Dennis Thomas-Whonoak joins UBC Sauder to increase Indigenous engagement

Dennis Thomas-Whonoak is a business and community leader and elected councillor for the Tsleil-Waututh Nation in North Vancouver. He recently joined the UBC Sauder School of Business as Executive Director of Indigenous Business Initiatives and Engagement. In this newly created role, Dennis will support the school in its efforts to strengthen relationships with Indigenous peoples and communities. From his office in the Henry Angus building, he talked about his work and the power of education.  

You have an MBA and a background in entrepreneurship. What attracted you to this role in academia?

I was motivated to take this role because I think there is growing momentum for truth and reconciliation within this academic institution and the wider community. UBC is the first university across Turtle Island to adopt the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and UBC has its own Indigenous Strategic Plan. So the tools are in place, we have blueprints to follow, and I think times are changing. I’m excited about the impact that I can have on Indigenous students. With better educational opportunities, they will rebuild our Indigenous economy. 

What are some cultural lessons that students should know when engaging with Indigenous peers?

Students should learn about their own rich history and culture, and if they cannot learn about their own, then they should learn about the local Indigenous history. Indigenous communities across Turtle Island are distinct from one another and have diverse backgrounds. We have our own legends, our own ways of being, our own sets of values, but generally, we all focus on the power of the land and our spiritual connection to it, as well as the power of the water, fire, wind, and sun. 

Students also need to know that pre-contact, Indigenous peoples had a thriving economy. We were businesspeople. We had trade and bartering, relational agreements with different tribes, we shared resources and understood reciprocity, generosity, loyalty, respect, and love. We knew to only take what you need and not be greedy. If you saw a bunch of salmon going up the river, you only took a quarter. If you were foraging or harvesting, you didn’t take it all. You took from the land and the sea in bites, so that way the resource could regenerate and repopulate for future generations. Those were the laws that my ancestors lived by. 

How will you increase enrollment of Indigenous students?

Recruitment is a top priority for me and I will be working with the UBC enrollment staff that do outreach with Indigenous Nations. But it actually begins with Indigenizing the school curriculum. Helping students understand our traditional ways and then bridging that with the western ways. It’s also important to create spaces where Indigenous students feel comfortable. There’s the First Nations Longhouse on campus, but we’re also creating the Indigenous Business Centre here at UBC Sauder. Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students will be able to go there to study and socialize. The design will have cultural touchpoints like art and language, so students feel grounded in their culture and history. And they’ll be able to come to my office to chat. 

I have a nephew who just started the Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) program and he’s also playing soccer. He did it all on his own. Sometimes these western institutions can be very defeating for a lone Indigenous student coming in and not being connected to their culture. That’s what we’re going to change. We’re going to make sure Indigenous students who are coming are building networks and relationships right from the start. 

How will your work at UBC Sauder contribute to truth and reconciliation?

I’ve started to say reconcili-action. I’m interested in what actions can we get out of the school’s Indigenous Strategic Plan. We’re seeing hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ or language within the university setting and we’re seeing public art. Language and art tie us to culture and place. We’re seeing more Indigenized content and we are starting to see faculty understand their area of expertise from an Indigenous perspective. We’re hearing concepts that come from the Indigenous world view and we’re seeing new learning methods being introduced. These are really important changes and that’s the power of education. That’s reconcili-action. I’m so humbled, fortunate and really excited that the staff and faculty at UBC Sauder believe in me. I want to elevate Indigenous academic programs and educational experiences for students that come here.

Is the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities changing? 

Things are changing and we are starting to see a big shift economically. Here in the City of Vancouver, the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh now represent the city’s largest private landowner. We’ve joined together as a family to build a modern Indigenous economy. We are building housing for people in Vancouver while creating long-term wealth and prosperity for the Nations, and the jobs are coming. We need architects, designers, tradespeople and business grads to build our development projects. I’m talking about having skilled, educated Indigenous students coming through UBC Sauder, learning both Indigenous and western business models, and then filtering into these new jobs. We know there are lots of non-Indigenous people that really appreciate and value working for Indigenous entities and organizations. They’re willing to learn and be good allies for Indigenous inclusion and economic development.

What do you enjoy about business? 

Rebuilding our Indigenous economy: that’s what led me into business. We had a robust economy that was lost through colonization, through the Indian Act, and everything was taken away. We had to fight for access. We were declined post-secondary educations. I managed a kayak and canoe touring business for my Nation and spent 11 years paddling the same waters as my ancestors, drumming and singing and sharing our stories. I thought a lot about what happened to my ancestors, and I decided I had an obligation to continue their work. I had to try to uplift my people. In our culture, when you gain knowledge, you use it to push along the work of your ancestors and you also pass it to others. It’s the circle of life. Nothing that I have learned in life is mine to keep. It’s to continue the story of my people, to educate and inspire and prepare new generations of leaders.