Citation Help

Some of the citation styles below have been created by Lorisia MacLeod. Thank you for allowing these to be further shared through a CC BY-NC 4.0 Creative Commons License (Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International). To read the full article on this topic select the following link:

MacLeod, L. (2021). More Than Personal Communication: Templates For Citing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers. KULA, 5(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.18357/kula.135

Additional Information on Citing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers

Royal Roads University has a writing guide that, while specifically created to reflect the traditions and teachings of the Coast Salish, can offer insight into the importance of community specific terminology when citing and referencing information pertaining to Indigenous Peoples. To read their full writing guide select the following link:

Royal Roads University Four Feathers Writing Guide

Additionally, Gregory Younging's book Elements of Indigenous style: a guide for writing by and about Indigenous Peoples (2018) can provide further guidance and is available both in physical and online copies through the University of Calgary Library catalogue. Younging's book can be found at the following link:

Younging, G. (2018). Elements of Indigenous style: a guide for writing by and about Indigenous Peoples. Edmonton, Alberta: Brush Education.

The APA Style Guide (7th Edition) contains guidance on how to cite traditional knowledge or oral traditions of Indigenous Peoples under Section 8.9: Personal Communications.

Citing this material is often dependent on whether and how the information has been recorded. For example, if the information is in video format, in a book, in an article, etc. you can cite the information in text using the appropriate format for that type of source. (Section 10.12 Example 90 in APA Style Guide (7th Edition) outlines how to cite a recording on YouTube; Section 10.13, Example 95 in APA Style Guide (7th Edition) outlines how to cite a recorded interview).

Best practice recommends careful examination of material to ensure the accuracy of information pertaining to Indigenous Peoples. As each Indigenous community differs, it is important to work closely with Indigenous people to ensure that information is accurate and to clarify community-specific titles. For example, some communities have "traditional Knowledge Holders" instead of "Knowledge Keepers."

How to cite Indigenous Elders & Knowledge Keepers

Unlike other personal communications, Elders and Knowledge Keepers are cited in-text and in the reference list. The in-text citation should follow the same guidelines noted for a paraphrase or direct quote:

Name of Elder/Knowledge Keeper with year of communication.

Delores Cardinal described the nature of the... (2018).

OR

The nature of the place was... (Cardinal, 2018).

How to reference Indigenous Elders or Knowledge Keepers

Format:

Last name, First initial., Nation/Community. Treaty Territory if applicable. Where they live if applicable. Topic/subject of communication if applicable. personal communication. Month Date, Year.

Example:

Cardinal, D., Goodfish Lake Cree Nation. Treaty 6. Lives in Edmonton. Oral teaching. personal communication. April 4, 2004.

Source: Lorisia MacLeod, 2021

Unlike most other personal communications, Elders and Knowledge Keepers should be cited in-text and in the reference list.

The citation format for the reference list follows the following format:

Last name, First name., Nation/Community. Treaty Territory if applicable. City/Community they live in if applicable. Topic/subject of communication if applicable. Date Month Year. 

Cardinal, Delores., Goodfish Lake Cree Nation. Treaty 6. Lives in Edmonton. Oral teaching. 4 April 2004. 

Note: If you would like to approach an Elder or Knowledge Keeper for teachings, remember to follow protocol or if you are unsure what their protocol is, please ask them ahead of time.

Source: Lorisia MacLeod, 2021

This citation template was developed in consultation with the University of British Columbia’s Xwi7xwa Library Student Librarian Bronwen McKie and follows the guidelines of  Elder Citation developed by Librarian Lorisia MacLeod (James Smith Cree Nation) at NorQuest College. The citation was further modified by Lekeyten, Kwantlen First Nation Elder and Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Elder in Residence. It is recommended that you use this citation model for Elder’s in British Columbia while at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

Below is a template to use when citing Elders or Knowledge Keepers in the Chicago format. If an Elder or Knowledge Keeper has a traditional name they wish to use, simply replace the “Last name, First names” with their traditional name. If there are any other discrepancies between the citation style and the Elder or Knowledge Keepers wishes, always follow the Elder or Knowledge Keepers’ wishes.

Bibliography

Last Name, First Names (Elder/Knowledge Keeper), Nation. Topic/subject of communication if applicable. Personal communication. Territorial Acknowledgement of where the information was shared. Month Date, Year.

Lekeyten (Elder), Kwantlen First Nation. Community Justice. Personal communication. Shared on the traditional unceded territory of the Kwantlen, Musqueam, Katzie, Semiahmoo, Tsawwassen, Qayqayt, and Kwikwetlem Peoples. April 9, 2019.

First Footnote

First Names Last Name (Elder/Knowledge Keeper), Nation, Topic/subject of communication if applicable, Personal communication, Territorial Acknowledgement of where the information was shared, Month Date, Year.

Lekeyten (Elder), Kwantlen First Nation, Community Justice, Personal communication, Shared on the traditional unceded territory of the Kwantlen, Musqueam, Katzie, Semiahmoo, Tsawwassen, Qayqayt, and Kwikwetlem Peoples, April 9, 2019.

Source: ELDER & KNOWLEDGE KEEPER CITATION: CHICAGO, Indigenous Information Literacy (2022).

The current McGill Guide (10th Edition) for Legal Citations includes a section on Indigenous Treaties that can be found in Rule 4.2.5.2. This information can be found on our LAW Legal Citation Page.