Indigenous Research Resources

A selected list of digital collections containing sources associated with storytelling, oral traditions, and historical materials on Canada’s Indigenous Peoples.

Omushkego Oral History Project
A library of recordings of legends, mystery stories, and oral history of the Omushkegowak or “ Swampy Cree” people of the Hudson and James Bay Lowlands of northern Manitoba and Ontario.

The materials were recorded Louis Bird, an Aboriginal scholar, storyteller, and performer. A transcript accompanies each recording.

The Virtual Museum of Métis History and Culture: Oral Histories and Traditional Stories Collection
Traditional Métis culture was orally based and the oral tradition has always been its key component. A collection of traditional Métis stories on audio and video.

Early Canadiana Online
A digital collection of fiction and nonfiction in Indigenous languages (Ojibwa, Chinookan, Mi’kmaq, Iroquoian, Cree and others), English, and French published from the time of the first European settlers up to the early twentieth century.

Indigenous Peoples of North America
Primary sources reflecting the impact of invasion and colonization on Indigenous Peoples in North America, and the intersection of Indigenous and European histories and systems of knowledge in manuscripts, books, newspapers, photographs, motion pictures, images of artwork, and more.

Includes Native stories, legends, and mysteries recorded by white settlers and scholars and published in books and journals.

Additional Resources

University of Toronto Libraries
Other major research resources (reference sources and journal databases) in the field of Indigenous Studies.

Indigenous Digital Collections
An annotated list of online libraries housing digitized materials related to the Indigenous Peoples, organized geographically.

Canadian Literature & Poetry in English: First Nations
A research guide with anthologies of Indigenous stories and plays, available as electronic books from the University of Toronto Libraries.

First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Publishers and Distributors
A research guide with publishers of books who specialize in releasing fiction and nonfiction titles by and about First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.

Indigenous Book Club and Discover Indigenous Authors
A annotated list of graphic novels, movies, podcasts, fiction and nonfiction titles, in addition to other works created by Indigenous authors and artists.