About Musqueam
We are traditional hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ speaking people. Today, we are a strong, growing community of over 1,300 members. We live on a small portion of our traditional territory, known as the Musqueam Indian Reserve, located south of Marine Drive near the mouth of the Fraser River. The name Musqueam relates back to the River Plant, the name of the plant is məθkʷəy̓. There is a story that has been passed on from generation to generation that explains how we became known as the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) - People of the River Plant. We have always moved throughout our territory using the resources it provides for fishing, hunting, trapping and gathering. We remain distinct and our cultural practices are strong, despite the devastating impacts of residential schools, colonial laws banning our ceremonies, and other attempts to assimilate our people. Our lands and waters continue to support our cultural and economic practices while serving as a source of knowledge and memory, encoded with our teachings and laws. To learn more about Musqueam, please visit www.musqueam.bc.ca

Position Summary: Archives Researcher

Musqueam Archives’ Researcher (the Researcher) will serve a foundational role in building hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language access from materials held in Musqueam’s Archives and those obtained from external institutions. Working within the Archives and Research Department, under supervision of the Senior Archivist, the Researcher will work with Musqueam’s Archives, and in consultation with the Language and Culture Department, on the identification and acquisition of Coast Salish language resources. The researcher will also analyze these materials and enter language and traditional use data into our databases (e.g., ethnobiology and language databases) for comparative research, access, and to support outreach.

Duties:
Resource Identification and Research

Assist in the identification and acquisition of Coast Salish language resources,

Travel to heritage institutions to acquire resources, where required,

Research and identification of Unicode code points or means of representation for non-Musqueam hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ orthographies, e.g., from other languages/dialects and legacy orthographies.

Digitization

Assist in digitization of audio (open reel and cassette) and textual language resources with the Archives and Research Department,

Database design and Entry

Database development and refinement where required,

Entry of language data into Musqueam’s databases,

Prior Knowledge:
Three years of hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ training required,

Knowledge and understanding of Musqueam’s orthography required,

Knowledge of related dialects/languages and their orthographies an asset or ability to learn,

Proficiency with Word, Excel, Microsoft Office required,

Database development, especially in FileMaker, or willingness to learn,

Digitization of audio and textual records experience or willingness to learn,

Working Conditions:
Work is performed in in several environments: an office environment, cultural spaces, at public events, and in heritage institutions,

Some remote work may be approved by the Language and Culture Coordinator

Work deals with bulk materials up to 18kg

Must be legally allowed to work in Canada or able to get a valid permit by one week prior to start date