Tanya Ball

Tanya Ball (she/her) is a Métis woman born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She is currently living in amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton, Alberta) where she is a PhD Candidate in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta. Her doctoral research explores the connections between Michif storytelling and their experiences of religion in St. Ambroise.

Education and Interests

• Bachelor of Arts with a Double Major in History and Romance Languages (French, Italian, and Spanish) (2012)
• Master of Arts in Spanish and Latin American Studies (2014)
• Master of Library and Information Studies with a specialization in Indigenous Librarianship (2017)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Indigenous Studies (Current)

Research interests:

• Indigenous Storytelling
• Indigenous Experiences of Religion and Ceremony
• Indigenous Erotica and Sex Positivity
• Indigenous Graphic Novels and Comics

Courses taught:

• INDG100: Introduction to Indigenous Studies
• INDG290: Indigenous Ways of Knowing
• INDG330: Indigenous Law and Governance

Representative Papers and Publications

Ball, T., Lar-Son, K., Laroque, S. (Upcoming). Podcasting Resurgence: Indigenizing the Airwaves. In Podcast Studies: Practice into Theory/Theory into Practice, ed. Dario Linares and Lori Becksted

Ball, T. & Lar-Son, K. (2021). Relationality in the Classroom: Teaching Indigenous LIS in a Canadian Context. Libraries and the Academy, 21(2), 205-218.

Ball, T. (July 2020). Michif Storytelling: Connecting Us to the Dead. Talk Death. https://www.talkdeath.com/michif-storytelling-connecting-us-to-thedead/?fbclid=IwAR31J7NpAm9sCI7pmd1llTJPwkTA0QPA7QFZHc1vMr_ctNM9o5z6w_7ERfQ

Ball, T. (Spring 2014). The Power of Death: Hierarchy in the Representation of Death in Pre- and Post-Conquest Aztec Codices. Multilingual Discourses, 1(2), 1-34.

Ball, T., & Kadoglou, J. (Spring 2014) Appropriating Indigenous Scientific Knowledge: Andrés I. Prieto. Missionary Scientist: Jesuit Science in Spanish South America, 1570-1810. Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press, 2011. Multilingual Discourses, 1(2), 105-122.

Ball, T. & Lar-Son, K. (Upcoming) Relationality in the Classroom: Teaching Indigenous LIS in a Canadian Context. Portal: Libraries & the Academy, 20 (2020), np.

Carr-Wiggin et al. (2017). Raising Indigenous Librarians: a Canadian Internship Story. IFLA Library. http://library.ifla.org/1765/1/169-carr-wiggin-en.pdf.

Cooper, D et al. (2019). When Research is Relational: Supporting the Research Practice of Indigenous

Studies Scholars. Ithaka S+R. doi: https://doi.org/10.18665/sr.311240.

Presentations (since 2017)

Ball, T., (2021). Relationality in the Classroom. Festival of Teaching and Learning. Online ZOOM Webinar.

Ball, T. (2020, Sept). Michif Storytelling: Connecting Us to the Dead. Ernest Becker Foundation. Online ZOOM Webinar.

Ball, T. (2019, Nov). “We are the superheroes we’ve been waiting for”: A dive into Michif Graphic Novels. Research presentation at Calgary Public Library, Calgary, AB.

Ball, T. (2017, Feb). Pokémon GO to the Library: Assessing Digital Trends at the Library. Paper presented at Forum for Information Professionals (FIP), Edmonton, AB.

Ball, T. (2017, Apr). Pokémon GO to the Library: Assessing Digital Trends at the Library. Poster presented at Alberta Library Conference (ALC), Jasper, AB.

Ball, T., Laroque, S., Carr-Wiggin, A., Farnel, S. (2018, Apr). Never Call a Meeting a Powwow and Other Steps in Creating a Successful Indigenous Event. Panel presentation at Alberta Library Conference, Jasper, AB.

Ball, T., Lar-Son, K., Carr-Wiggin, A. (2018, May). Neechie Beats: A Music Librarian’s Introduction to Indigenous Music Scenes. Presentation and Workshop for Canadian Association of Music Librarians at Congress, Regina, AB.

Ball, T., Lar-Son, K., Borys, C., Rind, L., Lawrence, J., Isbister, C., Lamontagne, G., Plesuk, T. (2019, April). Reflections on Teaching and Learning Indigenous Contexts for LIS in Canada. Panel presentation at Alberta Library Conference (ALC), Jasper, AB.

Ball, T., Lar-Son, K., & MacLeod, L. (2017, Mar). Raising Indigenous Librarians: Diversity and Professional Development in Academic Libraries. Keynote panel presented at DERAIL: Diversity, Equity, Race, Accessibility, and Identity in LIS, Boston, MA.

Ball, T., Lar-Son, K., & MacLeod, L. (2017, May). Raising Indigenous Librarians: Diversity and Professional Development in Academic Libraries. Panel presentation at Workshop for Instruction in Library Use (WILU), Edmonton, AB.

Ball, T., Lar-Son, K., MacLeod, L., & Carr-Wiggin, A. (2017, Aug). Raising Indigenous Librarians: A Canadian Internship Story. Panel presentation at IFLA World Library and Information Congress, Wroclaw, Poland.

