Matthew Wildcat Looks Ahead
Dr. Wildcat discusses his plans as a full time member of the Faculty of Native Studies
By: Jordan Mae Cook
Matt Wildcat is an institution builder.
“I self-identify as someone who wants to build sites of Indigenous Education. That’s part of the history of my family,” Wildcat says.
His dad, Brian Wildcat, was the founding superintendent of the unified school system at Maskwacis. His kokum, Theresa Wildcat, was a co-founder of Maskwacis Cultural College, and was most likely the first treaty Indian to graduate as a credentialed teacher from the University of Alberta.
Theresa Wildcat attended Ermineskin Indian Residential School in the 1930’s and 1940’s. The school didn’t go past grade 9. After completing Grade 9 at Ermineskin Residential school, Theresa was enrolled at St. Joseph’s Convent in Red Deer but her grandparents Joe and Emma Minde were responsible for paying for her school fees. In a story Theresa often shared, her family was prepared to support her education, but her Mosum (Grandfather) Dan Minde paid a visit to the Indian Agent to discuss his granddaughter’s enrollment at St. Joseph’s Convent. After Dan Minde’s visit, the arrangements were made for Indian Affairs to cover the costs of Kokum attending high school.
“My [attainment of my] PhD is an 80 year journey of my family advocating for access to sites of education, and taking on the responsibility to build sites of Indigenous education” he says.
Activism and Autonomy
Wildcat grew up in the community of Maskwacis and is a member of Ermineskin Cree Nation. He has a PhD in Political Science from the University of British Columbia, and has been a professor at the U of A for the past 4 years, in a joint appointment between the Department of Political Science in the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Native Studies.
In July of 2023, he joined the Faculty of Native Studies full time.
“I have a deep respect for the people who created this space. It’s actually a complete anomaly that this faculty exists, because there is no other one. Native Studies exists because of Harold Cardinal and his contemporaries with the Indian Association of Alberta intervening and petitioning for a space that is both within and without the university.”
That history of activism and autonomy within the Faculty of Native Studies is the perfect fit for Wildcat’s teaching and research.
He is the Director of the Indigenous Governance and Partnership Program (IGP), taking over from Dr. Shalene Jobin. The position provides him the ability to combine his training with his passion for students and teaching.
“My aim is that the IGP program is able to continue its legacy of benefiting Indigenous communities as a site of Indigenous self determination. It’s wonderful to follow in Shalene’s legacy, she was 15 years at the helm. The trick is not to try to live up to her legacy, but be able to put my own spin on it,” Wildcat says.
To achieve that goal, his plans for the year ahead include evaluating the program of study, including talking to alumni and faculty.
“This first year is about bringing the expertise I have to make sure the certificate program is reaching the biggest audience it can.”
Education and Societal Engagement
His research focus includes continuing his work as the co-director of the Prairie Indigenous Relationality Network. The group has recently applied for a SSHRC Partnership Grant.
“This is a group of about 50 Indigenous scholars that are regularly involved in the type of programming that we do, including running the Indigenous Relationality workshop every fall in Banff, co-founded with Daniel Voth.”
He also is working on his Relational Governance Project, which looks at how First Nations co-govern service delivery organizations together like school systems.
“Relational governance is ultimately meant to help people identify forms of authority, citizenship and law that work towards building Indigenous institutions. Additionally, relational governance provides the mechanism to help people conduct the public dialogue necessary to make decisions collectively,” Wildcat says.
What keeps Wildcat inspired is his passion for education and societal engagement.
“How do we hold ourselves to the highest standards and get traction? We need to value our knowledges and make sure we are having the most societal impact.”
