Matriarch Movement
On Matriarch Movement, host Shayla Oulette Stonechild shares stories of Indigenous women, from Canada to Turtle Island and beyond. Through interviews where issues facing Indigenous women are brought to light, and with portraits that challenge the mainstream narrative around Indigenous identity, Matriarch Movement offers up a new category of Indigenous role models, to inspire the next seven generations.
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Asia Youngman: Telling Authentic Stories
02/14/2022
Asia Youngman: Telling Authentic Stories
In this first 2022 episode of Matriarch Movement, Shayla welcomes award-winning Cree/Métis director and screenwriter, Asia Youngman. Asia’s films have been screened at a variety of festivals including the Toronto International Film Festival, the St. Louis International Film Festival, and the imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival. Her latest film, HATHA, received support from the Harold Greenberg Fund and Creative BC through the BC Shorts Program and premiered at the 40th Vancouver International Film Festival. Asia is an alumna from the TIFF Filmmaker Lab, the TIFF Talent Accelerator, the Canadian Academy Directors Program for Women, the Berlinale DocSalon Toolbox Programme and the Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative. She is the owner of Visceral Village Productions which she founded in 2019. ....... Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Follow Matriarch Movement on Find out more about Shayla and
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Dr. Shannon Prince: Discussing Law, Matriarchy and Heritage
11/29/2021
Dr. Shannon Prince: Discussing Law, Matriarchy and Heritage
This week on Matriarch Movement, host Shayla Oulette Stonechild is joined by Dr. Shannon Prince, Attorney, Legal Commentator, and Author of Cherokee descent. Her book Tactics for Racial Justice: Building an Antiracist Organization and Community is forthcoming from Routledge on November 30th as part of the Giving Voice to Values series. She represents the Cherokee Nation in its landmark lawsuit against the opioid industry for causing the opioid epidemic on its reservation as well as the Oneida Indian Nation and is helping launch her firm’s Tribal Affairs Task Force. Dr. Prince has also done volunteer work creating resources for Native American nations seeking to gain federal recognition and is trained in Native American mediation practices. She earned her bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from Dartmouth College, her law degree from Yale Law School, and her master’s degree and doctorate from Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Her writing has been published in Indian Country Today, I Am Where I Come From: Native American College Students and Graduates Tell Their Life Stories, and Native American Voices, among other venues. She is an avid fancy shawl dancer, medicine keeper, yogi, and beadworker. In this episode, Shannon discusses how she got into law, her experience in university, and talks about being a matriarch and being a good ancestor. She also talks about her Cherokee background and how her cultural practices have helped her ground herself in her career and life, her experience being the only Black, Indigenous or person of colour in a room, and shares advice to the younger generation on how to get into law. ... Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Follow Matriarch Movement on about Shayla and The Matriarch Movement podcast
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Jessica Barudin: Bringing People Together Through Movement
11/15/2021
Jessica Barudin: Bringing People Together Through Movement
This week, host Shayla Oulette Stonechild is joined by Jessica Barudin. Jessica is Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw, a member of the 'Namgis First Nation with ties to the Kwakiutl and Haxwamis on her mother’s side and Russian-Jewish on her father’s side. She is a proud mother of two daughters, wife, Sundancer, Indigenous health researcher, yoga teacher and doula. She has spent the last ten years working professionally in Indigenous peoples’ health and education including a variety of roles in health research, health promotion, project management, and community engagement. Jessica has a Masters of Applied Science in Physical Therapy from the McGill University and an Undergraduate Degree in Human Kinetics from the University of British Columbia. She currently works with the as the Traditional Wellness Specialist for Vancouver Island. Listen to this episode to hear Shayla and Jessica discuss going from urban life in Montreal back to her home community in Vancouver Island, Jessica’s Kwakwaka’wakw heritage, her process of becoming a yoga teacher in 2012, and how the wellness industry has changed since then; further, they discuss the First Nations Womens’ Yoga Initiative, and the cohort of Indigenous women and Two-Spirit people she has brought together during quarantine to learn and practice yoga, and how she has integrated her language into this practice. ... Follow Jessica Barudin on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Jessica Matten: using your privilege
10/26/2021
Jessica Matten: using your privilege
