Zaagi’idiwin / Valentine’s 3-Day Digital Gathering

Reconciling Ways of Knowing: Indigenous Knowledge and Science is pleased to have partnered with the IISAAK OLAM FOUNDATION to host a series of Dialogues on Zaagi’idiwin and other Indigenous conceptions of love on February 12th through 14th, 2021.

The first dialogue in this three-day event was hosted on Friday, February 12th. 

The session opened with a prayer by Algonquin Elder Larry McDermott.

This opening was followed by a discussion to frame the context of the event by:

Eli Enns – President and co-founder of the IISAAK OLAM FOUNDATION; and

Dr. David Suzuki – award-winning broadcaster, geneticist, co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation, and Reconciling Ways of Knowing Convenor.  

A dialogue followed, between:

Dr. John Borrows – Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Law at the University of Victoria Law School, Anishinaabe/ Ojibway and a member of the Chippewa of the Nawash First Nation;

Peigi Wilson, LLM – Metis Nation and President of Plenty Canada, First Nations Information Governance Centre;

Calvin Sandborn, QC – Counsel for West Coast Environmental Law Association, the Farmworkers Legal Services Project and the Forest Practices Board of British Columbia);

Jacquie Miller, MA – Member of the first cohort in the University of Victoria Faculty of Law’s Juris Doctor/Juris Indigenarum Doctor program in Canadian common law and Indigenous legal orders, a lead organizer for Reconciling Ways of Knowing: Indigenous Knowledge and Science Forum; and

Moderator Eli Enns – President and co-founder of the IISAAK OLAM Foundation.

The discussion focused on the implications of Zaagi’idiwin and other Indigenous conceptions of love and relationality for building good inter-societal relationships with each other and for decolonizing our relations to each other and the world in which we live together.

The second dialogue in this three-day event was hosted on Saturday, February 13th.

The second in this set of Dialogues began with a spiritual opening by Mohawk Elder Katsi Cook of the National Aboriginal Council of Midwives.

Elder Katsi Cook was then joined in dialogue by panelists:
Dr. Kim TallBear – Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience & Environment; Associate Professor, Faculty of Native Studies, University of Alberta; and
Danika Littlechild – Assistant Professor in the Department of Law and Legal Studies at Carleton University's Faculty of Public Affairs; and
Leonor Teni de Leon – Promoter of Indigenous women’s knowledge in medicines and foods, midwifery, weaving and other arts.

After an initial round of conversation amongst the panelists, the discussion was joined by:
Valérie Courtois – Director of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative and member of the Innu Nation community of Mashteuiatsh; and
Miles Richardson, OC – Citizen of the Haida Nation, Director of the National Consortium on Indigenous Economic Development, and Reconciling Ways of Knowing: Indigenous Knowledge and Science Convenor.

The Dialogue was moderated by:
Eli Enns – IISAAK OLAM FOUNDATION President and co-founder; and
Jenica Atwin – Member of Parliament for Fredericton.

The discussion focused on the impacts of colonization on Indigenous women, families, social life, nationhood and the land; and thoughts on how to better respect Indigenous women, family and social relations, as we move to decolonize, strengthen Indigenous nationhood, and develop better relationships between Nations/Peoples.

The third Dialogue in this three-day event was hosted on Sunday, February 14th.

The third in this set of Dialogues opened with a prayer by T’Sou-ke Nation Chief Gordon Planes, who also serves as Secretary of Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council and Director on the Lands Advisory Board, which supports First Nations across the country re-establish control over their lands, natural resources and environment.

Then a recap of the preceding two days’ discussions was provided by:
Eli Enns – IISAAK OLAM FOUNDATION President and co-founder;
Jacquie Miller, MA – panelist from Day 1 and organizer the Reconciling Ways of Knowing: Indigenous Knowledge and Science initiative; and
Jenica Atwin – co-moderator for Day 2 and Member of Parliament for Fredericton.

The event featured musical performances by Alysha Brilla, Juno Award nominated artist, singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music producer and creative wellness facilitator.

Co-moderators Eli Enns and Jenika Atwin facilitated a Dialogue on initiatives that apply Indigenous concepts of love to housing and community development in the context of Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas, amongst:

Kluane Adamek – Assembly of First Nations Yukon Regional Chief, holding the AFN National Portfolios for Climate Change and the Environment, Youth and Modern Treaties;
Dahti Tsetso – Tłįchǫ Dene from Łįįdlíí Kų́ę́ and Deputy Director of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative;
Will Goodon – Métis Governments facilitator, consultant, and assembly chair; and
Rachelle Lemieux, MArch – architect at Verne Reimer Architecture, with Red River Métis ancestry.