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Cheyanne Armstrong

she/xe/they
PhD Student, Socio-Cultural and Indigenous Anthropology
email cncon@student.ubc.ca
launchWebsite
file_download Download CV
Research Area
Geographic Region: Canada/Northwest Coast | Geographic Region: North America | Research Interest: Identities, race, gender and sexuality, mobility
Socio-cultural Anthropology
Education

MA, Anthropology, Simon Fraser University, 2021
BA (Hons.), Anthropology, Simon Fraser University, 2019

About

Cheyanne Brown Armstrong (née Connell) (she/xe/they) is a Queer Indigenous scholar and member of West Moberly First Nations (Dunne-Za Cree). They are a PhD Student in Socio-Cultural and Indigenous Anthropology, focusing on Dunne-Za language reclamation and its intersection with Indigenous feminism. Their PhD research is inspired by their MA project, which focused on urban and diasporic Indigenous Ainu identity-making in transnational digital spaces, like Instagram and TikTok. They are a frequent collaborator on Indigenous-Asian related projects and initiatives, along with decolonization efforts in academia.

 

Research

Keywords:Indigeneity; language reclamation; Indigenous feminism; urban Indigenous studies; colonialism and decolonization

Since 2019, Ms. Armstrong has worked with and hosted urban Indigenous folk from North America and Japan in support of their joint quest to understand how dominant expectations of being Indigenous impact processes of identity-making and belonging. They have volunteered to moderate presentations by Indigenous scholars and presented several talks on Indigenous research approaches and Indigenous histories in Canada. Most recently, they were part of formal events and dialogues aimed at 1) discussing the challenges and opportunities of decolonizing universities; 2) helping newcomers to Canada learn about Indigenous peoples and histories; and 3) furthering transnational Indigenous knowledge exchange, co-production, and collaborations. They also created Indigenous Language resources for the First Peoples’ Cultural Council and co-authored an article on the invisible labour and gender inequities women faced in academia during COVID-19 (published in American Ethnologist).

For research, Ms. Armstrong is currently working on their PhD project, titled Dreaming of Dunne-Za (2021—). It is an ethnographic and collaborative project that focuses on the histories, practices, and meaning of traditional Language within their home community of West Moberly First Nations in northeastern BC. They ask: How has traditional language shaped and been shaped by the past and present sociocultural dynamics and experiences of Dunne-Za people in WMFN, and how is gender represented? As part of this project, Ms. Armstrong, who is also a freelance artist, will be creating visual art vignettes, depicting select community member stories and experiences with Language reclamation. Mainly, this project seeks to explore the different ways Dunne-Za language has been used, celebrated, maintained, and displaced, and its role in Dunne-Za ‘thoughtworld’ (i.e., worldview, spirituality, values). Much like all facets of their like, Ms. Armstrong importantly hopes their research will contribute to the growing, diverse representation of what it means to be Indigenous in the twenty-first century.

Awards

  • 2023—2026, Canada Graduate Scholarship, Doctoral (CGS-D)
  • 2022—2026, UBC Aboriginal Graduate Fellowship
  • 2022, UBC Public Scholar’s Award
  • 2022, Wilson Duff Memorial Scholarship
  • 2021—2022, UBC Faculty of Arts Graduate Award
  • 2021—2022, UBC Institute of Asian Research Fellowship
  • 2021—2022, Irving K. Barber BC Indigenous Student Award (Doctoral level)
  • 2020, SFU David Lam Centre Research Award
  • 2020—2021, IndSpire, Allan & Gill Gray Foundation Awards
  • 2020, The Japan Foundation, Tanaka Fund Travel Program, (declined due to COVID-19 travel restrictions)
  • 2019—2020, Irving K. Barber BC Indigenous Student Award (Master level)

Graduate Supervision

Dr. Mark Turin

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About
Research
Awards
Graduate Supervision

Cheyanne Armstrong

she/xe/they
PhD Student, Socio-Cultural and Indigenous Anthropology
email cncon@student.ubc.ca
launchWebsite
file_download Download CV
Research Area
Geographic Region: Canada/Northwest Coast | Geographic Region: North America | Research Interest: Identities, race, gender and sexuality, mobility
Socio-cultural Anthropology
Education

MA, Anthropology, Simon Fraser University, 2021
BA (Hons.), Anthropology, Simon Fraser University, 2019

About

Cheyanne Brown Armstrong (née Connell) (she/xe/they) is a Queer Indigenous scholar and member of West Moberly First Nations (Dunne-Za Cree). They are a PhD Student in Socio-Cultural and Indigenous Anthropology, focusing on Dunne-Za language reclamation and its intersection with Indigenous feminism. Their PhD research is inspired by their MA project, which focused on urban and diasporic Indigenous Ainu identity-making in transnational digital spaces, like Instagram and TikTok. They are a frequent collaborator on Indigenous-Asian related projects and initiatives, along with decolonization efforts in academia.

 

Research

Keywords:Indigeneity; language reclamation; Indigenous feminism; urban Indigenous studies; colonialism and decolonization

Since 2019, Ms. Armstrong has worked with and hosted urban Indigenous folk from North America and Japan in support of their joint quest to understand how dominant expectations of being Indigenous impact processes of identity-making and belonging. They have volunteered to moderate presentations by Indigenous scholars and presented several talks on Indigenous research approaches and Indigenous histories in Canada. Most recently, they were part of formal events and dialogues aimed at 1) discussing the challenges and opportunities of decolonizing universities; 2) helping newcomers to Canada learn about Indigenous peoples and histories; and 3) furthering transnational Indigenous knowledge exchange, co-production, and collaborations. They also created Indigenous Language resources for the First Peoples’ Cultural Council and co-authored an article on the invisible labour and gender inequities women faced in academia during COVID-19 (published in American Ethnologist).

