Fly

“Monster” – The Kamloops Residential School Experience written and performed by Dennis Saddleman

Dennis Saddleman from the area known as the Nicola Valley, is a respected and widely-known poet who is a Residential School Survivor. In his late twenties, Saddleman embarked on a healing journey with the support of other survivors. He returned to education, and eventually took writing classes at Penticton’s En’owkin Centre, an Indigenous cultural and creative arts organization. The power of Dennis Saddleman’s spoken word is transformative. His resiliency speaks for itself.

We must always begin with acknowledgment that this story begins here, on the Syilx Okanagan Nation territory.

Through the lens of the Syilx first. Foregrounding the Syilx voice.

The Making of the Witness Blanket, documentary with witness blanket artist, Carey Newman

This is an Interactive website (there is also a phone app). The blanket is about stories. These many, many little stories emerge from the bricks, the glass, the hair, the fabrics, the photos, the words.

The Indian Act

This video was created by Indigenous Youth Wellness and explores and explains the history and meaning of the Indian Act.

Recognizing Our Implicit Bias Towards Indigenous Peoples

Kelly Terbasket, Program Director of IndigenEYEZ, was invited to speak at a TEDx event at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in early 2022. While it was no easy task to fit years of learning and growth into 15-minutes, Kelly used the TEDx platform to share her journey in identifying steps to transform internalized biases and misconceptions about Indigenous people. Kelly is of mixed ancestry and is proud of her Syilx heritage. She is grateful to live in her ancestors’ homelands in the Similkameen Valley on the unceded territory of the Syilx peoples. Kelly acknowledges the influences in her life and the growth of IndigenEYEZ leading to moments, like the TEDx event, which serve to remind us to reflect on our journeys, how far we have come, the people who made it possible, and those who will benefit from it in future.

Decolonize with IndigenEYEZ

The video features an interview with IndigenEYEZ facilitator Hazel Bell-Koski. Hazel Bell Koski is a multi-disciplinary artist and creative facilitator self-directed, steadfast Métis woman of mixed Anishinaabe, Finnish, Irish, and English heritage. Born and raised on the unceded Coast Salish Territories of the Səl̓ílwətaʔ, Xʷməθkwəy̓əm, & Sḵwx̱wú7meshsi First Nations. She is grateful to have been raised among mountains, ferns, eagles, bears, cedars, slugs, and barnacles.

Learn more about IndigenEYEZ