Jessica Matten is of Red River Metis-Cree descent and is directly a descendant of Cuthbert Grant, the first rebel Metis leader famously known for the Battle of the Seven Oaks in Canada. Most recently, Jessica is set to star in Robert Redford, George R.R. Martin (Game of Thrones) and Graham Roland's produced "Dark Winds" television series opposite Zahn McClarnon and Kiowa Gordon for the AMC Network this Fall 2021. You can find Jessica on 3 Canadian Screen Award nominated and winning shows: Frontier, Blackstone and Mohawk Girls. She has also developed a small cult following in North America for her performance in the starring role of ElleMaija Tailfeather's short film, "A Red Girl's Reasoning". Besides acting, Jessica runs an Indigenous wellness and fitness company with her family called Lemon Cree where which has helped thousands of Indigenous people achieve their fitness, wellness and health goals. She also runs the viral campaign #N8Vgirls to help spread awareness globally on the issue of murdered and missing Indigenous women in Canada. Listen to this episode to hear Shayla and Jessica discuss the similarities in their upbringings, using privilege to uplift other Indigenous people in the film industry, fitness and how Jessica does her own stunts, the unglamorous side of acting, Jessica's friendship with Jason Mamoa, how limited resources are on reserves, and missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit—along with why this cause hits so close to home for Jessica. ... Follow Jessica Matten on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Aly Bear: the laws come from the land
10/18/2021
Aly Bear: the laws come from the land
Aly Bear (Tatanka Ska Win) is a proud mother and descendant of Dakota, Anishinaabe and Nehiyaw heritage. She is a member of the Whitecap Dakota First Nation where her father, Darcy Bear, currently serves as the Nation's Chief. Aly has worked tirelessly to advance her education while balancing her duties as a single parent. She obtained her juris doctor from the University of Saskatchewan, College of Law, in 2020. Since, Aly worked on a wide range of files, including corporate commercial, labour and employment, civil litigation and intellectual property. However, her passion and primary focus as a lawyer has been, and continues to be, revitalizing and implementing traditional Indigenous laws and finding expression for these laws in modern-day Indigenous governance structures. One of the highlights of Aly's legal career to date has been the opportunity to work on the Whitecap Dakota First Nation's Self Government and Dakota Treaty files. After much thought and careful consideration, Aly has decided to run for third Vice-Chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations. Aly is passionate about her roots, and connecting to her identity through ceremony. In this episode, Aly talks about being from Saskatchewan, what law school was like as a single mother, why she went into law, how reclaiming the Indigenous governance systems with the 7 sacred teachings, rather than the western governance systems, is so crucial, the negative effects of western law's fragmented systems, the need for sacred Indigenous ceremonial space in public settings, and the RCMP in Canada. ... Follow Aly Bear on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Nicole McLaren: a safe space to learn
10/11/2021
Nicole McLaren: a safe space to learn
This week, host Shayla Oulette Stonechild is joined by Nicole McLaren. Nicole is a mother, wife and entrepreneur at heart. Her steady search for opportunities, combined with her enterprising, Indigenous roots led her to launch Raven Reads – a subscription box featuring literature and goods from Indigenous authors and entrepreneurs across North America. Nicole is also the Founder and Chair of the Indigenous Women’s Business Network, an expanding non-profit network that provides support for other Indigenous women looking to start or grow their own businesses. In this episode, the duo discusses Nicole's journey to entrepreneurship, the grassroots origins of Raven Reads, how Nicole's commute laid the groundwork for Raven Reads, what it's like to be an Indigenous Entrepreneur and the challenges she has surmounted as a result, being a mother, how a Raven Reads box is curated, creating a safe space for non-Indigenous people to learn about Indigenous people, being Metis and feeling disconnected from her heritage, and some tips for Indigenous entrepreneurs. ... Follow Nicole A. McLaren on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Chelsea Vowel and Sandra Lamouche: decolonizing storytelling
10/04/2021
Chelsea Vowel and Sandra Lamouche: decolonizing storytelling
This week on the podcast, we welcome two very impressive women. Chelsea Vowel is a Métis writer and educator from manitowsâkahikan (Lac Ste. Anne) Alberta, residing in amiskwacîwâskihikan (Edmonton). She is a Cree language instructor at the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta and author of Indigenous Writes: A Guide to First Nations, Métis & Inuit Issues in Canada. She and her co-host Molly Swain produce the Indigenous feminist sci-fi podcast Métis in Space. Sandra Lamouche is Chelsea's mentee. Located in Fort MacLeod, Sandra works in fiction and poetry. She is a Nehiyaw Iskwew wife and mother and member of the Bigstone Cree Nation. She is a champion hoop dancer, award-winning Indigenous Educational Leader, and a two-time TEDx speaker. Listen to this episode to hear about mentorship, their journey to writing that was very motivated by the lack of representation of Indigenous people, how the landscape of writing is changing, Indigenous vs. western storytelling, and the true meaning of decolonization. ... Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Caitlyn Kasper: know your rights
