MUSEUM OF HISTORY • EVENING WOMEN'S GATHERING
On Saturday, October 15th, 2022 we will gather in the Great Hall to celebrate each other. It is a feast. a ceremony and a tribute to survivors and memorial for Indigenous women who are no longer walking with us.
This women's conference is for sharing, [re]connecting and unifying women. It is for uplifting those that are marginalized, supporting those who are coming home to culture and empowering the leaders who walk beside us every day.
We are excited to welcome talented women that proudly and loudly represent their Indigenous cultures and communities both locally and on a world stage.
DANCE TROUPE
Lyons Sisters
Taliah, Zara & Sarina Lyons
We are Taliah, Zara, and Sarina Lyons, also known as The Lyons Sisters. We’re of Metis and Swampy Cree heritage from northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. We’ve been learning traditional dance for most of our lives and love sharing it as performers. Métis jigging is a beautiful blend of traditional First Nations and European dance styles and vary by region and community. Our dances reflect everything we’ve learned from Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario and we look forward to sharing our culture with you!
Lyons Sisters will perform:
- Museum of History, Saturday, October 15th @ 9am and
- Women's Feast on the evening of Saturday, October 15th.
- St.Laurent Shopping Centre, Centre Court, Sunday, October 16 at 1pm
TEACHER | CHANGE MAKER | ADVOCATE
Guest Speaker, Museum of History
Dr. Talena Atfield
Talena Atfield is an Assistant Professor in History at the University of Waterloo. She is a member of the Kanien'kehá:ka Nation of the Six Nations of the Grand River. Previously, she was Curator of eastern ethnology at the Canadian Museum of History.
Talena’s research is grounded in community-based knowledge sharing and creation. She works with tangible and intangible Indigenous knowledges held in museums, galleries, and community centres, with a special focus on Hodinohso:ni material culture. Employing faces, or seven generations teachings to the study of Indigenous cultures held in collections, Talena critically examines the information shared with past researchers and works with community scholars and knowledge keepers to find ways to reintegrate and reinvigorate this information into community practice. Talena’s past research has applied a Teioháte kaswenta (Two Row Wampum) – Covenant Chain methodological approach to the study of Hodinohso:ni ash baskets, by critically examining the core focus of information shared by basket weavers and community knowledge holders when combined with information published by academics about ash baskets. Talena has also worked in the critical museology of repatriation and traditional/ceremonial care of material and archival collections.
Talena is currently working with a group of Hodinosho:ni scholars on a project called Ga̱̱hsrǫ:nih (To make something): The Frederick W. Waugh Hodinohso:ni Collection. Ga̱̱hsrǫ:nih is a multi-disciplinary project aiming to reintegrate 157 stories, 225 photos, 522 items of material culture and 50 notebooks collected my F.W. Waugh between 1911 and 1924 for the Geological Survey of Canada. Now housed at the Canadian Museum of History and the American Philosophical Society, the Ga̱̱hsrǫ:nih team is working on phase one, with a Canada Council for the Arts Long-Term Projects Grant in Creating, Knowing and Sharing: The Arts and Cultures of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples grant, to translate stories back into the six Hodinohso:ni languages and animate select stories.
MATRIARCH | ADVOCATE | WARRIOR
Evening Matriarch, Museum of History
Jonel Beauvais
Jonel currently support Kahwatsiraien:ton families of Ohero:kon. She has dedicated six years as a council member and Lead Auntie for all adolescent girls entering their first year of fasting in Ohero:kon “Under the Husk”, which is the Rights of Passage for youth in Akwesasne.
Jonel has spent five years cultivating support and experience around violence with the Seven Dancers Coalition as Community outreach.
In 2019 she was selected for Community Change Organization cultivating change in the hearts of women directly impacted by social violence, prison systems and immigration.
Jonel works diligently to empower and induce healing within all Native/Indigenous communities in order to prosper in the Haudenosaunee teachings of good medicine and good minds.
