Indigenous

Voices of the Land: Echoing Currents creates space for Indigenous design students to be heard

A growing collection of Indigenous voices

Dark book titled “Voices of the Land: Echium Currents” rests on a colorful woven textile, creating a calm, artistic scene.
Estimated Read Time:
2 minutes
Voices of the Land: Echoing Currents
Voices of the Land: Echoing Currents
Estimated Read Time:
2 minutes

The Indigenous Design and Planning Students Association (IDPSA) at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Manitoba, has released the second edition of Voices of the Land, continuing a series that creates space for Indigenous student voices in design and planning.

Following the 2021 publication of Voices of the Land: Indigenous Design and Planning from the Prairies, the new volume, Voices of the Land: Echoing Currents, showcases the research, design projects and creative visions of 14 IDPSA students representing a range of nations across Turtle Island and all four departments in the Faculty of Architecture: Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Interior Design and City Planning. The publication also contains profiles of IDPSA members and alumni and pays homage to Elder Valdie Seymour, the Faculty’s inaugural Elder-in-Residence.

The series began as a way to continue honest conversations around inclusion and representation in design education throughout Turtle Island and to inspire the next generation of Indigenous designers, who remain severely underrepresented in architecture and design.

This publication is about creating room for Indigenous designers and planners to share their perspectives, strengthen their identities and confidently express their voices within the field.

Julien Tetrault, co-editor

More than documenting student work

Voices of the Land extends beyond showcasing student projects. The publication encourages readers to reflect on the role of culture in design and planning, the stories and lived experiences embedded within creative work, and the realities of navigating design education as Indigenous students. Through these perspectives, it highlights both the challenges and the possibilities of bringing Indigenous knowledge, values, and ways of seeing into the built environment.

The first edition documented IDPSA student work and featured interviews with Indigenous alumni, offering a glimpse of emerging Indigenous design leaders and demonstrating what the integration of Indigenous knowledge can bring to architectural education. Its featured projects explored subjects including justice for Indigenous women, intergenerational trauma and the cultivation of sacred spaces, while reflecting a shared principle of honouring the land through design and architecture.

The second edition builds on this foundation while responding to the evolving experiences, ambitions and concerns of Indigenous students pursuing design-related disciplines. By celebrating established voices and elevating emerging ones, the publication helps preserve and share Indigenous perspectives in design, contributing to an ongoing record of creativity, resilience and leadership within the field.

We hope this publication inspires people across Turtle Island and beyond, just as earlier editions inspired the talented voices and creative thinkers featured throughout its pages.

Daerion 'Dae' Williams, co-editor

A hand holds “Voices of the Land: Evolving Currents,” a dark blue book with white map-like lines, resting atop a stack of copies. Photo by Ayla Simone
Hands hold an open illustrated book with portraits, text, and collage art, resting on a colorful woven textile; an informative, reflective scene. Photo by Ayla Simone
Open art book showing detailed architectural sketches of rural structures, titled “Voices of the Land: Echoing Currents,” on a colorful woven textile.

Creating space for Indigenous and non-Indigenous designers

The impact of the publication extends beyond Indigenous students. By bringing Indigenous knowledge, perspectives and design practices into conversation with architectural education and professional practice, Voices of the Land creates opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous designers to learn from one another and to think differently about the relationship between design, culture, land and community.

That conversation is reflected in work connected to IDPSA, including its participation in discussions around Indigenous knowledge, design innovation and climate action, as well as Siwilaaks/Learning: Indigenous Pathways to Climate Change Adaptation. The Faculty’s Atmosphere 17: Kinship symposium also reimagined design discourse through Indigenous worldviews.

The new volume begins by paying homage to Elder Valdie Seymour, whose mentorship, teachings and gentle care created spaces of belonging within the faculty. His Seasonal Ceremonies encouraged students and faculty to pause, come together and receive teachings from an Elder or Knowledge Keeper — making space for reflection as part of the design process.

As Voices of the Land continues to grow, so does the body of young Indigenous designers represent within the design industry. The publication offers Indigenous students a space to see their voices, knowledge and creativity reflected, while inviting non-Indigenous designers to listen, learn and consider how Indigenous perspectives can continue to shape a more inclusive design education and profession.

For copies of the 2nd edition contact: PARTNERSPROGRAM@umanitoba.ca 
Voices of the Land 1st Publication Digital Copy