RAIR Digital Dialogues
RAIR has been in dialogue with many amazing folks to explore Indigenous land rematriation and land sharing within the context of ongoing settler colonialism here in so-called Canada. Through these dialogues we’ve been learning about Indigenous laws, languages, governance systems, relationships to land, food sovereignty practices and how land relations are being (re)imagined.
Along the way, we share thoughts about if and how frameworks and concepts such as rematriation, land back and cultural land trusts could play a role in defining and expressing alternative and radical visions of food sovereign, ecologically just, and (de)(anti)colonial futures.
We are releasing these dialogues as a podcast series. We hope that these dialogues can help to deepen understanding around and build support for Indigenous-led land, food, and climate action.
Episode 11: Making Land Sovereign and Reclaiming Relationships with Stephanie Morningstar
Stephanie Morningstar (Kanien’kehá:ka, Wakeniáhten, Mohawk, Turtle clan; She/Her, They/Them) is an herbalist, earth worker, and educator, as well as the executive director and relationships and reciprocity co-director of the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust. In today’s episode, we are very grateful to Stephanie for sharing her knowledge about reclaiming relationships, land rematriation, responsibilities, reparations, and many more interconnected themes. Music by Aysanabee. Listen Now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Thanks for Tuning In!
Episode 10: Rematriation: ‘A lifelong decolonial love journey’ with Melissa West Morrisson
Melissa West-Morrison is ‘Namgis and Chinese with a passion for growing culturally-relevant food and making medicines on her life-long journey of learning the language of plants. She is the Nursery Coordinator at the Coast Salish Plant Nursery at Maplewood Flats, a community artist, UBC alumni, and recent graduate of the Tsawwassen First Nation Farm School. In today’s episode we are so grateful to Melissa for sharing her journey as a matriarch in training. She talks about the power of plants, ancestral connections, language revitalization, seed sovereignty, and showing up with love. Music by Aysanabee. Listen Now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Thanks for Tuning In!
Episode 9: Environmental Racism, Justice and Land Revitalization with Beze Gray
In this episode we speak with Beze Gray. Beze is an Anishinaabe water protector and land defender from Aamjiwnaang First Nation and has been an active voice in the movement against environmental racism and in support of decolonization from a young age. Along with their ongoing activism, Beze has also been doing land-based work and learning Ojibwe in their own effort to revitalise the language. Beze’s work and activism are varied and pull from their experiences as a Two Spirit youth. We hope you enjoy this conversation! Music by Aysanabee. Listen Now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Thanks for Tuning In!
Episode 8: Bringing Seed Ancestors Home with Tiffany Traverse
Tiffany Traverse is a Secwepmec land and seed steward, farmer and advocate for Indigenous food and seed sovereignty. She recently began a new role as Seed Collection Lead for Aski Reclamation. In this podcast, Tiffany shares her knowledge and experience with Indigenous-led seed projects and her reflections on rematriation, caretaking seed-ancestors, mentorship and many other themes. We loved this discussion with Tiffany and we know you will too! Music by Aysanabee. Listen Now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Thanks for Tuning In!
Episode 7: Rematriation as Relational Practice with Alivia Moore and Kessi Kimball of the Eastern Woodlands Rematriation Collective
In this episode we speak with Alivia Moore and Kessi Kimball from Eastern Woodlands Rematriation Collective -- a grassroots organization aiming to restore Indigenous food and kinship systems and the spiritual foundation of Indigenous livelihoods. Alivia Moore is a member of the Penobscot nation and the two-spirit community. They are a mother, child welfare advocate and co-founder of EWR focused on food systems in tribal communities across the US north-east. Kessie Kimball is a food provider from the Listuguj First Nations Mi'kmaq. Growing and sharing food in the community is the backbone of what she loves and what helps her build relationships for food sovereignty. Please check out more about Eastern Woodlands Rematriation collective online. They are an incredible group of caretakers, and we’re very grateful to Alivia and Kessie for sharing their experiences with us. Music by Aysanabee. Listen Now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Thanks for Tuning In!
Episode 6: Learning from the Treaty Land Sharing Network with Amy Seesequasis and Dr. Emily Eaton
In this episode we speak with Amy Seesequasis and Dr. Emily Eaton about The Treaty Land Sharing Network's efforts to bring together a group of farmers, ranchers, and other landholders to begin the crucial work of honouring Treaties. Amy and Emily offer important and timely perspectives and experiences that farmers and other landholders can draw from to support First Nations and Métis people seeking safe access to land to practice their ways of life. We hope you enjoy this conversation! Music by Aysanabee. Listen Now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Thanks for Tuning In!
Episode 5: Digging into Indigenous Food Sovereignty with Dr. Tabitha Robin Martens
In this episode we speak with Dr. Tabitha Robin Martens, who is an Assistant professor in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia. We discuss Indigenous food systems and the complexities of Indigenous Food Sovereignty within the context of ongoing settler colonialism and the imposition of settler food and governance systems. Music by Aysanabee. Listen Now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Thanks for Tuning In!
Episode 4: Indigenous Sovereignty and Resistance to Settler Colonial Resource Extraction with Anne Spice
In this episode we speak with Anne Spice, who is a queer Indigenous feminist and anti-colonial organizer and an Assistant professor in Geography and Environmental Studies at X University. We discuss rematriation, land back, Indigenous sovereignty, and accountability in our relations within the context of land struggles and resistance against colonial resource extraction. Music by Aysanabee. Listen Now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Thanks for Tuning In!
Episode 3: Reclaiming Anishinaabe Land Relations, Governance and Ways of Being with Dr. Eva Jewell and Nancy Deleary
In this episode we speak with Dr. Eva Jewell, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at X University and the Research Director at the Yellowhead Institute alongside her mother Nancy Deleary who is engaging directly with land back, land sharing and reclamation in her work and life. We discuss settler-Indigenous land and farming relations, land reclamation, rematriation, land back, and Indigenous food sovereignty. Music by Aysanabee. Listen Now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Thanks for Tuning In!
Episode 2: Talking Treaties, Indigenous Governance and Land Relations with Dr. Deb McGregor, PhD
In this episode we speak with Dr. Deborah McGregor, an Associate professor and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Environmental Justice at Osgoode Hall Law School, York University. We discuss rematriation, land back, treaties, Indigenous food sovereignty, and accountability in our relations with one another, other than human beings, and the land. Music by Aysanabee. Listen Now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Thanks for Tuning In!
Episode 1: Land, Colonialism & Patriarchy with Sherry Pictou & Martha Stiegman
For our first episode Adrianne and Sarah speak with Dr. Sherry Pictou, who is an Assistant Professor of Law and Management and a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Governance at Dalhousie University and Dr Martha Stiegman who is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change at York University. Listen Now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Thanks for Tuning In!
Series Intro: Introducing RAIR
In this introductory episode, Adrianne and Sarah introduce the podcast series and discuss the history and purpose of the RAIR (Relational Accountability for Indigenous Rematriation) project and our work together. Listen Now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Thanks for Tuning In!