Rocking Those Mocs: Pride, Strength and Unity

Bimadoshka Pucan is Anishinaabe-kwe from Saugeen First Nation #29 on the eastern shores of beautiful Lake Huron. Saugeen boasts the most awesome sunsets this side of the Ottawa River. Bimadoshka is very proud of her people, her family, and some pretty amazing corn she grew this summer. Hear Bimadoshka recount stories of her people long passed but that continue to live on as long we tell our sacred stories. HOKA!

Shé:kon sewakwé:on, Katsi’tsarónkwas iontia’ts. Wakehnhehsí:io niwaki’tarò:ten tanon Kahnawake nitewaké:non. Brooke Rice is snipe clan of the Kanien’kehá:ka nation, born and raised in Kahnawake. She is currently enrolled in the Master of Arts Individualized Program at Concordia where she is planning to create a sustainable youth mentorship in her community based on traditional kinship, language and land. Her previous studies in Ratiwennahní:rats, a Kanien’keha language immersion program, has fostered her passion for cultural revitalization and language reclamation. She feels lucky to work at CRE to help guide and empower youth to create impactful community engagements across Turtle Island. Brooke loves hanging out my family, eating yummy foods, foraging, beading, learning, planting and hunting.   

Michif Cultural Connections Josh Morin is a youth leader within Region 4 of the Métis Nation of Alberta. Born and Raised in the Edmonton Area. Josh has worked hard to provide indigenous led workshops such as Moccasin Making or Finger weaving and running the day to day operations at Michif Cultural Connections the Métis Cultural Centre in St. Albert. Josh is also the grandson of honourable Senator Thelma Chalifoux the first Métis woman appointed to the Canadian Senate. His family has long historical roots in St. Albert and Lac St Anne dating back to the communities earliest iterations and are very proud of their strong Métis culture and history they carry in Treaty 6 territory and the Métis homeland.  

Hannah Tooktoo is an emerging Inuk artist from Kuujjuaq, QC. Hannah is a graduate of Nunavik Sivunitsavut and Dawson College. She is an advocate and has talked about issues Inuit of Nunavik deal with such as the need for more attention, services and support in Inuit communities. Having been affected by the suicide epidemic in her region, Hannah bicycled across Canada in the summer of 2019 to raise awareness about the suicide epidemic in Inuit communities. Hannah's message was Anirnimi Kipisina-Do not cut your life short. Hannah now spends her time working on her art and raising her children.