The Deyohahá:ge Indigenous Knowledge Centre at Six Nations Polytechnic has launched a new research partnership with the University of Waterloo to advance Hodinohsó:ni archival research and rematriation efforts. Announced on April 10, 2026, the collaboration aims to help communities reclaim and preserve cultural materials and knowledge.
The initiative is co-led by Dr. Talena Atfield, a Canada Research Chair at the University of Waterloo, and Stevie Jonathan, the Director of the Deyohahá:ge Indigenous Knowledge Centre. The project is supported by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Partnership Engage Grant, which provides funding for these collaborative research activities.
As part of the work, the team has visited several institutions in the United Kingdom, including the Pitt Rivers Museum, the British Museum, the British Library, and the British National Archive. These visits are intended to help researchers review Hodinohsó:ni cultural materials and initiate dialogues regarding access and the eventual return of these items. The partnership will focus on culturally responsive practices, such as ensuring respectful representation, using appropriate descriptive language, and establishing protocols for handling sacred materials.
The name Deyohahá:ge means Two Roads in the Cayuga language, representing the centre’s mission to combine ancestral knowledge with modern academic research. This partnership provides students with opportunities to engage in community-based research, archival documentation, and language revitalization efforts.
While the research partnership focuses on cultural preservation, Six Nations Polytechnic continues to provide services to the broader community through its Brantford campus at 411 Elgin Street. The campus hosts the SNP Career Hub, which offers local residents support with résumés, interview coaching, and job searches.
