Genealogy is not only about the past. It is about helping communities reclaim what was taken – identity, land, connection, and truth.
Havlik Consulting Group offers expert archival and genealogical services to support First Nations across Canada in pursuing specific claims, treaty entitlements, and intergenerational justice.
With over two decades of experience, our team specializes in complex lineage reconstruction, kinship verification, and historical population research. We produce defensible, court-ready evidence tailored to the legal, cultural, and historical needs of each Nation – ensuring that this work contributes meaningfully to both community healing and tangible outcomes.
Our genealogy services can assist Nations with the following:
1. Annuity Compensation & Recalculation
Many individuals were historically excluded from treaty annuity paylists due to administrative omissions, enfranchisement, or forced removals. Genealogy studies can help with:
- Identifying individuals excluded from historical annuity records;
- Reconstructing kinship networks to calculate unpaid annuities and accrued interest;
- Providing lineage-based documentation for both individual and collective compensation claims.
2. Land Entitlement & Population Reconstruction
Under Treaty and reserve policies, land allocations were often based on incomplete or inaccurate population data. Genealogy studies support communities by:
- Reconstructing historical population counts using archival and oral sources;
- Documenting excluded families and migration patterns;
- Producing demographic reports to support land entitlement claims and federal negotiations.
3. Cultural Loss & Intergenerational Harm
Residential schools and child welfare systems disrupted kinship structures and erased cultural transmission across generations. Genealogy studies can help re-establish what was lost by:
- Tracing how government policies severed family ties and community roles;
- Documenting intergenerational loss of language, culture, and traditional knowledge;
- Providing evidence for cultural restitution, trauma-informed healing programs, and class action litigation.
4. Unmarked Burials & Missing Children
Genealogy plays a critical role in addressing the legacy of residential schools and supporting the search for lost or unidentified children by:
- Reconstructing family trees to support identification and repatriation efforts;
- Bridging historical gaps where burial or school records are missing;
- Collaborating with families and communities in culturally respectful and trauma-informed ways.
5. Establishing & Maintaining Section 10 Membership Codes
Section 10 of the Indian Act allows Nations to take control of their own membership lists. By completing a genealogy study, Nations are able to:
- Confirm their own membership lists;
- Develop lineage packages;
- Research support for reinstatement requests and appeals;
- Have access to expert testimony and documentation for complex or disputed cases.
Why Work With Us?
HCG is committed to providing:
- Indigenous-focused genealogical services grounded in evidence and respect;
- Strategic support for specific claims and reconciliation processes;
- Long-term tools for community empowerment and intergenerational healing.
HCG’s genealogy team offers the experience, integrity, and cultural respect needed to support your Nation’s goals.