Meet Our Speakers
Elders and Youth Gathering
Brent Edwards
Master of Ceremonies
Eddy Robinson
Artist, Activist & Educator
An Anishinaabe/Mushkegowuk Cree of the Missanabie Cree First Nation born and raised in the city of Toronto. Like many Indigenous people in Canada, Eddy did not enjoy an easy childhood as an Anishinaabe youth in the big city. His father – a Residential School survivor – left the family when he was just three years old. Eddy subsequently endured years of abuse from an alcoholic parent. Only in his adult years was Eddy able to understand the legacy of his father’s experience at Chapleau Indian Residential School and Shingwauk Indian Residential School. Eddy has over 20 years of experience working with Indigenous communities, social servicing agencies and various levels of government organizations. He strongly believes that achieving a mutually respectful relationship with Indigenous communities is through creating culturally safe environments together in partnership with corporations, government, non-profits, educational and charitable organizations.
Earl and Nancy Danyluk
Traditional Elders
Earl and Nancy Danyluk are traditional elders from Wemindji, Quebec. They participate as part of the Nishiiyuu Council Of Elders. They have both been to many gatherings, sharing their teachings with young and old alike. Earl and Nancy supported and mentored youth throughout their lives. They are also part of the Otterhead Drum Group since its beginning in the 70s. They have been active with the Nishiiyuu Elders Council providing guidance to the Board of Directors of the Cree Health Board and the organization based on their knowledge of Cree history, values, and traditional healing practices.
Bentley Cheechoo
Treaty 9 Knowledge Keeper
As a young boy, Bentley Cheechoo would sit along the shores of the Moose River and listen to Elders share their knowledge. This is how he first learned about treaties. Cheechoo, 72, grew up in Moose Factory. Today he lives in Thunder Bay. As a Knowledge Keeper, he talks at various events about what treaties are and how they came about. His main focus is Treaty 9, the James Bay Treaty.
Cheechoo is a past Deputy Grand Ghief and Grand Chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, and a former Constance Lake First Nation Chief. He is now semi-retired.
Knowledge Keeper is not a title, Cheechoo pointed out, and the knowledge about treaties mainly passes down through a family.
Peter Wynne
Traditional Knowledge Keeper
Member of Moose Cree First Nation with 43 years of traditional teachings and ceremonies. He is a member of the Loon Clan. Peter conducts various traditional ceremonies when called upon. Peter currently holds a degree in Liberal Arts. Peter currently works as a Traditional Healer at Anishnabe Health Toronto as a resource person. Peter is working on completing his second degree in Public Administration and Governance.
Brenda Roberts
Traditional Knowledge Keeper
Member of Henvey Inlet First Nation, Brenda is a grandmother of 17. Brenda is a member of the Beaver People. Brenda is Peter Wynne’s partner of 4 yrs and has been working beside him regularly. Brenda has fasted for a Pipe Carrier, Sweat Lodge Conductor and carries various teachings and ceremonies. She has attended two years of Sundance. She can give name, colours and clans. She can do healing as well. Brenda carries 2 diplomas of traditional medicines, 1 diploma in Office Administration and 1 diploma in Indigenous Wellness and Addiction Prevention. Brenda is returning to college to learn the mother tongue of her Grandmother Josephine Amikwabi where she will hold another diploma in Anishnabemowin. She currently speaks conversational Ojibway.
Gabriel Herodier
Trauma-Informed Practitioner and Counsellor
Gabriel Herodier is a Cree Healing Through Dreams Workshop Facilitator with deep lived experience and ancestral teachings centered around dreams. He has successfully completed his workshop across all northern Mushkegowuk Communities and has provided one-on-one sessions, including counseling and dream interpretations.
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Gabriel's workshop offers participants invaluable insight into the understanding and sharing of dreams, drawing from his lifelong experiences. He is dedicated to helping others grasp the meaning behind their dreams, explore symbolism, and develop effective journaling practices.
As a Cree Traditional Practitioner, Gabriel provides trauma-informed counseling sessions tailored for both adults and youth. His approach to dream interpretation is deeply rooted in traditional Indigenous perspectives, enriched by knowledge passed down from Elders. In addition to his work with dreams, Gabriel also specializes in drug and alcohol counseling, offering support and guidance through a culturally informed lens.
Lisa V. Wesley
Mental Health & Wellness Manager, and Registered Trainer
Lisa V. Wesley is a proud member of the Attawapiskat First Nation and currently serves as the Mental Health and Wellness Manager for the Mushkegowuk Council’s Health Department. With over 25 years of dedicated experience in the helping field, Lisa has honed her expertise with a particular focus on Indigenous families and children. Her primary areas of specialization include trauma-informed care and counseling services.
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Lisa is not only a seasoned counselor but also an experienced facilitator, leading workshops and information sessions aimed at empowering communities. She is a Registered Trainer for Indigenous Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy, further showcasing her commitment to culturally grounded and effective therapeutic practices.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Lisa treasures her personal time, especially when spent with her beloved grandson, embracing the importance of family and connection in her life.
