Keynote Speakers 2022

Listen to the Land Team 

Celia Haig-Brown 

Celia Haig-Brown is a Professor in the Faculty of Education at York University. A Euro-Canadian ethnographer, her major interests are based in respectful and reciprocal research and practice particularly with Indigenous communities. Her first book (1988), a retrospective ethnography of the Kamloops Indian Residential School (KIRS), was based on interviews with former students. A revised and updated edition co-authored with Indigenous collaborators is forthcoming in fall 2022 with the title Tsqelmucwílc: The Kamloops Indian Residential School, Resistance and a Reckoning. Having more recently turned to filmmaking, she has completed two documentaries with the children and grandchildren of the original KIRS students.

Her latest film, Listen to the Land, is a lyrical look at the complexities of the Naskapi Nation’s commitment to the land and their caribou culture in the contemporary economic reality of open-pit mining. She has previously held administrative positions as Associate Vice-President Research, Chair of Senate, Associate Dean Research and Graduate Program Director. She is currently working on her next SSHRC-funded film tentatively titled, Rodeo Women: Behind the Scenes.

Loretta Robinson

Loretta Robinson is a Naskapi Cree educator from the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach of Quebec and member of the Pimicikamak Cree Nation of Manitoba. With a graduate (M Ed.) and an undergraduate degree (B.Ed. and B.A.) from Bishop’s University, Loretta works with a variety of school boards and universities on integrating Indigenous ways of knowing in learning settings, Indigenizing the curriculum, and preserving Indigenous languages in the early years. As one of the creators of Quebec Teacher Competency: Valuing Indigenous Pedagogy, Loretta uses this framework to support teachers in applying a culturally responsive approach in school settings. Loretta is currently the Naskapi Curriculum Coordinator at Jimmy Sandy Memorial School.

Anna St.Onge

Anna St.Onge is an archivist at York University who most recently served as Director of Digital Scholarship Infrastructure. She holds a B.A. in History and Celtic Studies and a Masters of Information Studies degree with a specialization in Archival Studies and Book History & Print Culture, both from the University of Toronto. Her current research focuses on archival praxis and reminiscence therapy for PLWD (people living with dementia) and a collaborative archives project with the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation on Manitoulin Island.

Heather Bergen

Heather Bergen is a Ph.D. student in social work at York University and a Vanier scholar. Her research interests centre on safety for children and families beyond the current child protection system. She has been involved as a research assistant on various parts of this project and is excited to be learning about and creating new ways of doing archival work.

Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute

Annie Bosum Librarian, Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute

Annie is a member of Oujé-Bougoumou Cree Nation in Eeyou Istchee. Annie graduated from Algonquin College specialising in Library and Information studies. She has worked at the Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute since 1997, when it was developing as an institution prior to opening in 2011. Annie manages the library collections and her work involves adapting library procedures to centre Eeyou values and world views. Annie has spoken about our implementation of the Brian Deer Classification System in several places in Canada. A former colleague and Annie cowrote the article entitled Implementing the Brian Deer Classification System for the Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute in 2017. Since then, indigenous, and non-indigenous librarians have contacted her regarding this project. She enjoys writing, photography, sewing handicrafts, snowshoeing, and nature walks with her golden lab.

Kory Saganash

Kory Saganash is originally from the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi (Quebec). Prior to becoming a digitization technician for the Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute in 2018, Kory had worked for the Cultural department in Waswanipi during its 40th year anniversary. As a research assistant for this role, his primary task was to video document interviews of elders and to gather old photos shot before his time.

Kory occupies a prominent role when it comes to digitizing materials that contains educational information. From contextual documents to audio recordings, he brings an element of expertism in the field of preserving such materials to digital formats. Kory is eager to utilize modern-day technologies to make digital materials accessible online that ensures the authenticity of Cree culture and its traditions.

In addition to this, Kory is a loving father and a founder of Cree Origins Clothing. This line of clothing promotes Cree literature, using symbolic representation designed by Kory and with the help of his fellow advisors. He intends to immortalize the Cree language for upcoming generation, while maintaining a touch of modern style through its clothing brand.

Chanelle Fabbri

Chanelle Fabbri, who grew on up the territories of the Haudenosaunee, Ojibway/Chippewa, and Anishinabek (Barrie, ON), is the Acting Collection Registrar and Archival Cataloguer at Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute. Chanelle holds an Honors B.A from York University in Canadian History, a Master’s from Toronto Metropolitan University in Photographic Preservation and Collections Management, and a post-graduate diploma from Georgian College in Museums and Gallery Studies.

In the archives, Chanelle intellectually and physically arranges new collections, maintains catalogue records, organizes digitized records, and updates policies. She handles research requests, both internal and external, and she is working with Community Webs via Archive-It to preserve web content pertaining to ACCI and Eeyou Istchee. As acting Collections Registrar, she oversees all incoming and outgoing loan, acquisitions, cataloguing, and inventory. Chanelle handles requests, supplies orders, as well as supervises the YCW position. Chanelle also works closely with the conservator to ensure the collection is housed and stored to industry standers.

As an emerging museum professional, Chanelle hopes to continue learn how to apply decolonizing frameworks to her work in collections and wants to ensure that museum and archives spaces are comfortable and safe for communities to gather and learn.

Rob Imrie

M.B.A. • Former Director of Programs, Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute

Rob Imrie, originally from the Northwest Territories is the former Director of Programs at the Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute. With a successful educational background, the Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute brought Rob on board to develop educational programming. A mandate of the cultural institute is to educate younger generations about their culture and traditional practices. As a result, classroom curriculum was developed for all school age students. Rob spearheaded the creation of a series of workshops, regular programming, and special events to meet the goals of the mandate.

As a Director of Programs, Rob oversees all areas of collections, including Archaeology, the Library and Archives, exhibition development, as well as education, special events, and research requests to the Institute. Much of Rob’s work involves planning, organizing, and develop strategic initiatives to fulfil the mandate of the organization. This involves working closely with our foundation in the development of grant applications or general fundraising opportunities to ensure the longevity of the organization.

Rob has completed a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education, Graduate Certificate in Education and, most recently, a MBA from Queen’s University Smith School of Business in 2020.

Find Rob on Linkedin here

Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute

About

Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute is an Eeyou Istchee’s award-winning and LEED-certified Indigenous museum, a library, archive, and teaching centre promoting high-powered interactivity. Aanischaaukamikw houses the cultural institution that showcases the rich history of the James Bay Crees. The mission of Aanischaaukamikw is the preservation, maintenance, sharing, and celebration of Cree culture and language.

“Cree Elders have spoken of the need for a central place for the protection of ‘the ways’, and have developed a vision for Aanischaaukamikw over several decades.” – Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute

Contact

Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute

Address: 205 Opemiska Meskino, P.O. Box 1168 Oujé-Bougoumou, Quebec, Canada, G0W 3C0

Tel. (418) 745-2444 | Fax. (418) 745-2324

Email: info@creeculture.ca

Website: https://creeculturalinstitute.ca/