Hiislacinxw (Faye Martin) is a member of the Gitxsan Nation, born in the community of Gitanmaax. She is Giskaast, a member of the Fireweed Clan from the House of Dawamuux on her mother’s side and Gitxsan and Scottish on her father’s side. A long-time visitor to this land she currently resides in Lkwungen and Kosapsum Territories. 

Retired now from Camosun College, she worked in Eyē? Sqâ’lewen: Centre for Indigenous Education & Community Connections and in the School of Health & Human Services at Camosun College as an advisor and Indigenous Coordinator, working with students and faculty. Faye’s teaching philosophy is always to build relationship, to create space in the academic institution, or anywhere for that matter, for Indigenous agency, for Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing to be recognized, honoured and respected. She conducted Talking Circles with students, staff and faculty to open dialogue about our collective “Canadian” history, to share how it affected the well-being of the people of thIs land, and to share the wealth and goodness of First Nations teachings. 

She primarily held space for Indigenous students to shine, to grow and to feel they could create their own space within the academy, carrying with them the knowledge and wisdom of their parents and grandparents, their ancestors. Or, if they happened to be disconnected from community, she walked with the students to help them find their way back. 

Faye is forever grateful to the young and old of the Lkwungen, the Kosapsum, the Wsanec and surrounding communities for the generosity with which they shared their wisdom, their knowledge and best of all their love and humour.