09/20/2021
Caitlyn Kasper: know your rights
This week on the podcast, a fan favourite is back for round two! This week, host Shayla Oulette Stonechild is joined once again by Caitlyn Kasper. Caitlyn is an Anishinaabek woman from the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation. She holds an Honours Specialist in Political Science from the University of Toronto and a Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall. She is currently a candidate for a Master of Laws at Osgoode Hall, with a specialization in Constitutional Law. In 2014, Caitlyn joined Aboriginal Legal Services as legal counsel in Toronto, Ontario. Her legal expertise is in appellate court law reform and test case litigation in criminal, child welfare and civil rights. Her work for Indigenous people centres on police violence, investigation of sudden death, inquest, and victim advocacy. Caitlyn has represented clients at every level of court within the country, including the Supreme Court of Canada, always advocating for recognition of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit perspective and representation on issues that most impact Indigenous people in Canadian law. In this episode, the two talk about knowing your rights as Indigenous people, how to deal with police if stopped as Indigenous people, the prison system and how the child welfare system is almost a new version of the residential school system, defunding the police and the Land Back movement from a legal perspective. ... Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Chelsey Luger: the whiteness of the wellness industry
09/13/2021
Chelsey Luger: the whiteness of the wellness industry
This week, host Shayla Oullette Stronechild is joined by Chelsey Luger. Chelsey is a Writer and Wellness Advocate, originally from the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Born and raised in North Dakota, she was educated on the East Coast and is now based in Arizona with her husband and two daughters. Chelsey's writing and broadcast work has been published by dozens of internationally recognized publications. She is a trainer/facilitator for the Native Wellness Institute and is the co-founder and editor of Well For Culture, an Indigenous wellness initiative, and media platform. Her wellness work is rooted in Indigenous knowledge and focuses on reclaiming wellbeing in Native American communities. In this episode, the duo talk wellness, what matriarchy means to her as a new mom, the origins of wellness practices from Indigenous peoples, the whiteness of the wellness industry that has caused her to come face-to-face with discrimination, cultural appropriation, and more, how being Lakota and Anishnaabe has informed her wellness practices and career, and finally Chelsey gives advice on having a strong and healthy relationship based on her own relationship experience. ... Follow Chelsey Luger on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Christi Belcourt: earth inspires art
09/08/2021
Christi Belcourt: earth inspires art
Christi Belcourt is a Michif (Métis) visual artist and author living and working in Canada with a deep respect for Mother Earth, the traditions, and the knowledge of her people. Belcourt's work often focuses on questions around identity, culture, place, and divisions within communities. In addition to her paintings, she is also known as a community-based artist, environmentalist, and advocate for the lands, waters, and Indigenous peoples. She is currently a lead organizer for the Onaman Collective which focuses on the resurgence of language and land-based practices. She is also the lead coordinator for Walking With Our Sisters, a community-driven project that honours murdered or missing Indigenous women. Christi was named the Aboriginal Arts Laureate by the Ontario Arts Council in 2015. In 2016 she won a Governor General’s Innovation Award and was named the winner of the 2016 Premier’s Awards in the Arts. Christi’s work is found within the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario, Gabriel Dumont Institute, the Indian and Inuit Art Collection, Parliament Hill, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery and Canadian Museum of Civilization, First People’s Hall. Listen to this episode to hear an insightful conversation about the earth, and how Christi's love for the earth and life fuel and inspire her art, the importance of Indigenous languages, how we all need to work together to fight for the future, being Metis, and how why she doesn't subscribe to colonial labels. ... Follow Christi Belcourt on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Kelly Boutsalis: good and accurate representation of Indigenous people
08/30/2021
Kelly Boutsalis: good and accurate representation of Indigenous people
