Syeta’xtn Chris Lewis has been involved with Simon Fraser University in some capacity for a long time now, but in his new role, he’s looking to push the university even further on its journey of reconciliation and decolonization.
Announced earlier this week, Syeta’xtn has been appointed as the university’s director of Indigenous initiatives and reconciliation. A progressive step, Syeta’xtn had previously steered the university as a board chair and co-chair of the Aboriginal Reconciliation Council. In 2021, he also received the Chancellor’s Distinguished Service Award.
“I am excited to continue and build on the work that has begun with the Aboriginal Reconciliation Council report,” he said. “As we consider reconciliation, decolonization and Indigenization at SFU there is work to do, but I am confident that when we work together, we can achieve great things.”
A three-term former Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) councillor, Syeta’xtn has had a long history with SFU, initially graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 2005. He notes the university’s commitment to have meaningful conversations around reconciliation that have kept him involved for so long.
“It's that willingness for the conversations and the engagement to happen, around how do we embark upon what we call reconciliation now, how do we embark upon this journey to create a better place for Indigenous students in the university to move forward,” he said. “And I think, Simon Fraser … it's really an outlier as it relates to reconciliation and how it's moving forward.”
Continuing his work in the advisory role, Syeta’xtn said he sees post-secondary institutions “leading the way” in reconciliation.
“As an Indigenous man [I want to give] back to the university that has given me so much, in terms of my education, and moving forward … I think the space and energy’s there to really show the way, and as this is going to be a generational effort, in terms of creating a better relationship between Indigenous peoples and Canadians, it's really good to kind of start that [learning] in the school system,” he said.
“Because, as we can all appreciate, a lot of the education and stories that are now coming to the forefront weren't taught in schools in the past, so I think embarking upon that journey is going to be super great.”
Complementing the work he has already done with the university and Indigenization, in his role Syeta’xtn will be goal setting and looking to implement the calls to action from the ARC report, and asking the forthright question of, “What does that actually look like?”
“And what does it look like from an Indigenous perspective? Not just trying to plug it into the university's [already existing] system or structure – how do we ensure that we're not leaving Indigenous structures behind as well. And I think that's super exciting.
“I look forward to the job, working with everybody at the university and all the Host Nations. I really look forward to all that work.”
