Biskaabiiyaang Receives Seed Grant to Advance Indigenous-Led Virtual Learning Environments

Written By UniVirtual

We are proud to announce that Biskaabiiyaang: The Indigenous Metaverse has been awarded a seed grant from Connected Minds: Neural and Machine Systems for a Healthy, Just Society, a landmark $318.4-million research program led by York University in partnership with Queen’s University and funded by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund.

Our project is working to create an Indigenous-governed virtual learning environment rooted in Anishinaabe teachings and guided by Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession (OCAP) principles. The aim is to reclaim digital spaces through Indigenous futurism, blending immersive technology with cultural resurgence, language revitalization, and healing.

Led by Dr. Maya Chacaby (Glendon College, York University) and Dr. Rebecca Caines (Creative Technologies Program, York University Markham Campus), Biskaabiiyaang invites participants into virtual, story-driven quests in virtual worlds that preserve and share cultural narratives. These experiences are co-created with our project partners the Nokiiwin Tribal Council and UniVirtual, and draw on neuroscience, psychology, and community-based research methods to explore how immersive cultural experiences influence memory, learning, and connection.

“Biskaabiiyaang is not just a virtual world — it’s a living, evolving space for Anishinaabe resurgence,” said Dr. Chacaby. “This funding will help us expand our platform, enhance accessibility, and create more opportunities for intergenerational learning across distance.”

By centering Indigenous governance and challenging colonial frameworks, Biskaabiiyaang offers a model for ethical, inclusive technologies that advance digital sovereignty and collective empowerment.

This funding will enable us to expand our platform, enhance accessibility, and build new opportunities for intergenerational connection, ensuring that Anishinaabemowin and Indigenous Knowledge continues to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

We are honored to be among the first five teams to receive this prestigious support from Connected Minds. The inaugural Team Grants span diverse, socially impactful research, from inclusive workplace technologies to healthy aging neuro-tools.

You can read more about the other projects and the Connected Minds initiative as a whole in York University’s official announcements:

About Biskaabiiyaang

Biskaabiiyaang is an Indigenous-led metaverse delivering Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) language and First Nation cultural competency programs. In partnership with Nokiiwin Tribal Council, York University, and metaverse builders UniVirtual, Biskaabiiyaang safeguards and shares the living heritage of Indigenous Peoples in an immersive digital environment.

Launched alongside the UN International Decade of Indigenous Languages, the project supports Anishinaabe resurgence by offering Indigenous knowledge, histories, languages, sciences, and philosophies through experiential education. Learners engage with an Indigenized curriculum, connect with Elders in real-time events, and explore a safe, collaborative space, no matter their geographical location.

Media Contact:
Violet Cronin – Marketing & PR
violet@univirtual.com

UniVirtual
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