ISCEI provides support for the Knowledge Holder Series, developed within the Indigenous Studies Program. This annual series invites an Indigenous Knowledge Holder to spend a week at McGill to share their work through academic events, community presentations, and interactive workshops. Follow the link below to read more about this series on the Indigenous Studies Program website!
Winter 2023 Knowledge Holder
Owisokon Lahache
Owisokon Lahache is a Haudenosaunee Mohawk artist and Matriarch of the Turtle Clan, living in Kahnawake.
Owisokon's first passion is painting, believing that art can speak volumes and that telling our own stories is important for our children and for other Peoples to gain a better understanding of who we are, about what makes our Spirits sing.
She is currently working in her Turtle Bay Art Studio where she meets with clientele who wish to learn about the Haudenosaunee culture. Her aim is to create more public art and interactive art pieces in conjunction with a digital storytelling component to share her Haudenosaunee culture.
Previous Knowledge Holders
Lisa Quliqqi Koperqualuk
Lisa Qiluqqi Koperqualuk was born in Puvirnituq, Northern Quebec (Nunavik). Fluent in Inuktitut, English and French, Lisa acted as Communications Officer for Makivik Corporation for seven years and participated in various regional, national and international fora such as Inuit Circumpolar Council General Assemblies in Kuujjuaq 2002, in Barrow 2006 (as a delegate) and elected in July 2018 in Utqiaġvik as Vice-President International for ICC Canada. She works for Inuit interests in self-determination advocating Inuit political and economic autonomy, social justice (particularly through Inuit law), and protection of the environment, culture and language.
In 2018, the Inuit of Nunavik mandated the Makivik Corporation to “negotiate with Canada and Quebec in order to establish a form of Indigenous government based on Inuit values, identity, culture and language.” In 2019, Makivik and the federal government signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Self-Determination, in order to structure the self-determination discussions to come. Lisa Qiluqqi Koperqualuk, Makivik’s Chief Negotiator in this negotiation process, reflects on the Nunavik Inuit journey to formalize Inuit self-determination within Canada.