Community Engaged Documentation and Research (CEDaR) is a community-oriented new media and digital storytelling research space within the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies (CIS) at UBC Vancouver.
Lab and media space
As a CFI-funded space, CEDaR is a lab designed to support existing language reclamation and cultural continuity projects emerging from our relationships with community partners.
In addition, CEDaR supports CIS students, faculty, and research colleagues with access to tools, technologies, and strategies which support community-led knowledge production and cultural continuity.
Among other equipment, we offer cameras and audio recording equipment, a sound booth and video editing suite, VR gear, a 3D printer, various maker tools (sewing machines, cutting machines, Raspberry PI kits, lego robotics, dye sublimation printers, and more) and high-capacity workstations for producing, editing, and screening podcasts, video games, data visualizations, immersive maps, and virtual and augmented realities.
Research projects
CEDaR projects bring together university researchers, multimedia developers, and community parters to support the digital documentation of community stories, mobilizing this documentation with new media, and the community-led stewardship of such knowledge.
Events
Alongside our research, CEDaR serves as a hub for CIS community-centred events, as well as coordinating broader collaborations through our VPRI-funded Research Cluster in Relational Technologies. We facilitate and host workshops, Indigenous-focused gaming events and video screenings, speakers series, and training programs.