About this Event
Excellence and Resilience: Historical Mohawk Figures from Six Nations of the Grand River, 1865-1965
Join Dr. Rick Monture as he ties together his family history with stories of influential Mohawk figures from Six Nations of the Grand River who pave the way for Indigenous excellence despite the many barriers they faced. Rick will reflect on the life of his grandmother, Edith (Anderson) Monture—the first registered Indigenous nurse in Canada and veteran of the First World War. He will also talk about his great uncle Gilbert Monture, a veteran, mining engineer, and civil servant with connections to the Manhattan Project and the founding of Trent University. These stories will be contrasted with those of Rick’s maternal grandfather, who was a residential school survivr, farmer, and lifelong reserve resident. Along the way, Rick will discuss other influential figures, including celebrated athlete Tom Longboat and noted physician Oronhyatekha (Peter Martin).
No registration required. All are welcome.
Rick Monture is a member of the Mohawk nation, Turtle clan, from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. He is a Professor in the Department of English & Cultural Studies and Indigenous Studies at McMaster University where he teaches classes on Indigenous literature, Haudenosaunee history, traditional narratives, and Bob Dylan. He is also a Community Research Fellow with Six Nations Polytechnic and the Deyohahage / Indigenous Knowledge Centre based at Six Nations and is an active member of the language revitalization movement in his community. In partnership with the Woodland Cultural Centre in Brantford, Rick currently holds a Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) award for a project that examines the events that led to the overthrow of the traditional Haudenosaunee government, by Ottawa, to implement an elected council system in 1924. His book, We Share our Matters: Two Centuries of Writing and Resistance at Six Nations of the Grand River, was published in 2014 and is an examination of the Grand River Haudenosaunee’s assertions of sovereignty and social justice through letters, political activism, literature, and film. Rick lives at Six Nations with his family.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Toronto Public Library - Lillian H. Smith Branch, 239 College Street, Toronto, Canada
CAD 0.00