Jonel is a member of the Section 84 parole board of Akwesasne and the New Kanikonriio Council, a restorative justice initiative that integrates Indigenous ways of mediation to reduce incarceration and provide more interpersonal means of healing for all parties.
Inspired by her own carceral experience and the undeniable need for representation and support for those directly and indirectly impacted by the criminal system in Native communities, Jonel has founded the 'Tiny Home Project" http://welcomehomecircle.org/.
SINGER | SONGWRITER
Karonhianonha
Karonhianonha “She Protects The Skies” Francis, Wolf Clan of Akwesasne.
Singer, Songwriter
Karonhianonha will perform Saturday, October 15th at the Women's Evening event.
KANIENKEHA:KA SONG GROUP
Bear Fox and the Akwesasne Women's Singers
The Akwesasne Women Singers were formed in 1999 by four inspired and inspiring women: Bear Fox, Katsitsionni Fox, Elizabeth Nanitcoke and Iawentas Nanticoke. The women were driven by the need to protect and preserve the Kanienkeha (Mohawk Language), traditional Kanienkeha:ka (Mohawk People) customs and stories, as well as the oral traditions that are passed down from grandmother to grand-daughter.
The group was founded on the principle that songs are the easiest way to pass on the language and culture to future generations. Blessed with beautiful singing voices, the women put their talents and their messages together to form a singing group that would write and perform traditional Kanienkeha:ka songs. Since their inception, the Akwesasne Women Singers have brought their beautiful and powerful music to the community of Ahkwesasne.
Members of the group are in various stages of their lives - grandmothers, mothers, aunts, daughters, sisters and cousins. They are teachers, environmental researchers, social workers, and students. They take time out of their personal and professional lives to assist their community whenever possible. The women also volunteer for fundraising activities and provide assistance to individual community members when asked.
Aside from singing Haudenosaunee social songs, some members of Kontiwennenhawi are song writers, though they work with Elders and fluent speakers from Akwesasne to ensure the correct usage and spelling of words. These songs contain their own messages that they believe are important for the Mohawk people to know and remember. Their songs honor our Elders, Kanienkehaka teachers, Mother Earth, Grandmother Moon, and Grandfather Thunder. Kontiwennenhawi is committed to continuing the traditions of our ancestors and preserving our language and culture through their beautiful songs and inspiring efforts.
Bear and the Akwesasne Women's Singers will perform at Canadian Museum of History, Saturday, October 15th in the evening at the Women's Feast.
THROAT SINGER | ARTIST | ADVOCATE
Nina Segalowitz
Nina Segalowitz is an Inuvialuit /Dìne from Fort Smith, NWT. She is a proud mother of three. A 60s Scoop Survivor, Nina graduated from Concordia University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Human Sciences, a DEP in accounting and a DEP in Social Work.
She has dedicated her entire career to working with the Indigenous community, especially with victims of violence, and is currently a cultural consultant for the Canadian Armed Forces, the Montreal Police Force as well as many universities and schools.
Nina is a multi-talented artist. An accomplished throat singer, drummer and cellist, Nina has performed all over the world including recently an impromptu performance with musician Bobby McFerrin .
She is presently part of the group Oktoecho directed by Katia Makdissi Warren. As well she sits on the Board of Directors for the Legacy of Hope Foundation.
Nina and her partner Taqralik will perform:
- Museum of History on Saturday, October 15th in the evening.
- They are also facilitating workshop both Saturday and Sunday: Inuit Creation Circle Workshop Here
HOOP DANCER
Makhena Rankin Guerin
Makhena Rankin Guérin is a two-spirit Anishinaabe and Franco-Ontarian hoop dancer and nursing student. She was born and raised in Ottawa and her family comes from Abbitibiwinni First Nation.
@makhena_rg (Instagram) & Makhena Rankin Guérin (Facebook)
Makhena will perform:
St.Laurent Shopping Centre Saturday, October 15th @ 2pm (in front of Willis College) and 3pm (in Centre Court).
