Articles

Working in Good Faith: Honoring Indigenous Writers on Wikipedia

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Abstract

This article explores the theoretical and practical foundations of Wikipedia-based activities developed for the Honouring Indigenous Writers Festival—an event that aimed to raise awareness of Indigenous literature and authorship. A team of settler librarians and instructors used community-centered approaches—guided by research and collaboration with Indigenous librarians and authors—to create a Wikipedia program that acknowledged and challenged extractive research practices involving Indigenous peoples. The article highlights the difficulties of using Wikipedia, a platform shaped by Western knowledge systems and standards that can conflict with the equitable inclusion of Indigenous knowledge. The article also outlines a Working in Good Faith approach to creating Wikipedia content about Indigenous authors and their work. While open tools and practices can sometimes clash with Indigenous values around knowledge sharing, they also offer powerful opportunities for positive change. Ultimately, this article shows how inclusive open practices can support Indigenous artists, scholars, and communities in reclaiming ownership over their own stories.

Keywords: Open Pedagogy, Wikipedia, Indigenous Knowledges, Indigenous Authors, Community-informed Ppractice, Community-Informed Practice

How to Cite:

Alisauskas, A., Fields, E. & Grey, A., (2026) “Working in Good Faith: Honoring Indigenous Writers on Wikipedia”, Journal of Open Educational Resources in Higher Education 4(1), 128–144. doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/joerhe.24652