Ball, T., Lar-Son, K., MacLeod, L., & Carr-Wiggin, A., Laroque, S., Farnel, S., Lamontagne, G. (2018, May). Stepping forward together: Lessons from Reconciliation projects at the University of Alberta. Panel presentation at Canadian Association of Professional Academic Librarians, Regina, SK.

Ball, T. Lar-Son, K., MacLeod, L., & Lamontagne, G. (2017, Oct). Panel presentation at CGCER International Conference: Global Citizenship, Intersectionality, Solidarity and Living as Kin on a Suffering Planet, Edmonton, AB.

Bee, R., Ball, T., Walker, D., Osolen, R., Hunchak, T., & Allen, S. (2017, Feb). Raise a Librarian: A

Crowdfunding Initiative for Professional Development. Poster presented at the Forum for Information Professionals (FIP), Edmonton, AB.

Clark, D., Ball, T., Thorlakson, J., Whitson, L. (2018, Apr). Up with Voices: Zines as a vehicle to promote self expression and community connections within library contexts. Panel presentation at Alberta Library Conference, Jasper, AB.

De Leon, A., Ball, T. (2017, Nov). Mexican Colonial Indigenous “Maps”: Decolonizing Multilayered Narratives of Sacred Place and Time. Paper presented at the Edmonton Mapping Society, Edmonton, AB.

Gareau, P., Fiola, C., Ball, T., Swain, M. (2022, May). Religion as Relationality: Métis Experiences of Religion/Spirituality from a Nationhood and Peoplehood Framework. Panel presentation at

Mawachihitotaak (Let’s Get Together): Métis Symposium, Online.

Gareau, P., Ball, T., Lar-Son, K. (2019, May). Spotlight on Indigenous Research. Panel Presentation at Research Data Management Week with University of Alberta Libraries in Edmonton, AB.

Gareau, P., Kermoal, N., Ball, T. (2020, April). Métis Kinscapes Project: Researching Métis Relations and Peoplehood at Lac Ste. Anne, AB. Panel presentation at Native American Indigenous Studies Association in Toronto, ON.

Gareau, P., Kermoal, N., Ball, T. (2019, Sept). Métis Kinscapes Project: Researching Métis Relations and Peoplehood at Lac Ste. Anne, AB. Panel presentation at Prairie Political Science Association in Banff, AB.

Gareau, P., Kermoal, N., Ball, T., Dumont, M. (2019, Nov). Métis Kinscapes Project: Researching Métis Relations and Peoplehood at Lac Ste. Anne, AB. Panel presentation at Native Studies Research Day in Edmonton, AB.

Gareau, P., Swain, M., LeBlanc, J., Ball, T. (2021). Religion and Relationality Roundtable. Faculty of Native Studies Research Day, Online.

Languedoc, J., Couture, S., Ball, T., Cardinal, H. Shining Together: Constellations and Land-Based Relationships. Edmonton Fringe Theatre, Edmonton, AB.

Laroque, S., Ball., T. (2018, May). Making Meaning Recap. Training session at University of Alberta Libraries for Spring Training, Edmonton, AB.

Lee, D., Ball, T., Long, K., Wong, D. (2018, Sept). Intersection between Academic Libraries and Indigenous Studies: A Qualitative Study to Improve Library Services for Indigenous Studies Scholars. Panel presentation at Joint Conference for Librarians of Color, Albuquerque, NM.

Morrow, L., Ruddock, K., Ball, T., Lar-Son, K., MacLeod, L., Butler, S., & Carr-Wiggin, A. (2017, Apr). Building a Better Path: Indigenous Students, Community, and University Libraries. Panel presentation at Alberta Library Conference (ALC), Jasper, AB.

Ray, C., Ball, T., Jones, A.G., Benphil, M., Waterman, J., Lukoff, K. Tokenism v. Representation. Child and Youth Expo, Online.

Samek, T., Ball, T., Carr-Wiggin, A., MacLeod, L., MacLeod, K., Lar-Son, K. Indigenous-engaged Education, Reconciliation, and Relationality: Rallying Together for Respectful LIS Leadership. ALISE: Crafting a Resilient Future, Online.

Thistle, J., Methot, S., Dasthgard., A., Ball, T., Laroque, S., Lar-Son, K. (2019, Oct). Reconciling Times. Event host for LitFest in Edmonton, AB.

Thistle, J., Ball, T., Laroque, S., Lar-Son, K. (2019, Oct). Jesse Thistle’s From the Ashes. Event host for LitFest in Edmonton, AB.

Tucker, A., King, K., Gareau, P., Ball, T. Tipi Confessions presents Métis Confessions: Our First Time – Red River Edition. Mawachihitotaak (Let’s Get Together): Métis Symposium, Online.

Tucker, A., Swain, M., Ball, T. (2019, Nov). Métis Week: Métis Scholars Panel. Panel presentation at Calgary Public Library, Calgary, AB.

Wright, A., Kleber, A., Johnson, N., Kitchen, C., Ball, T. (2018, Apr). Imagined Worlds, Created Communities: Building Relationships through Comics & Fandom. Panel presentation at Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo, Calgary.