For research, Ms. Armstrong is currently working on their PhD project, titled Dreaming of Dunne-Za (2021—). It is an ethnographic and collaborative project that focuses on the histories, practices, and meaning of traditional Language within their home community of West Moberly First Nations in northeastern BC. They ask: How has traditional language shaped and been shaped by the past and present sociocultural dynamics and experiences of Dunne-Za people in WMFN, and how is gender represented? As part of this project, Ms. Armstrong, who is also a freelance artist, will be creating visual art vignettes, depicting select community member stories and experiences with Language reclamation. Mainly, this project seeks to explore the different ways Dunne-Za language has been used, celebrated, maintained, and displaced, and its role in Dunne-Za ‘thoughtworld’ (i.e., worldview, spirituality, values). Much like all facets of their like, Ms. Armstrong importantly hopes their research will contribute to the growing, diverse representation of what it means to be Indigenous in the twenty-first century.

Awards

  • 2023—2026, Canada Graduate Scholarship, Doctoral (CGS-D)
  • 2022—2026, UBC Aboriginal Graduate Fellowship
  • 2022, UBC Public Scholar’s Award
  • 2022, Wilson Duff Memorial Scholarship
  • 2021—2022, UBC Faculty of Arts Graduate Award
  • 2021—2022, UBC Institute of Asian Research Fellowship
  • 2021—2022, Irving K. Barber BC Indigenous Student Award (Doctoral level)
  • 2020, SFU David Lam Centre Research Award
  • 2020—2021, IndSpire, Allan & Gill Gray Foundation Awards
  • 2020, The Japan Foundation, Tanaka Fund Travel Program, (declined due to COVID-19 travel restrictions)
  • 2019—2020, Irving K. Barber BC Indigenous Student Award (Master level)

Graduate Supervision

Dr. Mark Turin

Cheyanne Armstrong

she/xe/they
PhD Student, Socio-Cultural and Indigenous Anthropology
email cncon@student.ubc.ca
launchWebsite
Research Area
Geographic Region: Canada/Northwest Coast | Geographic Region: North America | Research Interest: Identities, race, gender and sexuality, mobility
Socio-cultural Anthropology
Education

MA, Anthropology, Simon Fraser University, 2021
BA (Hons.), Anthropology, Simon Fraser University, 2019
file_download Download CV
About keyboard_arrow_down

Cheyanne Brown Armstrong (née Connell) (she/xe/they) is a Queer Indigenous scholar and member of West Moberly First Nations (Dunne-Za Cree). They are a PhD Student in Socio-Cultural and Indigenous Anthropology, focusing on Dunne-Za language reclamation and its intersection with Indigenous feminism. Their PhD research is inspired by their MA project, which focused on urban and diasporic Indigenous Ainu identity-making in transnational digital spaces, like Instagram and TikTok. They are a frequent collaborator on Indigenous-Asian related projects and initiatives, along with decolonization efforts in academia.

 

Research keyboard_arrow_down

Keywords:Indigeneity; language reclamation; Indigenous feminism; urban Indigenous studies; colonialism and decolonization

Since 2019, Ms. Armstrong has worked with and hosted urban Indigenous folk from North America and Japan in support of their joint quest to understand how dominant expectations of being Indigenous impact processes of identity-making and belonging. They have volunteered to moderate presentations by Indigenous scholars and presented several talks on Indigenous research approaches and Indigenous histories in Canada. Most recently, they were part of formal events and dialogues aimed at 1) discussing the challenges and opportunities of decolonizing universities; 2) helping newcomers to Canada learn about Indigenous peoples and histories; and 3) furthering transnational Indigenous knowledge exchange, co-production, and collaborations. They also created Indigenous Language resources for the First Peoples’ Cultural Council and co-authored an article on the invisible labour and gender inequities women faced in academia during COVID-19 (published in American Ethnologist).

For research, Ms. Armstrong is currently working on their PhD project, titled Dreaming of Dunne-Za (2021—). It is an ethnographic and collaborative project that focuses on the histories, practices, and meaning of traditional Language within their home community of West Moberly First Nations in northeastern BC. They ask: How has traditional language shaped and been shaped by the past and present sociocultural dynamics and experiences of Dunne-Za people in WMFN, and how is gender represented? As part of this project, Ms. Armstrong, who is also a freelance artist, will be creating visual art vignettes, depicting select community member stories and experiences with Language reclamation. Mainly, this project seeks to explore the different ways Dunne-Za language has been used, celebrated, maintained, and displaced, and its role in Dunne-Za ‘thoughtworld’ (i.e., worldview, spirituality, values). Much like all facets of their like, Ms. Armstrong importantly hopes their research will contribute to the growing, diverse representation of what it means to be Indigenous in the twenty-first century.
Awards keyboard_arrow_down
  • 2023—2026, Canada Graduate Scholarship, Doctoral (CGS-D)
  • 2022—2026, UBC Aboriginal Graduate Fellowship
  • 2022, UBC Public Scholar’s Award
  • 2022, Wilson Duff Memorial Scholarship
  • 2021—2022, UBC Faculty of Arts Graduate Award
  • 2021—2022, UBC Institute of Asian Research Fellowship
  • 2021—2022, Irving K. Barber BC Indigenous Student Award (Doctoral level)
  • 2020, SFU David Lam Centre Research Award
  • 2020—2021, IndSpire, Allan & Gill Gray Foundation Awards
  • 2020, The Japan Foundation, Tanaka Fund Travel Program, (declined due to COVID-19 travel restrictions)
  • 2019—2020, Irving K. Barber BC Indigenous Student Award (Master level)
Graduate Supervision keyboard_arrow_down

Dr. Mark Turin