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For graduate student Carman McKay, of Musqueam and Matsqui Nations, education begins with humility.

Born in Vancouver, Carman grew up aware that something was missing. 鈥淢y life is fractured,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he residential school made sure my immediate family never spoke the language, did not know the culture.鈥� Growing up with that absence shaped him and left him searching for a sense of belonging. 

In early adulthood, he began seeking out Elders across North America, immersing himself in teachings for years at a time. Through carving, drum-making, and ceremony, he reconnected with the land, story, and responsibility. What began as personal searching gradually became a life鈥檚 direction.

鈥淭here was always an artistic space within me,鈥� he reflects. 鈥淭hrough the legend and the story, I began to see a deeper interconnection and possibility.鈥�

That interconnection led him into schools and communities across British Columbia. Since 1996, Carman has worked as an educator, life skills facilitator, and cultural presenter, supporting Indigenous programming from kindergarten classrooms to post-secondary spaces. His work bridges traditional knowledge systems and contemporary institutions.

鈥淢y role,鈥� he explains, 鈥渋s to help facilitate and act as a go-between in a contemporary setting like 天美mv天美 and a traditional longhouse setting.鈥�

His sculpture Spindle Whorl, displayed in 天美mv天美鈥檚 Indigenous Student Centre, reflects that bridge-building. Inspired by Coast Salish weaving traditions, including wool dogs and mountain goat fibre, the piece weaves together histories of land, material knowledge, and contemporary learning spaces.

Despite decades of professional experience, Carman continued seeking spaces where his work could deepen. Earlier post-secondary experiences had not fully aligned with his lived expertise.

鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 feeling confident,鈥� he says of that period. 鈥淚 just didn鈥檛 know what to expect. I thought I was doing the steps: diploma, degree, master鈥檚, but it wasn鈥檛 fulfilling my needs.鈥�

It was through collaborative work with Elder Rick Bailey, a long-standing Councillor and Fisheries Manager within q虛铆c虛蓹y虛 First Nations, and Dr. Cher Hill on the  that a new possibility emerged. The community-engaged initiative invited students, educators, and Knowledge Keepers to explore what Elder Rick described as 鈥渢he yesterday, today and tomorrow of the Slough.鈥� Carman created a mural inspired by Elder teachings and the artwork of more than 100 children, a complex, relational undertaking.

Dr. Hill saw the depth of that work and encouraged him to apply to 天美mv天美. 鈥淪he said, 鈥業t鈥檚 time to come to 天美mv天美,鈥欌�� Carman recalls. 鈥淪he respected and honoured the path I had chosen, but she told me I needed to apply.鈥�

The Faculty of Education鈥檚 recognition of professional and cultural expertise, alongside formal academic credentials, made it possible for him to enter the MEd in Educational Practice: Indigenous Pedagogy and Indigenous Inquiry.

Once in the program, the shift was immediate. 鈥淭he embrace was overwhelming,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he recognition of who I am and what I鈥檓 fully capable of doing within Indigenous education meant a lot.鈥�

Now partway through the program, Carman continues to shape the learning community around him. Alongside a cohort colleague and Dr. Vicki Kelly, he supported classmates in making hand drums, grounding academic inquiry in lived practice and honouring respectful protocols. 

I have sought for holistic, relational, and a multi-dimensional balance of knowledge and presence through traditional and contemporary expression, culture, and practice. What 天美mv天美 is doing for me means so much. I acknowledge the constant effort that it is taking me to study and for developing my skills within the culture that I have thrived in. My 33 years of journaling, developing my extensive portfolio, and for my physical and spiritual interconnected ways of being have given me a solid foundation for which to build upon. My thesis also known as "my inquiry" will be extensive and will be intentionally speaking, writing, emphasizing Indigenous Pedagogy of Indigenous Arts, Indigenous Culture, and Indigenous Education.  

His work has also extended into collaborative scholarship, including a forthcoming co-authored article in the Australian Journal of Environmental Education and presentations at the Canadian Society for the Study of Education.

鈥淲orking with Carman creates a rare opportunity for trans-systemic knowledge creation; scholarship that moves across knowledge systems rather than remaining confined within one,鈥� Hill notes.

At the heart of Carman鈥檚 work is the commitment to fostering a sense of belonging for others, especially those who, like him growing up, may feel disconnected from their communities, ancestry, and a sense of cultural grounding. 

Through his introductions, he often shares a teaching that guides him: 鈥淲e all come from earthly practices. Your ancestors have brought you here for a reason. It is your responsibility to carry them forward.鈥�

When asked what he would say to future students, his advice reflects his own journey: 鈥淚nvest in as many opportunities as possible, face to face. Invest in taking healthy risks. Have safe journeys.鈥�

And often, quietly, he closes with a phrase that holds the ancient past, present interconnectedness, and for a future dream to be together: 鈥淎ll my relations.鈥