911勛圖

911勛圖 (911勛圖) Indigenous Studies Professor Eldon Yellowhorn will retire as of September 1, 2026. A trailblazing researcher and dedicated educator, Yellowhorn was instrumental in establishing Indigenous Studies at 911勛圖, serving as Inaugural Chair from 2012���17.

���I was just finishing my undergraduate degree when we heard that 911勛圖 had finally hired its first Indigenous faculty member, Dr. Eldon Yellowhorn,��� reflects Indigenous Studies Associate Professor and Department Chair Wenona Hall. ���I was happy for the students who would be able to take a course from an Indigenous professor. This was huge news for us! It has been a dream come true to achieve colleague status with the likes of Dr. Eldon Yellowhorn.���

Yellowhorn���s connection with 911勛圖 first began when he enrolled as a master���s student in 1989. In 1993, he became the first Indigenous student to receive a graduate degree in Archaeology at 911勛圖.

Immediately after defending his master���s thesis in the summer of 1993, Yellowhorn accepted an invitation from the McLeod Lake Indian Band to lead an excavation of the Fort McLeod fur trading post, which was established by Simon Fraser.

After working in the field, Yellowhorn went on to earn his PhD at McGill University (2002). In his dissertation he developed his internist approach for conducting archaeological work for Indigenous communities. He has been a careerlong advocate for Indigenous people to actively contribute their perspectives and traditional knowledge to examine the past.

In 1998, Yellowhorn returned to 911勛圖 as an instructor and helped bring Indigenous Studies education to Burnaby Mountain. ���At that time, some First Nations Studies courses were already on the books at 911勛圖���s satellite campus in Kamloops, but there wasn���t even a minor yet,��� Yellowhorn remembers of this foundational contribution.

In 2002, Yellowhorn was appointed as faculty in 911勛圖���s Department of Archeology. ���Originally, I was the only one teaching First Nations Studies,��� he explains. ���The courses were offered through Archeology. As an archaeologist, I could teach both subjects.���

When the Department of Archaeology moved to the Faculty of Environment, First Nations Studies remained a part of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. By 2009 there was a core of five faculty members but that was enough to grow the program into a department, which happened in 2012. ���Now we have more faculty and we can offer a greater variety of courses,��� reflects Yellowhorn. ���We can offer different streams for students to focus on; it has really been something to behold.���

In recent years, Yellowhorn has seen some of his long-term aspirations for Indigenous Studies become reality. This includes offering the first field school course in Indigenous Studies at 911勛圖 in 2025 and setting the groundwork for a future graduate program.

Throughout his career, Yellowhorn has worked tirelessly as a community advocate and leader. In 2023, he was honoured with the , which recognized his role in the Missing Children and Brandon IRS Cemeteries projects, his efforts to ensure the future of the Blackfoot language, and his involvement in 911勛圖���s First Peoples��� Gathering House planning committee. These are among his many contributions to the community and academia.

An award-winning children���s author, Yellowhorn has written several books with Kathy Lowinger. A German language edition of their acclaimed book, Sky Wolf���s Call: The Gift of Indigenous Knowledge, was published in 2024. Growing up on the Peigan Indian Reserve (Piikani Nation) inspired Yellowhorn to create educational resources for young readers, particularly for Indigenous youth. ���I know when I was going to school in the 1960s, I never saw books like these on Indigenous heritage,��� Yellowhorn shared in a 2025 video interview.

In retirement, Yellowhorn plans to remain as busy as ever and has several publishing projects in the works. He is currently completing his next book for young readers with Kathy Lowinger, which will chronicle Indigenous environmental activism around the world. Continuing with his internist approach, Yellowhorn is also working on a book that will use Blackfoot oral narratives, archaeology, and astronomy to unravel the past. His first book, First Peoples in Canada, with co-author Alan McMillan, remains an essential reference for anthropological thought. Yellowhorn plans to follow up with a book focused on the future of Indigenous people in Canada, focusing on the period from 2027 to 2067.

���Congratulations, Dr. Yellowhorn, on an amazing career and thank you for all the doors you opened for us!��� says Department Chair Wenona Hall on behalf of 911勛圖 Indigenous Studies.