An in-depth conversation with Dr. Marie Battiste & Dr. Sa’ke’j James Youngblood Henderson
with Marie Battiste & Sa’ke’j James Youngblood Henderson
We welcome back our friends of the TRC#57 Speaker Series, esteemed Mi’kmaw educator and scholar Marie Battiste and Sa’ke’j James Youngblood Henderson who will discuss their updated (2025) edition of Protecting Indigenous Knowledge and Heritage: A Canadian Obligation. This pivotal work examines the global and Canadian efforts to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), focusing on the preservation of Indigenous knowledge systems, cultural heritage, and languages.
Drawing from decades of negotiations and advocacy, Marie & Sa’ke’j will share the challenges and opportunities in weaving Indigenous and Eurocentric knowledge systems, reforming intellectual property laws, and decolonizing educational curricula. This topic offers valuable insights for scholars, educators, policymakers, and advocates dedicated to advancing UPDRIP and Indigenous rights.
Protecting Indigenous Knowledge and Heritage, New Edition A Canadian ObligationMarie Battiste & Sa’ke’j James Youngblood Henderson
Marie Battiste is a Mi’kmaw educator and scholar from Potlotek First Nation in Nova Scotia. She holds a Master of Education in Administration and Social Policy from Harvard University (1974), and a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Teacher Education from Stanford University (1984). As a professor in the Department of Educational Foundations at the University of Saskatchewan, Dr. Battiste has dedicated her career to advancing Indigenous knowledge and decolonizing education. She has authored and edited several influential works, including Decolonizing Education: Nourishing the Learning Spirit and Reclaiming Indigenous Voice and Vision. Her contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, such as being named an Officer of the Order of Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
Dr. Battiste’s work emphasizes the importance of Indigenous languages, decolonization, and education. She has contributed to the creation of numerous Indigenous educational organizations, including the Mi’kmaw educational authority Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey. In 2021, Dr. Battiste joined Cape Breton University as Special Advisor to the Vice President Academic and to Unama’ki College on decolonizing the academy.
Throughout her career, Dr. Battiste has been a leading advocate for the protection of Indigenous knowledge and the decolonization of education systems, working tirelessly to promote social justice and cognitive justice through the integration of diverse knowledge systems and languages. She and her husband, Sa’ke’j James Youngblood Henderson, have three children and a grandson.
Sa’ke’j James Youngblood Henderson is distinguished international human rights lawyer and an authority on protecting Indigenous heritage, knowledge, and laws. He was among the strategists and drafters of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Throughout his lengthy career, Henderson has received numerous accolades, including the Indigenous Peoples’ Counsel award in 2005, the National Aboriginal Achievement Award for Law and Justice in 2006, and an honorary doctorate from Carleton University in 2007. In 2013, he was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.