During the meeting of February 13, 2004 the Aboriginal Education Council (AEC) at Brock passed a motion to support the creation of Tecumseh Centre for Aboriginal Research and Education (the Centre) and referred the proposal to the Council of Academic Deans.

In February of 2004 the Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, who are the descendants of Chief Tecumseh, unanimously passed Resolution No. 2004-03-009 which endorsed Brock University’s request to name the proposed centre the Tecumseh Centre for Aboriginal Research and Education.

The Centre was approved by Brock University Senate in the fall of 2004 to the cheers and applause of a small crowd of Aboriginal students and community members.

Aboriginal people are experiencing a revolution of consciousness, a revolution of knowing were the excesses and failures of the colonial project are connected to contemporary realities. This revolution does not represent a series of small incremental steps but is a massive, sweeping expansion of consciousness that leads to the enterprise, intellectual property; methodologies that are grounded in culture as well as meaningful community involvement are understood to be critical to that end. This revolution of consciousness has not been an isolated reality within the Aboriginal community alone.

After a year of extensive consultation involving the Aboriginal community the Social Science and Humanities Research Council recently adopted a new strategic theme that signals a significant paradigm shift in relation to Aboriginal research. The underlying motive of this shift is best capture in the thrust of the associated discussion paper: more research by and with Aboriginal peoples-not more research on or for Aboriginal peoples. This new direction will be actuated through various administrative measures and new programming designed to strengthen Aboriginal research across the Tri-Council which will in turn significantly change the research culture in Canada to better reflect Aboriginal cultural norms and address contemporary needs. Universities that align their research enterprise with this new paradigm will play a key role in the early unfolding of this new paradigm.

The Centre is the place where growing numbers of Aboriginal undergraduate and graduate scholars create inter-supportive networks, seek out support and training as they envision their research, their place in the struggle to promote healthy communities. It is the place where Aboriginal community and University researchers from many disciplines, guided by Aboriginal peoples, offer their expertise to our communities, and through that experience build a deeper understanding for the needs of Aboriginal communities. It is the place where the idea of research is demystified and connected to educational programming and the potential for change is trans-planted into community. It is the place where Aboriginal theory is discussed, crafted, and enacted for the benefit of our communities. The Tecumseh Centre is a place of being, becoming, and a place of convergence.