Tips on Repatriating Archival Materials to Your CKK
Over the past decade, extensive digitization has made archival documents more accessible and user-friendly than ever. The sheer volume of available resources, however, can be overwhelming. Archival institutions’ websites often lack clear user instructions, resulting in a trial-and-error research process that can be time-consuming and frustrating.
Last year, Kwusen researchers taught an upper-level Anthropology class at the University of Victoria. Students undertook archival research at dozens of institutions, asking many questions along the way.
Based on student experiences and our own expertise, we’ve put together a brief list of some of the archival research resources available online, as well as some tips on how to efficiently and effectively search them. These archives can be searched from the comfort of your own home or office, and documents of interest can easily be uploaded to your CKK.
Online Archival Document Sources
1. Government Documents: Heritage Canadiana
Heritage Canadiana is an open access database managed by the Canadian Research Knowledge Network in partnership with Library and Archives Canada. It contains tens of thousands of microfilm records from the Department of Indian Affairs, the Indian and Inuit Affairs Program, and numerous other collections. Many microfilm records are text searchable.
What can I find here?
You can find Indian Affairs Record Group 10 (RG10) records, which are historical records from the Department of Indian Affairs. RG10 records include everything from correspondence between Indian Agents and the Department, reserve surveys, notes regarding reserve boundaries and land disputes, records of legal complaints, and census information.
What is the best way to search this archive?
By keyword. If you search for phrases in quotes, such as “reserve boundaries,” the database will search for microfilm pages that contain the entire phrase. Once you have searched a term, the database will show you which microfilm reels contain the word or phrase you are looking for. Specifically, it will show you the pages in a given reel that include the word or phrase. Simply click on the hyperlinked page number and you will be taken to your search results.
Helpful Hint
There’s a useful RG10 finding aid from the Union of BC Indian Chiefs that can assist you in your research. Simply search a key term in the finding aid, review the reel numbers of the results, and search the reel number in Heritage Canadiana.
2. Maps: Norman B. Leventhal Research Center Map Collection
The Norman B. Leventhal Map Collection contains high resolution historical maps that are easily searchable and downloadable. You can zoom in on a map, download its bibliographic information (i.e. the date of the map, or the name of the cartographer), and geo-reference the map right on the website.
What can I find here?
High resolution maps of British Columbia and Canada, including topographic surveys, explorer maps, Railway Belt maps, road maps, maps showing train routes, and maps showing the location of natural resources, to name a few. The best part is that you can download a high-resolution version of each map with a click of a button!
What is the best way to search this archive?
By keyword. Try “British Columbia,” or “Indian Reserve.” Broad keywords like this work best in this particular archive, as it contains maps from around the world organized by high-level descriptors.
Helpful Hint
After viewing a map, scroll down and click “cite.” Now you can copy an automatically generated bibliographic reference and add it to the CKK. This will ensure you can always find this map again in the future.
This map is a portion of a larger exploratory survey, dated 1874, showing potential routes of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The map identifies an “Indian Village,” several trails, and an “Indian suspension bridge” in the Babine Lake area. Image courtesy of the Norman B. Leventhal Map Collection.
3. Reserve Surveys: Canada Lands Survey System
The Canada Lands Survey System is an online repository of legal survey records. Most of the records have been digitized and are easily downloadable.
What can I find here?
Indian Reserve surveys and field-books. This includes reserve surveys stretching back to the late nineteenth century, which often show the location of Indigenous villages, fishing sites, and trails. Reserve surveys show rights-of-way transecting reserves, including highways, railroads, and transmission lines. They also show the size of a reserve, which sometimes changes over time. Observing changes in reserve size can be particularly useful in monitoring the appropriation of reserve land over time. For example, in the 1910s, the McKenna McBride Commission cut-off thousands of acres of reserve land, significantly reducing reserve land base.
What is the best way to search this archive?
By the name of the reserve. Scroll down to the “Canada Land” category in the Survey Plan Search and start typing the name of the reserve. It should start to auto-fill. Select the reserve you want to research, press “search,” and review the results. Click on each “Plan Number” to review its details and download a .tif or .pdf file.
Helpful Hint
Interested in a particular time period? Click on the “Plan Number” and scroll down to the “Date Surveyed” to filter the results by time period.
Questions or thoughts?
Get in touch with our Indigenous Rights Research Manager, Alissa Cartwright, at alissa@kwusen.com. The Kwusen team is currently developing an archival research training program that we can offer to Indigenous organizations. Please feel free to contact us for further information!
Please note that the information contained in this post is meant to provide initial guidelines for how to best access these databases only. If you’re unsure on any matters pertaining to copyright or usage, the institution responsible for maintaining these digital archives should be consulted.