Research Team





Hunting, Healing & Human-Land Relationships



Primary Researcher






Katriona Siloen Auerbach



Katriona S. Auerbach
~ Primary Researcher ~





Katriona received a BA in Anthropology at Vancouver Island University and is in the process of completing an MA in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George BC, Canada. She also works as a Research Assistant with the Health Arts Research Centre and as an Exam Invigilator with the Northern Medical Program. Katriona's research interests include human-land relationships, community-based research and reconciliation.


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Supervisory Committee





Co-Supervisors

Dr. Sarah de Leeuw ~ UNBC

Dr. Wade Davis ~ UBC


Committee Members

Dr. Angele Smith ~ UNBC

Dr. Ross Hoffman ~ UNBC


External Examiner

Dr. Margo Greenwood ~ UNBC



Dr. Sarah de Leeuw
~ Co-Supervisor ~





Sarah de Leeuw is an award winning researcher, creative writer and poet whose work focuses broadly on marginalized peoples and geographies. She grew up and has spent most of her life in Northern British Columbia, including Haida Gwaii and Terrace. Sarah is a professor at the University of Northern British Columbia and is the Research Director of the Health Arts Research Centre. Sarah teaches in the areas of Indigenous peoples well-being and health humanities​


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Dr. Wade Davis
~ Co-Supervisor ~





Wade Davis is a writer, photographer, and filmmaker

,whose work has taken him from the Amazon to Tibet

Africa to Australia, Polynesia to the Arctic. Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society from 1999 to 2013, he is currently a Professor of Anthropology and the BC Leadership Chair in Cultures and Ecosystems at risk at the University of British Columbia. Author of 22 books, including Into the Silence, winner of the 2012 Samuel Johnson prize, the top nonfiction prize in the English language. He holds degrees in anthropology and biology and received his Ph.D. in ethnobotany, all from Harvard University. Davis, one of 20 Honorary Members of the Explorers Club, is the recipient of 11 honorary degrees, as well as the 2009 Gold Medal from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, the 2011 Explorers Medal, the 2012 David Fairchild Medal for botanical exploration, and the 2015 Centennial Medal of Harvard University, the 2017 Roy Chapman Andrews Society's Distinguished Explorer Award, and the 2017 Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for exploration. In 2016, Davis was made a member of the Order of Canada


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Dr. Angéle Smith
~ Committee Member ~





Angéle is a professor at the University of Northern British Columbia. Her research focuses on landscapes, place and space, the construction and negotiation of cultural identities, and the politics of representation. Angéle explores these concepts primarily in Ireland, in both historic and contemporary time periods. Spatial relations and material culture are central to her research. Her work bridges many sub-disciplines: cultural anthropology, ethnohistory, and historical archaeology and reaches out to a broader audience that also includes geographers and historians


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Dr. Ross Hoffman
~ Committee Member ~





Ross is a professor in the First Nations Studies Department at the University of Northern British Columbia. He has lived in northern British Columbia for more than thirty years. Ross has worked with Wet'suwet'en, Gitxsan, and Cree communities on a variety of community-based research projects in the areas of education, language and culture, and health and wellness. His inter-disciplinary research has included extensive work in the oral tradition with Elders and other knowledge holders. Ross’ broad research interests include studying the relationship between cultural renewal, identity, and healing. As an educator and researcher, his goal is to respect, balance, bridge, and integrate both western academic and Indigenous knowledge traditions



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Dr. Margo Greenwood
~ External Examiner ~





Margo Greenwood is an Indigenous scholar of Cree ancestry, a professor in both First Nations Studies and Education programs at UNBC and has more than 20 years of experience in the field of early childhood education. Margo is recognized provincially, nationally and internationally for her work on Aboriginal children. She has served with over 20 national and provincial federations, committees and assemblies, has undertaken work with Unicef, the United Nations, the Canadian Reference Group, the World Health Organization Commission on Health Determinants and was the recipient of the Queen's Jubilee medal in 2002


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Research Assistant






Fiona Campbell Garrick



Fiona Campbell Garrick
~ Research Assistant ~





Fiona Garrick (Auerbach) is an artist who has, over the years, specialized in illustrating children's books such as the Bonnie McSmithers series and the Windsong music book series for recorder. She also makes her own soap, does leatherwork, weaves and plays the Banjo. Fiona ran the Red Pony Printing Press out of our basement for many years and in 1997, the National Film Board of Canada made a documentary film about her writing, printing, engraving the illustrations, and binding Mr. Bear's Song, a limited edition book she created through historic letterpress methods


Mr. Bear's Song

Film Crew






Executive Producer

Michael Haldane​


Cinematography & Lighting

Shaun Lawless & Blake Ponto


Sound

David Pullmer




Michael Haldane
~ Executive Producer ~





Michael Haldane is internationally recognized as a veteran of the North American film industry with specialization in broadcast advertising content production. Over a career spanning nearly 30 years, Michael has worked for the most recognized production companies in North America & Europe and produced work shot all over the world. In 2015, Michael joined forces with seasoned Vancouver producer Paul Norman, to create NorthKamp.ca, a well known production services company, based in Vancouver


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Shaun Lawless
~ Cinematography & Lighting ~





Shaun Lawless is an international Filmmaker, Documentarian & Director of Photography. He started his career as a still photographer and expanded his skill set by acquiring the expertise of a gaffer, camera operator, and lighting technician before pursing cinematography and directing. With over thirty years combined in these disciplines, Shaun is now well known in the industry as one of Canada’s most notable Filmmakers


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Blake Ponto
~ Cinematography & Lighting ~





Blake Ponto is an up and coming Vancouver based Cinematographer who has worked on a number of commercials, documentaries and varies other projects in the area. With an education from Capilano University in the School of Motion Pictures we expect to see a lot more of Blake’s work in the near future



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David Pullmer
~ Sound ~





David Pullmer is a location sound recordist based out of Vancouver. He specializes in documentary, EPK, corporate, and boutique commercials. David also works as a boom operator and is a permitee member of local unions IATSE 891 and ACFC West as a Sound Assistant


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Website Design & Creation by K.S.Auerbach
All Photography on this page has been provided by the individuals themselves
with special thanks to Suzanne Kimpan for photo of Fiona Garrick