INDIGENOUS CONTINUANCE, RESILIENCE AND WELL BEING IN 2020
PANEL DISCUSSION in context of our upcoming performance, Continuance - Yonkwa'nikonhrakontáhkwen / Our Consciousness Continues Unchanged, as a part of the National Art Centre’s Grand Acts of Theatre.
Kaha:wi Dance Theatre is pleased to host Zoom panels with esteemed Indigenous colleagues. We will be discussing Indigenous continuance, resilience and well being in context of our upcoming performance, Continuance - Yonkwa'nikonhrakontáhkwen / Our Consciousness Continues Unchanged, as a part of the National Art Centre’s Grand Acts of Theatre.
Kaha:wi Dance Theatre’s creative work is in response to the Mohawk Institute Residential School legacy. The 142 year history of the school did not destroy cultural perpetuity. In fact at this time of societal uncertainty, it is crucial to advocate and uphold Indigenous continuance. Coded within our iconographies are meaningful ways to live in the world with balanced harmony to which society can look to for guidance. Continuance - Yonkwa'nikonhrakontáhkwen / Our Consciousness Continues Unchanged is an opportunity to remove grief and restore the ability to see, hear, speak and ingest beauty and strength, traditional words and concepts.
Zoom Panel September 24th @ 7:00-8:30pm EST
Each of the panelists are working in their fields to advocate and educate for positive health and well being for individuals and communities. With a wealth of knowledge and insight into current implications of historical traumas and persisting inequalities, the conversation will be thought provoking, inspiring and healing.
Dr. Karen Hill
Family physician practicing holistic health-care
Karenna’onwe (Gaw-law-naw-ooo-way) – Dr. Karen Hill is Mohawk Turtle Clan from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. She is a family physician practicing wholistic health-care. She is the mother of two sons, step mother to five daughters, grandmother to seven. Karenna’onwe holds a vision to see Traditional Indigenous Knowledge return to the centre of life and healthcare for Indigenous people across Canada. This vision led her to co-create a collaborative healing practice with Traditional Medicine Practitioners at Six Nations called "Juddah's Place". Here she practiced family medicine and completed four years training in Traditional Indigenous Medicine. She is the first recipient of the Thomas Dignan award for Indigenous Health conferred by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons; The College of Family Physicians Excellence Award for leading the way in collaborative care with Indigenous Medicine in primary practice; and Community Impact Award awarded by McMaster University. Recently Karenna’onwe partnered with Kahsto’serakwathe Paulette Moore – A Mohawk filmmaker - to create “The Aunties Dandelion” media/research centre and healing space focused on embodiment of Indigenous ways of Being and expanding the human family. Together the Aunties Dandelion create a monthly podcast, have filmed one movie and are in the process of developing Culture of Safety Curriculum for McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences. Karenna’onwe continues to practice consultative holistic medicine and is developing an Indigenous Health Service at the Brantford General Hospital with her colleague and Oneida physician Dr. Amy Montour.
Rodney C. Haring, PhD, MSW
Director, Center for Indigenous Cancer Research Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, Department of Cancer Prevention and Control
Rodney C. Haring, PhD, MSW is Director of the Roswell Park Center for Indigenous Cancer Research, research faculty at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, Department of Cancer Prevention and Control and adjunct faculty at the Native American Research and Training Center, University of Arizona. He is also a past fellow at the National Congress of American Indians and Mayo Clinic. Dr. Haring (Beaver Clan) is an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation of Indians and resides on the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation (NY). He holds a doctoral degree in social work with over 15 years of social work practice and a former delegate on the US Department of Health and Human Services, American Indian and Alaska Native, Health Research Advisory Council. He is also the lead delegate for the historic MoU between Rowell Park and Indian Health Services with the common mission of addressing health burdens in Indigenous communities. In 2017 he was awarded an Impact Award by the National Indian Health Board. His research interests intersect eliminating disparities and encouraging resiliencies within First Nations and Indigenous societies.
Roberta Hill
Survivor of the Mohawk Institute Residential School and Retired RN.
Roberta Hill a Mohawk from Six Nations of the Grand River and a survivor of the Mohawk Institute Indian Residential school. She is a member of a survivor support group Shekon Ke’ntho Yakwes (We Are Still Here). It is the voices of residential school survivors, their strength and resiliency that motivates and inspires her to focus on change and leave a legacy we can all be proud of. Currently, the Chairperson for the Mohawk Village Memorial Park and is working with survivors/descendants to build a memorial park dedicated to all the students of the Mohawk Institute. You can visit our website: www.mohawkvillagepark.com
Dr. James Makokis
Dr. James Makokis is from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation in Northern Alberta. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Food Sciences ('04), a Master of Health Science in Community Nutrition from the University of Toronto ('06) and a Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Ottawa ('10). He received certification from the Aboriginal Family Medicine Training Program at the University of British Columbia ('12). Currently he works as the sole Family Physician at Kehewin Health Services on Kehewin Cree Nation. Dr. Makokis also leads one of North America’s most progressive and successful transgender focused medical practices in south Edmonton and has been featured on the CBC, AJ+, and the Thompson Reuters Foundation for his work in this area.
His strong connections to his cultural beliefs, nehiyaw maskihkiya, preventative health through the Cree medical system, spirituality, and Two-spirit perspective has helped him save lives within the LGBTQ2 and First Nation communities. Dr. Makokis participated alongside his husband as "Team Ahkameyimok" on Season 7 of The Amazing Race Canada and won. Dr. Makokis currently serves on the Board of the Waakebiness-Bryce Institute of Indigenous Health at the University of Toronto and Indigenous Advisory Council at , and is the former Board Chair of the inaugeral Indigenous Wisdom Council of Alberta Health Services. He has previously served on the boards of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, Indspire, and the Two Spirit Circle of Edmonton Society.
Moderator: Santee Smith
Kahnyen’kehàka Nation | Artist, Artistic Director of Kaha:wi Dance Theatre | Chancellor, McMaster University)