This week, host Shayla Oulette Stonechild is joined by none other than Kelly Boutsalis. Kelly is a writer and journalist, based in Toronto. She is Mohawk, and from the Six Nations reserve. Her words have appeared in the Toronto Star, CBC, Elle Canada, Fashion, Flare, and more. This episode is for anyone who wants to learn more about what goes on behind the scenes as a journalist. Listen to how Kelly got her start in writing, how she sometimes needs to bends the rules with certain publications when faced with any sort of censorship, often in order to protect people she interviews, going to university as an Indigenous person, how it can be difficult when you are one of the few Indigenous people, the evolution of the industry, the network of female writers who help and lift each other up, the importance of Indigenous people telling their own stories, and how important representation is, and how good and accurate representation of Indigenous people is hard to come by. ... Follow Kelly Boutsalis on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Leah Gazan: genocide takes many forms
08/23/2021
Leah Gazan: genocide takes many forms
Meet Leah Gazan, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre. Leah is a member of Wood Mountain Lakota Nation, located in Saskatchewan, Treaty 4 territory. Leah's lineage has played a big role in her fight, she credits a lot of her inspiration to her mother, a Chinese Lakota and her father, a Jewish Holocaust survivor. Currently the NDP Critic for Children, Families, and Social Development, as well as the Deputy Critic for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, Leah is a champion in the fight for a permanent guaranteed livable basic income in Canada. Earlier this year, she was named to Maclean's 2021 Power List. She was a prominent Winnipeg lead during Idle No More and co-founded the #WeCare campaign aimed at ending violence against Indigenous women and girls. In June, Leah brought forward a unanimous consent in the House of Commons to recognize Canada's Indian Residential Schools as an act of genocide. Listen to this episode to hear about Leah's love for her community, Winnipeg center, the definition of genocide and Canada's role in it, her family origins, and the power of matriarchy. ... Follow Leah Gazan on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Adeline Bird: removing the white lens in media
08/16/2021
Adeline Bird: removing the white lens in media
This week's episode is about finding self-love and learning to love yourself. Adeline Bird is an Afro-Anishnabe Author, Filmmaker, and Producer. She grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, but is a proud member of Treaty #4 Rolling River First Nations. Adeline currently works as a writer and freelance producer, producing segments for daytime television hit shows such as CTV's The Social & Etalk. A graduate of the National Screen Institute's CBC New Indigenous Voices program, Adeline made her directorial debut with the short film Nappy Hair and Eagle Feather, now featured on CBC Gem. Adeline was one of the 2018 ImagiNative-APTN pitch winners, with her web series entitled iNdigiThreads (currently in pre-development), and part of the 2019 cohort of Telefilm Canada's Talent To Watch. She wrote her first book in 2016, Be Unapologetically You: A Self-Love Guide for Women of Color and currently sits in the Visioning Committee of BIPOC TV & Film, and is a regular speaker for various organizations, as an advocate and thought leader on the ongoing discussions on equity & inclusion in the Canadian media industry. Listen to this episode to hear Adeline speak of the power of Indigenous women, how people treat her and label her as intimidating, about the white gaze and how media often tells BIPOC stories through a white lens, her hometown of Winnipeg, performative activism, and how quickly our society commodifies Indigenous and Black trauma. ... Follow Adeline Bird on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Caitlyn Kasper: we are all treaty people
08/02/2021
Caitlyn Kasper: we are all treaty people
This week on the podcast, host Shayla Stonechild is joined by Caitlyn Kasper. Caitlyn is an Anishinaabek woman from the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation. She holds an Honours Specialist in Political Science from the University of Toronto and a Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall. She is currently a candidate for a Master of Laws at Osgoode Hall, with a specialization in Constitutional Law. In 2014, Caitlyn joined Aboriginal Legal Services as legal counsel in Toronto, Ontario. Her legal expertise is in appellate court law reform and test case litigation in criminal, child welfare and civil rights. Her work for Indigenous people centres on police violence, investigation of sudden death, inquest, and victim advocacy. Caitlyn has represented clients at every level of court within the country, including the Supreme Court of Canada, always advocating for recognition of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit perspective and representation on issues that most impact Indigenous people in Canadian law. In this episode, Caitlyn and Shayla discuss the importance of non-Indigenous people/settlers' need to hold up their end of the treaties, and how we are all "treaty people" in this country. Caitlyn also discusses why she thinks the Catholic Church refuses to apologize to Indigenous communities about Residential Schools. ... Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Mumilaaq Qaqqaq: leading change and defending human rights
07/26/2021
Mumilaaq Qaqqaq: leading change and defending human rights
