The Hagey Lectures

When asked to explain the distinction between Indigenous and Indigenizing mathematics, Doolittle uses the image of the 400-year-old Two-Row Wampum, which conceptualizes Indigenous people and settlers as living parallel lives in harmony.

We can imagine one of these rows as containing Indigenous mathematics — that is, the study of how Indigenous people have historically developed alternative mathematical systems.

The other row is the Western understanding of mathematics commonly taught around the world today and used in multiple fields. This kind of math, Doolittle says, “will never be fully Indigenized,” but it can still take lessons and principles from Indigenous knowledge keepers so as to create spaces for research and education that prioritize peace, respect and collaboration.

Decoding meaning in Indigenous design

TAWAW is a design-research firm dedicated to advancing Indigenous architecture. Our current research centers on the meaning found in original structures – the tipi, hogan, longhouse or wigwam - which we have come to understand as a microcosm of a larger world. Each project we undertake, offers behavioral, social and ideological meanings, that we integrate into contemporary form. Our work is not about replicating traditional designs but about understanding the meanings they hold, to bring meanings forward, making culture visible, but also stable. Join us as we explore the work of encoding and decoding Indigenous environments.  

The University of Waterloo Hagey Lectures Committee is thrilled to announce that this year’s Hagey Lecture will be delivered by Nalini Nadkarni, Professor of Biology at the University of Utah, on October 5, 2023, at 8pm in the Theatre of the Arts.

Jointly sponsored by the Faculty Association and the University, the Hagey Lectures are a free, annual series of lectures intended to challenge, stimulate, and enrich not only the faculty, staff, and students of the University of Waterloo, but also all members of the community.