Indigenous speaker will discuss Niagara history on cross-country Zoom meeting

Former St. Catharines resident and Metis educator Michele-Elise Burnett will be the special guest of a Niagara District Council of Women cross-country Zoom meeting tomorrow night (April 20) and the topic is very Niagara-specific.

Now a Buffalo resident, Burnett will be discussing “Truths about Indigenous History in Niagara – the Challenging Present and the Way Forward to Reconciliation” as part of the larger National Council of Women of Canada four-year program.

Burnett is the co-owner of  the Kakekalanicks Indigenous Consulting company, which has developed unique arts and educational programs across Niagara, such as  the yearly “Celebration of Nations event, and Landscape of Nations, 360⁰.”

More recently, Burnett has helped young Indigenous  people showcase their  creative skills in her shared First Ontario Performing Arts Centre ‘Platforms for People’  programs, such the April 4 Indigenous Musical Showcase and is currently working on her  special “Red Dress” program to shine a light on the challenges of the present and a way forward to reconciliation.

Said the Niagara District Council of Women, “Michele-Elise has been a leading light  in bringing Niagara’s  Indigenous history to life and initiating programs to educate, entertain and help us  recognize and take individual and group action to make the future better in  creative and positive Indigenous ways.”

They added, “In doing this, Michele-Elise urges us all to consider this question: Why is it so challenging when all we have to do is follow the simple original instructions of living in peace and harmony with one another and all living things?”

To register for the meeting, email: [email protected]