If you've been following Shayla for a while, you know that this episode has been highly anticipated. This week, host Shayla Stonechild is joined by Inuk politician, Mumilaaq Qaqqaq. Mumilaaq Qaqqaq (ᒧᒥᓛᖅ ᖃᖅᑲᖅ), is an Inuk woman, Member of Parliament, and human rights defender. Elected in 2019, she is one of the few people to have given a speech in the House of Commons before being elected. The two dive deep into how Mumilaaq got into politics, her experience as an Inuk woman in the House of Commons, and why she believes her ideologies were different from other politicians. Shayla and Mumilaaq discuss the differences between Inuit culture and other Indigenous cultures, and what life is like in the North. Mumilaaq explains her experience with the NDP party, and what she plans on doing next. ... Follow Mumilaaq Qaqqaq on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Falen Johnson: the future is Indigenous
07/19/2021
Falen Johnson: the future is Indigenous
This week, host Shayla Oulette Stonechild is joined by writer, podcaster, and CBC Radio host, Falen Johnson. Falen is Mohawk and Tuscarora (Bear Clan) from Six Nations Grand River Territory. Her writing has been featured in Brick, The Canadian Theatre Review, Granta Magazine, and she was named one to watch in 2020 by Maclean’s magazine. In this episode, Shayla and Falen discuss the importance of Indigenous storytelling and the necessity for Indigenous people to be in control of their own narratives. Falen discusses the power of rage and how this emotion should not be ignored, especially as Indigenous people continue to live through colonization. The two also discuss how Indigenous futurism is happening right now, as more Indigenous folks are making their own content and connecting with one another. ... Follow Falen Johnson on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Angela Sterritt: more than a reporter
07/12/2021
Angela Sterritt: more than a reporter
This week, host Shayla Oulette Stonechild is joined by Vancouver-based, award-winning journalist, author, and artist from the Gitanmaax band of the Gitxsan nation, Angela Sterritt. In 2021, Angela won a Canadian Screen Award for reporter of the year for her coverage of an Indigenous man and his then 12-year-old granddaughter who was racially profiled and arrested while trying to open her first bank account at BMO. Furthermore, in 2020, Angela was nominated for the best local reporter by the Canadian Screen Awards for her reporting on Indigenous babies apprehended by the Ministry of Children and Family Development. In all of her work, Angela aims to break stereotypes, create meaningful change, and form relationships in Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. ... Follow Angela Sterritt on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Chief Lady Bird: beyond the artist
07/05/2021
Chief Lady Bird: beyond the artist
This week, host Shayla Oulette Stonechild is joined by Chippewa and Potawatomi artist from Rama First Nation and Moosedeer Point First Nation, Chief Lady Bird. You may have seen her thought-provoking artwork that explores contemporary colonialism and Indigenous futurism on murals in Toronto, or in illustrations for the Art Gallery of Ontario, Vice, and Flare Magazine. Chief Lady Bird is also a book illustrator, and in 2019, she illustrated the Scholastic children’s book Nibi’s Water Song by Sunshine Tenasco of Her Braids, which is being released in the US in Fall 2021. Tune in to listen to the duo discuss the importance of reconnection to land-based knowledge and various forms of love (self-love, lateral love, ancestral love). ... Follow Chief Lady Bird on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Monday Blues: finding inspiration in dual identities
06/28/2021
Monday Blues: finding inspiration in dual identities
This week, host Shayla Oulette Stonechild is joined by guest Monday Blues. Monday is a Two-Spirit Togolese-Secwépemc showgirl, model, decolonial life & business coach, and jewelry designer. Monday is a grad of the Erickson International Coaching Program, and has been a professional burlesque performer since 2011. She has traveled the globe as a solo female adventurer and loves to live outside her comfort zone. Monday strives to exist without limits and hopes to help those who have also experienced marginalization feel just as empowered. She is a member of Virago Nation, an all-Indigenous burlesque troupe on a mission to reclaim Indigenous sexuality from the toxic effects of colonization, and signed with Supernaturals Modelling, an Indigenous boutique modelling agency. In this episode, Monday discusses the importance of being rooted in authenticity, and the journey she has been on towards reclaiming her two identities. The two discuss the importance of being rooted in ancestral knowledge, the anti-racism work both Shayla and Monday have been doing, and her exciting new jewellery line that launches on June 30th. ... Follow Monday Blues on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Ashley Callingbull: making history and creating a new narrative
06/21/2021
Ashley Callingbull: making history and creating a new narrative
Ashley Callingbull is a Cree First Nations woman from the Enoch Cree Nation in the province of Alberta, Canada. She is a model, actress, jingle dress dancer and First Nation’s activist who was the reigning Mrs. Universe 2015. She is perhaps best known for her role on the Gemini award-winning series Blackstone and Tribal, but her work goes well beyond the screen. Ashley is also an international motivational speaker who has spoken at Harvard University and TED Talks. She is devoted to her culture and people, and takes great pride in her Native Cree heritage, and has shown this through her volunteer work with community Elders and youth. Listen to this episode to hear Ashley's story, why she does the work that she does, and what her goals are for the future. ... Follow Ashley Callingbull on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Leigh Joseph: honouring our food and plant medicine
