Open Chats Between Staff and Indigenous Engagement Team

These regular chats with the Indigenous engagement team at Spark are open to all staff, and are opportunities to talk about Indigenous science, relations, protocols or anything else. It is a safe place to learn and share.

Capacity Building Workshops

These ongoing staff workshops encourage education about the original caretakers of the land, history and moving forward together in a good way. Workshops include:

Residential School Journey, a workshop led by Elder Casey Eagle Speaker.

Protocols (for staff and the Spark Board of Directors), led by Kori Czuy, Indigenous Engagement Specialist.

Intergenerational Trauma, a workshop supported by Calgary Foundation.

Indigenous Honoraria Process

With guidance from Spark's Indigenous Advisory Circle, the honoraria process has been amended in a way that respects oral tradition. This applies to Indigenous Elders, experts and community members. Spark understands the significance and impact of decolonizing processes, and created a process that respects Indigenous histories and protocols, while also doing what is required for Spark's accounting processes.

With guidance from Spark’s Indigenous Advisory Circle and Pam Beebe (Kainai), Kori Czuy, Spark’s Indigenous Engagement Specialist, has created a series of documents guiding staff to work alongside Indigenous people and ways of knowing in a good way. This guide is based around the 5 R’s, as inspired by Jo-Ann Archibald (2008): Respect, Responsibility, Reverence, Relevance and Reciprocity.

Indigenous Engagement Specialist:

Kori Czuy, ᒥᐦᑯᐱᐦᐁᓯᐤ, is Cree/Métis Polish, and was born in Treaty 8 by the banks of the Peace River. She is the Indigenous Engagement Specialist at the Spark Science Centre, focusing on bringing together multiple ways of knowing science. Kori is on an ongoing journey to reconnect with and learn from the knowings of the land, as well as helping others connect with the complexities of these knowings alongside Western science.

Her PhD is in storying mathematics; through her research she worked with children and Treaty 7 Elders to explore the depth of mathematics within Indigenous stories.

Indigenous Engagement Coordinator

Taylor is a Cree woman from Kehewin Cree Nation in Treaty 6 territory. She was given the name Tipiskaw Pisim; translating to Grandmother Moon in English. She has been residing on Treaty 7 territory since 2018.

Her background comes from her work with Indigenous non-profits across Canada and her certificate in Event Management from Mount Royal University. She currently operates an Indigenous society focused on bringing culture back to her people.

She enjoys spending time in ceremony, visiting with friends and family, beading, and planning large scale community events.

Taylor has been in recovery since 2019 and works with other Indigenous women to encourage sobriety as a traditional way of life. She brings an upbeat attitude and a curious mind to our team.