Meet our Researchers
Dr. Michael Hart
Dr. Michael Hart is a citizen of Fisher River Cree Nation and Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement at University of Calgary. Dr. Hart’s career has been focused on Indigenous Peoples and ways of helping that will enable the University of Calgary to realize its goals for indigenization on its campuses. His approach is about connecting with and learning from Indigenous Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers to explore how these philosophies can guide us, transcend boundaries and take incremental steps to change the conversation between different cultures. Since 2012, Dr. Hart has held a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Knowledges and Social Work through the University of Manitoba. He has also held the role of acting director of the Master of Social Work in Indigenous Knowledges program at the University of Manitoba. For the past 17 years, he has been a board member for the Aboriginal Social Workers’ Society in Manitoba and was a founding committee member. His work has spanned across Canada, including Manitoba, Quebec and Yukon. Dr. Hart holds a BSW, MSW and PhD in Social Work from the University of Manitoba, as well as a BA in Psychology from the University of Manitoba.
Dr. Michael Hart’s project, in partnership with Dr. Moss Norman at the University of British Columbia, brings Cree youth together with community Elders to share intergenerational wisdom and to reflect on the role of traditional knowledge in the healing and wellness of individuals and their communities. This research seeks to reimagine and restore Indigenous understanding of how to support Indigenous male youth through the (re)connection to the land and sacred cultural practices while conceptualizing frameworks to reclaim and redefine Indigenous male identity. Using a community-first, collaborative and intergenerational design, this project aims to provide a counternarrative to mainstream health discourse that more often depicts Indigenous male youth through the lens of deficit.
Dr. Hart’s project also addresses the intersection of colonization, Indigenous male self-identity, and the health of Indigenous men, youth, and boys, specifically focusing on Cree perspectives of holistic health while incorporating spiritual and place-based elements. It seeks to challenge pan-Indigenous assumptions and disrupt the focus on social determinants by centering the Cree concept of mino-pimâtisiwin, or the "good way of life." This work strengthens existing relationships and creates new partnerships, building intergenerational connections critical to Indigenous health, and promoting knowledge sharing to support the growth of Cree communities. The knowledge generated will be disseminated through community-based seminars, a public website, and academic platforms, ensuring broad reach and long-term impact within Cree communities and beyond.