06/15/2021
Leigh Joseph: honouring our food and plant medicine
Leigh Joseph is a member of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) First Nation; her ancestral name is Styawat and she is an ethnobotanist by training who completed a Masters of Science in Ethnobotany at the University of Victoria under the guidance of her Skwxwú7mesh community. She is also the founder of Sḵwálwen Botanicals, a line of botanical skin care products that honours traditional Skwxwú7mesh plant knowledge, in which only sustainably-harvested plants and organic, high quality ingredients are integrated. In this conversation with host Shayla Oulette Stonechild, Leigh speaks of her family traditions, who instilled a deep respect for the natural world in her starting at a young age, as well as the links between food and culture in ancestral Indigenous culture. She recounts her childhood memories of eating freshly harvested ingredients as well as the spirituality woven into the process of growing and preparing food — an offering of thanks to the plants and animals that had given their lives for our nourishment. In this beautiful exchange, Leigh shares how her work with plants offers a renewed connection to the land and to traditional Squamish knowledge. ... Follow Sḵwálwen Botanicals on Visit Sḵwálwen Botanicals Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Lesley Hampton: decolonizing fashion
06/07/2021
Lesley Hampton: decolonizing fashion
Lesley Hampton is an Anishinaabe and Mohawk womenswear designer and artist based in Toronto whose is focuses on body positivity and Indigenous representation. Lesley’s brand offers collections that range from eveningwear to athleisure—Lizzo was recently seen working out in one of her two-piece sets. Lesley also believes in the importance of partnering with other Indigenous designers; a recent collab with Scott Wabano saw her create a jacket inspired by traditional jingle dresses. In this conversation, Lesley speaks to host Shayla Oulette Stonechild about the challenges she faces in the fashion industry; raising awareness for mental health; and the subtle nuances that make cultural appropriation different than appreciation. This episode of Matriarch Movement is brought to you by Louve Design, a women-owned and women-led socially responsible fashion retailer and manufacturer, specializing in sustainable women’s clothing, with all pieces made and designed in Canada. Shop at and use code SHAYLASHIPPING for free shipping at checkout! ... Follow Lesley Hampton on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Ilona Verley: the first Indigenous and first Two-Spirit queen on Canada’s Drag Race
05/31/2021
Ilona Verley: the first Indigenous and first Two-Spirit queen on Canada’s Drag Race
Ilona Verley is Nlaka'pamux and the first Indigenous, Two-Spirit and LA-Based queen to appear on , and in the franchise as a whole. Originally from so-called Vancouver, Ilona identifies as non-binary. She* auditioned for Drag Race a total of three times before making it onto the Canadian version of the show where she made it to 6th place, and appeared until episode 7. In this conversation, host Shayla Oulette Stonechild and Ilona speak about representation, Ilona’s journey as Two-Spirit, and they discussed the importance of honouring the Indigenous way of life and values through one’s work and culture. This episode was recorded before the devastating news of the finding of the unmarked buried remains of 215 children at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia just a few days ago. “Only when Indigenous peoples have the opportunity, authority, accountability and support to care for their own communities and families – through the governments they have determined and according to their own laws and traditions – will the challenges that are with us be addressed.” (Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond) *Ilona’s pronouns are she/her. This episode of Matriarch Movement is brought to you by Louve Design, a women-owned and women-led socially responsible fashion retailer and manufacturer, specializing in sustainable women’s clothing, with all pieces made and designed in Canada. Shop at and use code SHAYLASHIPPING for free shipping at checkout! ... Follow Ilona on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Tanya Talaga: the power of journalism and writing to defend Indigenous rights
05/25/2021
Tanya Talaga: the power of journalism and writing to defend Indigenous rights