Rick Lightning
Elder
Elder Rick (Patrick) Lightning is an Elder/Mosom from Maskwacis (Hobemma, Alberta) raised in the traditions of Plains Cree, Nehiyaw. He is a third generation residential school survivor.
Rick has been a Cultural Support Worker to the Indian Residential School (IRS), Mental Health, Aboriginal Youth Communities Empowerment Strategy (AYCES), and the National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program (NNADAP) programs at Maskwacis.
Currently, Rick is the resident Elder, or Mosom, as he prefers to be called, for the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta.
Gladys Wapass-Greyes
Traditional Knowledge Keeper
After taking university classes in teaching methodology, Gladys became a language instructor, teaching Cree (Nehiyaw) in First Nations schools such as Thunderchild and Muskeg Lake. The Saskatchewan Teacher’s Federation recognizes the critical role that language plays in the transmission and preservation of culture and acknowledges Gladys’ commitment and over 30 years’ experience to this priority.
As a community elder in Thunderchild and elder invited to many non-First Nation communities in Saskatchewan, Gladys is a well-respected teacher and counsellor. In recent years, she developed and delivered historical and cultural resources to Saskatchewan schools for Saskatchewan’s Office of the Treaty Commissioner. This work includes going into schools as part of the “Treaties in the Classroom” project. The STF believes that treaty education is a critical component of Saskatchewan students’ learning and stories and teachings of Knowledge Keepers, like Gladys, are vital to this endeavour.
Gladys continues to be invited by teachers, school divisions, the Ministry of Education and the Office of the Treaty Commissioner to speak and share her teachings, helping educators introduce, promote and maintain the history of Indigenous people in the province and use that knowledge as a foundation for strong relationships.
Edmund Metatawabin
Traditional Knowledge Keeper and Author
Edmund Metatawabin is a First Nations former chief and writer, whose 2014 memoir Up Ghost River: A Chief’s Journey Through the Turbulent Waters of Native History was a shortlisted nominee for the Governor General's Award for English-language non-fiction at the 2014 Governor General's Awards.
A former chief of the Fort Albany First Nation in Ontario who has led the legal battle for a compensation review on behalf of St. Anne's residential school survivors, he published Up Ghost River, cowritten with journalist Alexandra Shimo, as a memoir of his childhood experience in Canada's Indian residential schools system.
Kirby Mianscum
Otterhead Drummer
Kirby Mianscum, is one of the founding members of the Otterhead Singers, he is from Moose Factory ON. He resides on the Nipissing First Nation with his family, neighboring the city of North Bay ON. Kirby is a lead singer of Otterhead and his own family drum called Popular Singers involving his siblings and friends. Kirby is a well-known Master of Ceremonies for Powwows throughout Ontario. He worked for the North Bay Indian Friendship Centre for many years until his retirement. Kirby is a holder of traditional knowledge and ceremonies.
Christy Caudill
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Christy is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre (GCRC) at Carleton University, and an Adjunct Professor and Lecturer in the Sustainability Studies Graduate Program at Trent University. She is an Earth, Space, and Systems Scientist who works at the intersection of society and digital technologies, focusing on questions such as, how do scientists and academics contribute to becoming better kin to the living Earth?
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Christy is a daughter of Appalachia, born and raised in Kentucky where her ancestors settled after arriving from their homelands of Ireland and Scotland. She gratefully and respectfully finds home as a settler on the lands governed by the Williams Treaty in unceded Nogojiwanong territory (also known as Peterborough, Ontario, Canada). This traditional territory is stewarded by the Curve Lake First Nation and Anishnabee and has been since time immemorial.
Hope Hill
Carbon and Biodiversity Coordinator
Hope Hill grew up in her grandparents' home in Sudbury, where she was immersed in the world of wildlife and resource management through their work with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. This environment instilled in her a profound love for wildlife and the natural world, inspiring her to pursue a career in environmental conservation. Hope earned a BSc. in Animal Biology from the University of Guelph and a Fish and Wildlife Technology diploma from Fleming College.
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During her time at Fleming College, Hope began exploring and embracing her Indigenous heritage, which guided her career towards working closely with Indigenous communities and organizations. Before joining Mushkegowuk Council, she served as a Consultation Advisor with the Métis Nation of Ontario, where she provided environmental management technical expertise to the Consultation Committees of Métis communities on a variety of projects. She also led and supported several environmental community science initiatives. Prior to this, Hope worked as a Climate Change Cultural Monitoring Technician for Magnetawan First Nation, contributing to their reptile Species at Risk research and protection program, as well as their community education outreach efforts. Earlier in her career, she gained experience in invasive species management and customer service.
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Hope is excited to bring her extensive knowledge and skills to her role as Carbon and Biodiversity Coordinator at the Mushkegowuk Council. In her personal time, she enjoys traveling, watching movies, practicing aerial yoga, and spending time with her Husky/Border Collie mix dog, Nora.
