I am very honoured to be a keynote speaker for many communities and organizations around the world. This is only made possible because of my ancestors’ work ethic and sacrifices. I honour them by giving everything I have to the work that I do, building bridges in our society so we can work and thrive together.
In order for this to happen, we must acknowledge all of those who attended and didn’t return from Indian Residential Schools. My question to you today is, “what are you doing to become an ally?”
The future requires us to acknowledge each other in a respectful way and live side by side as friends. This begins by taking the time to understand each other.
Kendal Netmaker
A master storyteller, Kendal Netmaker is an award-winning entrepreneur and author who speaks on resilience and leadership. He also educates thousands of people worldwide on Indigenous Peoples worldview and values.
It is only through sharing and understanding Indigenous knowledge and history, Kendal says, can we truly begin closing the gap between Indigenous and mainstream culture, and build a future where we are all working, succeeding, and prospering together.
Kendal joined us as part of our Virtual Speaker Series to present his “Indigenous Diversity, Awareness, and Education” presentation. This deeply moving and informative session shares:
- Deep insights into Indigenous Peoples way of life.
- Knowledge about the importance of Indigenous spirituality and beliefs.
- An understanding of the similarities/differences between different Indigenous groups in Canada.
- An awareness on how to be respectful towards one another and work together.
Watch a clip from Kendal’s presentation below:
To learn more about Indigenous history and the divide we are seeing today, Kendal recommended the following books:
- Clearing the Plains: Disease, Politics of Starvation, and the Loss of Aboriginal Life by James Daschuk
- 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality by Bob Joseph
- Call Me Indian: From the Trauma of Residential School to Becoming the NHL’s First Treaty Indigenous Player by Fred Sasakamoose