THROAT SINGER
Tracy Sarazin and Kendra Tagoona
Tracy Sarazin and Kendra Tagoona will be performing Inuit throat singing. Inuit throat singing is an Inuit tradition practiced by Inuit women as a game and a friendly competition. It is done by imitating sounds from nature and our environment. One person will make a sound and the next person has to follow immediately after. The leader switches the sound and the rhythm in order to try to make the follower make a mistake. Tracy and Kendra have been performing for over 20 years, sharing the beauty of Inuit culture to national and international audiences.
Tracy and Kendra will perform at:
- Canadian Museum of History, Saturday, October 15th at 12 noon and
- Canadian Museum of History in the evening at the Women's Feast
- St.Laurent Shopping Centre Sunday, October 16th @ 10am in front of Willis College and 11am in Centre Court
HOOP DANCER
Feryn King
Feryn Karahkwiiohstha King, is an Indigenous (Mohawk) artist from Akwesasne, Quebec. Her name in Kaníekeha (Mohawk Language) means ‘She makes the moon beautiful.’ or ‘Bright Moon.’ A name given to her on the day of the full moon. She is a dance performer, teacher, and free artistic skill of drawing. Even an acrobatic performer in Aerial Hoop of the circus world.
At a young age she took interest in learning traditional dancing, and later in life started training in Modern, Contemporary and expression movement. She even attended Centennial Colleges Dance Performance program where she had trained in a variety of dances and took in knowledge of the history behind those dances. As of last year in 2021, she fully entered into the world of circus and is continuing in training of Aerial.
She is an international performer where she has travelled abroad all across Canada, some parts in the U.S and overseas sharing and teaching hoop in both traditional and fusion style. And in 2019, she was recruited for a hoop dancing role in Cirque Du Soleil TOTEM where she traveled overseas in Europe.
Today she still continues to share her passion for dance in her own image.
Feryn will perform:
Canadian Museum of History at 11am in the Grand Hall and
the Women's Feast on the evening of Saturday, October 15th.
Feryn will also facilitate a Hoop Dance Workshop at Willis College, St.Laurent Shopping Centre on Sunday, October 16th, 9am -4pm.
TRADITIONAL DANCER & ARTIST
Mariah Miigwans
Mariah Smith Chabot is Algonquin First Nation and grew up in her community of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, surrounded and mentored by many skilled crafters, beaders and dancers. She is a multi-visual artist and has been crafting since 6 years old. As she walks through her 29th year around the sun, she has been able to use different methods of art in various capacities to connect with people and to share and bring awareness to the values and teachings of Anishinabe ways of being.
Mariah is essentially a self-taught and inspired artist; her late great grand parents and her great-aunties and uncles, being a huge inspirations of her learnings and discoveries. She focuses on teachings of the land and coming back to Our Creation stories. Mariah uses art as a way of storytelling and expressing emotions through promoting healthy living through mind, body and spirit and the power and relationships of 'giving back'.
She is a fancy shawl dancer, jingle dress carrier, as well as a hoop dancer. She has been invited to countries like Trinidad and France as a representative for her community and her nation to share about Indigenous peoples and culture.
Mariah is performing:
- Jingle Dress Dance at St.Laurent Shopping Centre Saturday, October 15th at 10am in front of Willis College and 11am in Centre Court,
- Jingle Dress Dance at Grand Hall, Canadian Museum of History on Saturday, October 15th at 1pm,
- Hoop Dance at St.Laurent Shopping Centre Sunday, October 16th at 2pm in front of Willis College and 3pm in Centre Court,
- Mariah will also be a featured vendor at the Indigenous Arts Marketplace, St.Laurent Shopping Centre, October 15th and 16th.
Museum of History Evening Schedule
Quick links
The IACC is an Indigenous women led, national charity.
Powered and EMpowered by Indigenous women.