Tanya Talaga does not need an introduction at this point: she is an award-winning Canadian journalist and author of Polish and Indigenous descent, and the First Ojibway woman to deliver the CBC Massey Lectures. Her book Seven Fallen Feathers, a national bestseller that tells the story of even Indigenous high school students who mysteriously died in Thunder Bay, won the 2018 RBC Taylor Prize. Through her work, Tanya shares Indigenous stories from across Turtle Island and the world, humanizing the legacy of residential schools and colonization and sharing her hope for a more inclusive and equitable future. Tanya’s great-grandmother was a residential school survivor and her great-grandfather was an Ojibwe trapper and labourer. Today Tanya works for The Globe and Mail, after spending most her career at The Toronto Star. In this conversation, Tanya speaks to host Shayla Oulette Stonechild about her motivation to write and share Indigenous stories for greater representation, of the impact her writing can have to defend human rights, and she speaks of the matriarchs who have influenced her along the way. And you'll definitely want to hear her intro to the Seven Truths. This episode of Matriarch Movement is brought to you by Louve Design, a women-owned and women-led socially responsible fashion retailer and manufacturer, specializing in sustainable women’s clothing, with all pieces made and designed in Canada. Shop at and use code SHAYLASHIPPING for free shipping at checkout! ... Follow Tanya on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Nimkish: sharing Indigiqueer stories through music
05/17/2021
Nimkish: sharing Indigiqueer stories through music
Nimkish is a rising Indigiqueer pop artist living on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations, known as Vancouver, Canada. Her first album, Heartbreak On The Coast, was released in 2019 and and her latest single, YSB, featuring artist ASCXNSION, came out just a few days ago, to her fans’ great delight. Her new album, Damage Control, was written during a period of uncertainty, offering an intimate and vulnerable glimpse into her life. In this conversation with host Shayla Oulette Stonechild, Nimkish speaks of her creative process, of the challenges that come with being an Indigiqueer artist, and she shares her views on a future anchored in matriarchy and a return to an Indigenous way of life. This episode of Matriarch Movement is brought to you by Louve Design, a women-owned and women-led socially responsible fashion retailer and manufacturer, specializing in sustainable women’s clothing, with all pieces made and designed in Canada. Shop at and use code SHAYLASHIPPING for free shipping at checkout! ... Follow Nimkish on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Nahanni Fontaine: the matriarchy in power for the people
05/11/2021
Nahanni Fontaine: the matriarchy in power for the people
This episode features host Shayla Oulette Stonechild in conversation with Nahanni Fontaine, a Canadian politician, MLA with the NDP in Manitoba, public speaker, advocate, and Indigenous Matriarch, about last week's erasure and censorship of posts about Missing Indigenous Women, Girls and 2-spirit by Instagram. In this raw conversation, Nahanni also opens up about her journey, with no details off limits, because the past makes the present. Listen as she shares her previous struggles with addiction, and recounts the life-changing encounter with an elder who helped reset her course by making her realize the power of her Indigenous lineage. Shayla and her guest also discuss colonization and systemic racism; the work Nahanni does with and for Indigenous women; and why she's unapologetic in her fight for equality and change through politics and policy, including the defence of #MMIWG2S. Trigger warning: this conversation contains discussion of drug addiction, and overdose. This episode of Matriarch Movement is brought to you by Louve Design, a women-owned and women-led socially responsible fashion retailer and manufacturer, specializing in sustainable women’s clothing, with all pieces made and designed in Canada. Shop at and use code SHAYLASHIPPING for free shipping at checkout! ... Follow Nahanni on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Korina Emmerich: fighting for greater sustainability in fashion
05/03/2021
Korina Emmerich: fighting for greater sustainability in fashion
Originally from the US Pacific Northwest, Korina Emmerich was inspired to create clothes and accessories that honour her patrilineal Indigenous heritage from The Coast Salish Territory, Puyallup tribe. Today her brand, EMME Studio, is a fixture in leading fashion publications, and her approach to sustainable clothing is recognized by her peers and loyal clients across the US and globally. Focused on shining a spotlight on social and climate justice in addition to fighting for increased industry responsibility and accountability, Korina’s goal is to dismantle systems of oppression, and challenge colonial ways of thinking. As part of her work as an educator for sustainability and impact, she is a member of the Board of Directors for as well as a speaker who attends global conferences to address slow fashion, dismantling white supremacy, environmental racism, sovereignty, climate and social justice, and combating systemic racism. In her conversation with host Shayla Oulette Stonechild, Korina reflects on what sustainable choices look like when it comes to the way we consume fashion, and talks about how Indigenous communities have always incorporated principles of circularity and sustainability in their way of life. This episode of Matriarch Movement is brought to you by Louve Design, a women-owned and women-led socially responsible fashion retailer and manufacturer, specializing in sustainable women’s clothing, with all pieces made and designed in Canada. Shop at and use code SHAYLASHIPPING for free shipping at checkout! .... Follow Korina on Follow the Indigenous Kinship Collective on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on Visit .
