Indigenous Community Rooms

There are two Indigenous community rooms available through Dalhousie Libraries. They offer space for reflection and celebration.

The Ko’jua Okuom is the Indigenous community room in the Killam Memorial Library on Dalhousie’s Studley campus in Halifax. The room’s name, Ko’jua Okuom, refers to an Indigenous dance of friendship. The name was chosen by the elder Thomas Christmas at the grand opening.

The Indigenous Community Room on the Agricultural campus in Truro is found in the MacRae Library. Smudging is welcome in this space.

The community rooms are places for advancing Indigenization, decolonization, and reconciliation at Dalhousie. They were designed in collaboration with Indigenous colleagues within the university to celebrate and honour Indigenous culture. The Indigenous community rooms are spaces to learn about Indigenous customs and traditions through events and Indigenous books, art, and artefacts.

Special Collections

Prosper Collection
Jim Prosper, a survivor of Shubenacadie Indian Residential School, became an ardent researcher of colonialism, aboriginal treaties, rights, and sovereignty in his retirement years, meticulously curating an impressive collection of materials over twenty years. Upon Jim’s move to a senior’s residence and the subsequent downsizing of the family homestead, Jim’s son, Ron, wanted to see his father’s treasured book collection go to a university near his father’s birthplace, choosing to donate the collection to Dalhousie. You can find the Prosper Collection in the Ko’jua Okuom.

Mi’kmaw Baskets
Catherine Martin, Dalhousie’s Director of Indigenous Community Engagement, generously loaned her personal collection of Mi’kmaw baskets. Find them in the glass display cases at the entrance of the Ko’jua Okuom.

Booking the Indigenous Community Rooms

Requests for booking the Indigenous Community Rooms will be accepted for events that serve to highlight Indigenous knowledge, support Indigenous students, or engage Indigenous communities. They are available to all, but events must have Indigenous content.

Check the specifications and/or book the Ko’jua Okuom (Halifax).

Check the specifications and/or book the Indigenous Community Room (Truro)