Tracking Indigenous Roots
Coffee Chat
Photo Courtesy of Chris Albrecht
TRACKING INDIGENOUS ROOTS
Presented by the Aboriginal Genealogy Association
Discussion Leader - Sharon Syrette
Facilitator - Sheila Albrecht
“The way of knowledge is like our old way of hunting. You begin with a mere trail – a footprint.
If you follow that faithfully, it may lead you to a clearer trail – a track – a road.
Later on there will be many tracks, crossing and diverging one from the other.
Then you must be careful, for success lies in the choice of the right road.”
– Many Lightenings Eastman, SANTEE SIOUX
Meeting dates for the beginning of 2026 are on the calendar.
February 26th and April 30th - the last Thursday of the month
2:30 pm to 4:00 pm (via Zoom)
Join us to network and exchange information about indigenous ancestors, where and how to research. The focus of each meeting will be a collaborative sharing, what you know, and what you are looking for.
*Via Zoom - Register HERE at least 24 hours ahead of time .
BCGS Members - Please include your BCGS membership number
Affiliate Society Members - please include the name of your Affiliate Society plus the current secret word.
Guests - If you would like to attend as a guest, please type in the word “guest”. We welcome guests to attend a coffee chat once but we require them to become members if they wish to continue attending.
Once you have registered, you will be notified of future Tracking Indigenous Roots Coffee Chats automatically and do not need to re-register. You will also receive a reminder email a day or two ahead of each chat.
You can cancel your registration via a link in your Zoom Confirmation Email.
For questions about this coffee chat please email webeditor@bcgs.ca.
Announcements
& News
Please refer to the BCGS Calendar of Events to see when the next coffee chat is scheduled.
Relevant Books in the BCGS Library
Below is a sampling of books held in the BCGS library that focus on Indigenous, Metis & Inuit Genealogical Research. Browse our Library Catalogue to see what other resources we have. There are currently 150 listings. Reference Books must remain in the library but all others can be borrowed by BCGS members for two weeks.
The Genealogy of The First Metis Nation, The Development and Dispersal of The Red River Settlement 1820-1900 (1983)
SPRAGUE, D. N.; FRYE, R. P.
Call No. 970.004 SPRInvisible Generations, Living Between Indigenous and White in the Fraser Valley (2019)
BARMAN, Jean
Call No. 970.004 BARDuck Lake Cemetery with Genealogies and Local History (2016)
HAYES, Robert M.; CAMPBELL, Susan D.
Call No. 970.004 KDGS CNorthwest Half-Breed Scrip - 1885 (1997)
MORIN, Gail
Call No. 970.004 MORWhere Happiness Dwells: A history of the Dane-Zaa First Nations (2013)
RIDINGTON, Robin; RIDINGTON, Jillian in collaboration with elders of the Dane-Zaa First Nations
Call No. 970.004 RIDThe Long Exile - A true story of deception and survival in the Canadian Arctic (2007)
MCGRATH, Melanie
Call No. 970.004 MCGManitoba Scrip (1996)
MORIN, Gail
Call No. 971.27 MORRed River Settlement (Manitoba) Census 1827-1835, 1838, 1840 & 1843 (2016)
MORIN, Gail
Call No. 971.27 MOR
Handouts & Research Aids
Just as the bear left its tracks in the mud (pictured above), our ancestors left a trail for us to follow as we research our roots.
The handouts, below, contain many resources to assist us in our quest. They have been developed and provided by Sharon Syrette of the Aboriginal Genealogy Association.
Indian Status in Canada - Chart & Info
BC History & Background Resources
Canadian Provincial Archives Summary
Guide to Researching Family History at Surrey Libraries, Cloverdale Branch: Indigenous/Metis
Start Your Family Tree - a general research guide developed by the Aboriginal Genealogy Association.
Indigenous Genealogy Research at Library and Archives Canada
For some additional books and resources that may help with your research or serve to provide some historical background, click the buttons below.