Elder knowledge online
Lorisia MacLeod and Rachel Chong
Many websites claim to offer Indigenous Knowledge and information online. Not all sources are credible. Always approach online sources with caution. To help guide you in selecting credible sources of online information we have selected a few examples below that offer credible Elder information online, along with the reasons these items are being published respectfully.
Examples
Ravenspacepublishing.org
When entering this virtual space, all visitors are greeted with a coming ashore message which outline the respectful Protocol governing the online space, ravenspacepublishing.org. When looking at books, each author introduces themselves, their family, and the Protocol engaged in the creation of the published material. (Raven Space Publishing, 2020)
fourdirectionsteachings.com
This virtual space acknowledges that Elders were respectfully approached through the National Advisory Committee of Indigenous Peoples. The Elders who contributed are all listed, along with their Nations. I also read the background work that went into this website – published in A Digital Bundle: Protecting and promoting Indigenous Knowledge Online by Jennifer Wemigwans – to learn more about the Protocol and ceremony that went into doing this work in a good way such as attending a sweat lodge, feasting, and giveaway ceremonies (Four Directions.com, 2012; Wemigwans, 2018).
indigenouslanguage.ca
Indigenouslanguage.ca identifies each Elder who contributes. Elders share information in their Indigenous language and no translations are made. This limits the audience and ensures relational accountability (Circle of Indigenous Languages, n.d.).
voicesoftheland.org
This digital public space is meant to amplify the stories of Indigenous Peoples across Canada building on the Voices of Amiskwaciy project which focused on Edmonton region voices. “Protocols are available for stories that require proper consent and safe-guarding strategies.” (Voices of the Land, n.d.)
Supporting Indigenous Language Revitalization
The University of Alberta has put together a collection of digital recordings that collect Elder knowledge in relation to language preservation and revitalization. Some of the information shared is sacred and under Protocol may only be shared with individuals following the Elder’s permission (Ostrowski, 2026).
Indigenous Oral Stories Series
Kwantlen Polytechnic University has developed a collection of short films that follow Elder teachings from the land. Stories may be viewed, but any publications, presentations, or other uses of these stories are restricted, unless given explicit permissions (Kwantlen Polytechnic University, 2025). This modified legal framework for the recordings better acknowledges Indigenous principles of ownership noted in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP, 2008) and the First Nations Information Governance Center’s recommendations on Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession OCAP® (First Nations Information Governance Center, 2026)
