership and taking on leadership roles, but we have no desire to be in those positions because we would be emotionally drained. We would have to conduct ourselves in a way that was inauthentic. I would struggle daily trying to maintain myself as an Indigenous person or leader. If we gave preference for an Indigenous student, or Indigenous issue, it would be seen as playing favourites. Yet, no one questions leaders who prioritize dominant norms. I see my leadership role as being in my community, focusing on teaching the Indigenous content with my children and the students. That is how I show up as a leader.

Ethical leadership from a St’át’imc perspective involves respecting and integrating Indigenous values, traditions, and knowledge systems into educational practices and decision-making processes. Ethical leaders strive to empower and uplift learners using a strengths-based lens. The summary table below highlights the primary objectives of St’at’imc matriarchal leadership, including the core principles, which are based on the St’at’imc Seven Laws of Life (see Bull (in press) for an in-depth review of these laws), and the benefits of adopting this framework for analyzing ethical dilemmas.

Recommended Readings

• The St’at’imc Seven Laws of Life as Rylee Bull by Rylee Bull (in press), Knowledge Makers
• Daughters of Copper Woman, by Anne Cameron (1981), Press Gang Publishers (available on Internet Archive)

• Indigenous women’s approaches to educational leadership: Creating space for Indigenous women in education by Robin Starr Zape-tah-hol-ah Minthorn and Heather J. Shotton (2019), International Journal of Human Rights Education  

References

Blackstock, C. (2007). The breath of life versus the embodiment of life: Indigenous knowledge and western research. World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium Journal, 4(1), 67–79. https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=62c3a8948620060677d50b30d7b29b34bc10ee99

Bull, R. (in press). The St’at’imc seven laws of life as Rylee Bull. Knowledge Makers Journal, 9(1).

Cameron, A. (1981). Daughters of copper woman. Press Gang Publishers.

Chrona, J. (2022). Wayi wah! Indigenous pedagogies: An act for reconciliation and anti-racist education. Portage & Main Press.

Herns-Jensen, J. (2021). Home. Engaging With Indigenous Research 101. https://indigenousresearch.trubox.ca/

Herns-Jensen, J. (2024). Situating ourselves. Engaging With Indigenous Research 101. https://indigenousresearch.trubox.ca/module-1/ethical-interactions/

Kenny, C. (2012). Liberating leadership theory. In C. Kenny & T. N. Fraser (Eds.), Living Indigenous leadership: Native narratives on building strong communities (pp. 1–14). UBC Press.

Leon, A. Y. (2012). Elders’ teachings on Indigenous leadership: Leadership as a gift. In C. Kenny & T. N. Fraser (Eds.), Living Indigenous leadership: Native narratives on building strong communities (pp. 48–63). UBC Press.

McLeod, Y. G. (2012). Learning to lead kokum style: An intergenerational study of eight First Nation women. In C. Kenny & T. N. Fraser (Eds.), Living Indigenous leadership: Native narratives on building strong communities (pp. 17–47). UBC Press.

Minthorn, R. S. Z., & Shotton, H. J. (2019). Indigenous women’s approaches to educational leadership: Creating space for Indigenous women in education. International Journal of Human Rights Education, 3(1). https://repository.usfca.edu/ijhre/vol3/iss1/6

Smith, L. (2023). Decolonizing research methodologies (3rd ed.). Zed Books.

Wilson, S. (2008). Research is ceremony: Indigenous research methods. Fernwood Publishing.