Xwi7xwa (pronounced “whei-wha”) means “echo” in the Squamish language. Guided by Raven, symbol of creativity and learning, the Library strives to echo First Nations and Aboriginal voices and scholarship through its collections, instructional services and programs, and guides. Xwi7xwa Library is the only Aboriginal branch of a university library in Canada.
Mapping Knowledges at Xwi7xwa Library
Library collections comprise a vast territory of scholarship, intellectual traditions, cultural histories and memory. The Xwi7xwa Library catalogue maps this territory to reveal the Indigenous content hidden there. It thereby facilitates research, helps students create their own learning paths, and increases Aboriginal awareness for a wider public.
Xwi7xwa Library serves the First Nations House of Learning (FNHL) mandate to make the University’s vast resources more accessible to Aboriginal peoples. It identifies and promotes research of benefit to First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples. By making these resources more accessible, the Library aims to educate the University community and wider community about Aboriginal issues and concerns.
Current Projects: Preserving Memory
Xwi7xwa Library undertakes best practices in the preservation and digitization of unique materials. It develops protocols that respect Aboriginal concerns regarding Indigenous cultural and intellectual property.
Explore Xwi7xwa Library resources:
- UBC Aboriginal Scholars’ Publications database includes more than 350 publications from 45 different scholars
- Aboriginal Research Guides on Aboriginal Studies, Aboriginal Education and Aboriginal Languages.
- First Nations Studies program-approved course lists, and UBC course listings with Indigenous content