opikiskwêwin tâpiskôc miyo-maskihkiy

Join Dr. Catherine Richardson for a conversation with Joseph Naytowhow and Yvonne Chamakese!

Joseph Naytowhow is a gifted singer/songwriter, accomplished stage and screen actor, orator and storyteller. His work includes voice, music, and storytelling for on-air plays with CBC, MBC, APTN and SCN. He is passionate and committed to the arts including collaborations, film, television, theatre, advisory and teaching as his life’s work.

Yvonne Chamakese is a knowledge keeper, pipe carrier and a lodge keeper. She lives on One Arrow First Nations but originally comes Chitek Lake First Nation. 

Part of the Good Medicine Talks series, sponsored by the Concordia Chair in Indigenous Healing Knowledges.

How can you participate? Join us in person or online by registering for the Zoom Meeting or watching live on YouTube.

Have questions? Send them to info.4@concordia.ca

Joseph Naytowhow

Naytowhow, uses his many talents to explore themes of traditional nehiyaw (Cree) culture and contemporary society. He is a much sought after presenter and guest speaker who explores a variety of subjects including the vital role Mother Earth has in sustaining life and our responsibility to protect her, traditional Indigenous culture and ways of being/knowledge, the treaties in Canada, Truth and Reconciliation and other topics with a focus on bringing people together. He is renowned for his unique style of Cree/English storytelling combined with contemporary music and traditional First Nations drum, flute and rattle songs.

He is the recipient of the Canadian Aboriginal Music Award’s Keeper of the Tradition Award and the Commemorative Medal for the Saskatchewan Centennial. He received a Gemini Award for Best Individual or Ensemble Performance in an Animated Program or Series for his role in the Wapos Bay TV series. He was awarded Best Emerging Male Actor at the Winnipeg Aboriginal Film Festival for his role in Run: Broken Yet Brave. He was awarded the Saskatchewan Arts Board’s Arts and Learning Award for his far-reaching work with many organizations, students and artists. He has performed for the Prince of Wales, the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan and many other notables.

Having earned a Bachelor of Education degree, studied with several traditional Elders as well as a Buddhist master for 15 years, and worked as an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and mentor, Naytowhow is committed to lifelong learning and sharing cultural knowledge. Most recently, Joseph was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws honoris causa (LLD).

Naytowhow, resides in Saskatoon and serves as Emerging Elder/Cultural Advisor at the College of Law, University of Saskatchewan. He is a member of the Sturgeon Lake First Nation Band, which is located approximately 30 kilometres northwest of Prince Albert.

Yvonne Chamakese

Yvonne Chamakese is a nêhiyaw iskwêw, a revered Plains Cree Knowledge keeper, ceremonial Elder, and proud great grandmother of five great grandkids. Originally from Chitek Lake First Nation in Northern Saskatchewan, she is currently based in One Arrow First Nation, SK. Yvonne is an advisor for Child and Family Services and the Chief and Council at Chitek Lake First Nation. She works as an Elder/advisor with the Indigenous Law Centre as well as the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan. When she’s not spending time with her family, she likes to work with plant medicines and offer her wisdom and cultural knowledge for sweat lodges, naming ceremonies, funerals and cultural camps in One Arrow First Nation. Yvonne’s been guiding sweat lodges since 1993, supporting people of all walks in their healing journeys, from those struggling with addictions and homelessness, to those in need of spiritual connection. Her approach is grounded in gentleness, compassionate understanding and a loving ability to see people for who they truly are.

Dr. Cathy Richardson

Cathy Richardson is Metis with Gwich’in and Cree ancestry.  She is the Director of First Peoples Students, the Assistant Co-Director of the Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling and the CURC in Indigenous Healing Knowledges.