He began his academic career as a professor of History and Anthropology at Bliss College in Lewiston, Maine in 1969.
In 1974 he joined the faculty of Memorial University of Newfoundland, teaching as a professor in the folklore department and working as an archivist in the MUN Folkore and Language Archive (MUNFLA).
He conducted extensive fieldwork throughout the American south, Puerto Rico, and Newfoundland and Labrador, documenting and preserving oral traditions, history and music.
He also published numerous articles and essays in academic journals and popular media and produced a number of broadcast documentaries.
Throughout his career, Narváez received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to Canadian culture and academia.