Keynote Address: 1:30 pm, Wednesday July 19, University Theatre (ADM026)
Indigenous Sovereignty VIDEO link

Student responses to keynotes:

http://rmooc.ca/resources/keynote-responses-goel-kenney-hothi-sahebnassagh/

http://rmooc.ca/hubs/dispatches/keynote-responses-michael-turner/

http://rmooc.ca/resources/keynote-responses-skylar-schmidtke-sarah-dawn-jessica-souto/

http://rmooc.ca/resources/keynote-responses-lily-li-cristalle-smith-melissa-weiss/

Indigenous sovereignty also requires the sovereignty of Indigenous knowledges in order for people to work toward building respectful relationships with others and with the environment. Ontological freedom (sovereignty) is a prerequisite to developing ways of expressing Indigenous voice and vision – we must be free in our thinking and being before we can express ourselves through what we do. Sovereignty disrupts the neoliberal agenda of “we are all equal” through recognizing that truly respectful intersections between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities requires celebrating our differences.

Shawn Wilson is Opaskwayak Cree from northern Manitoba, Canada, and currently lives on Bundjalung land on the east coast of Australia. His research has helped to communicate the theories underlying Indigenous research methodologies to diverse audiences. Through working with Indigenous people internationally, Shawn has applied Indigenist philosophy within the contexts of Indigenous education, health and counsellor education. In addition to further articulating Indigenous philosophies and research paradigms, his research focuses on the inter-related concepts of identity, health and healing, culture and wellbeing. His book, Research is Ceremony: Indigenous Research Methods is often cited for bridging understanding between western academia and traditional Indigenous knowledges.