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Michelle Chubb: the power of vulnerability on social media
04/26/2021
Michelle Chubb: the power of vulnerability on social media
Michelle Chubb, known by her handle , is a 23-year-old social media star, with almost half a million followers on TikTok where she shares content blending Indigenous regalia, relatable anecdotes, and social justice activism. She is Néhinaw, or Swampy Cree, currently part of Oxford House, a First Nations Cree community in Northern Manitoba. Growing up in the city of Winnipeg, Michelle spent summers with family at Cross Lake reservation, a place where she could learn ancestral traditions. After going through a difficult time when she lost her grandfather, she reconnected with her Indigenous identity through ancestral art forms, including jingle dress dancing, a practice which she shares a lot about with her followers, including making her own dresses and regalia, in additional to traditional beading. Michelle believes in the power of authenticity and vulnerability showing through her social media presence, and she frequently calls out daily incidents of racism, discrimnation and brings awareness for issues facing Indigenous communities in the Prairies, Canada and beyond. She’s attracted attention from mainstream brands, including eyewear brand BonLook which featured her in a campaign recently, and she was featured by Teen Vogue, in addition to being named one of Canada’s ‘Women of Influence’ in the latest cohort. Listen to her conversation with host Shayla Oulette Stonechild where Michelle talks about finding her voice, staying true to her roots and tapping into the infinite potential of authenticity. This episode is brought to you by Louve Design, a women-owned and women-led socially and environmentally-responsible fashion brand, with all pieces made and designed in Canada. Shop at and use code SHAYLASHIPPING for free shipping at checkout! .... Follow Michelle Chubb on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on . Visit .
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Cheyenne Leskanic: a different approach to recovery
04/19/2021
Cheyenne Leskanic: a different approach to recovery
Cheyenne Leskanic is of Mvskoke, Italian & Scottish ancestry and she is the founder of Three Medicines Longhouse & Three Medicines Birth. With a little over a decade of experience as a Yoga teacher, and as many years of recovery from substance addiction behind her, Cheyenne has made it her purpose to live in integrity and to create places of connection for all people. Drawing on her own experience, she is also a drug and alcohol abuse counsellor who has brought wellness programs into schools, halfway houses, rehab centres & studios. She is also focused on honouring her Mvskoke heritage and works to protect tribal sovereignty while also integrating intersectional partnerships with All Our Relations on this land. Finally, she is a mom of four, and a wife. Cheyenne spoke to host Shayla Oulette Stonechild about her experience with addiction, and how her work today is to teach what she wished she was taught. .... Follow Cheyenne on . Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on . Visit .
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Nikki Sanchez: the future is our responsibility
04/05/2021
Nikki Sanchez: the future is our responsibility
“The history is not your fault, but it is absolutely your responsibility.” In this episode, host Shayla Oulette Stonechild speaks with decolonial educator Nikki Sanchez, a Pipil/Maya and Irish/Scottish academic, who is also an Indigenous media maker and environmental educator. Nikki holds a masters degree in Indigenous Governance and has completed her Ph.D. with a research focus on emerging visual media technology as it relates to Indigenous ontology; she has been the David Suzuki Foundation’s “Queen of Green” where her work centered on environmental journalism, social media and digital media creation to provide sustainable solutions for a healthy planet, as well as content creation to bring more racial and gender inclusivity into the environmental movement. Nikki led the 8-part documentary VICELAND series “RISE” focused on global Indigenous resurgence; she is a TEDx speaker; she has been a wilderness guide and environmental educator in the Nuu-chah-nulth territory of Clayoquot Sound for over 10 years; and she is the creator and director of “Decolonize Together” a collective of Indigenous women who offer decolonial and inclusivity workshops and curriculum creation. Nikki is a guest contributor for DavidSuzuki.Org, Loose Lips Magazine, ROAR Magazine and more. Nikki believes that an equitable and just future depends on the courage we show today and in this conversation, she shares her advice for settlers who want to begin decolonization work; she talks about the meaning behind the concept of ‘matriarchy’ and she speaks of her lifelong pursuit to inspire a bright future for the next Indigenous generations. .... Follow Nikki on Follow Shayla Oulette Stonechild on . Visitt .
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