Rematriation and Revitalizing Kinship Ties with the Buffalo.
In this webinar, we will delve into the narratives and teachings surrounding the rekindling of our relationship with the Buffalo. Glenda will take us on a personal journey of transforming theoretical kinship teachings into real-life connections with Buffalo prophecy and cultural lifeways. One aspect of this narrative focuses on a group of Indigenous women who have retraced ancestral footsteps back to the physical spaces where the Buffalo are able to roam freely in Banff National Park and Grasslands National Park. Through these journeys of remembrance, we will explore the significance of Buffalo songs, teachings, and stories in awakening our ancestral DNA and deepening our understanding of relational symbiosis, ecological keystone engineering, and kinship ties with our relatives.
Glenda Abbott is nehiyaw-Plains Cree from Pelican Lake First Nation, Saskatchewan in Treaty 6 Territory, Canada. Glenda is the Indigenous Technical Assistant Lead with the Indigenous Birth Justice Network and works with the International Buffalo Relations Institute on the SAGE- ē kānātahk askiy. Glenda is a grandmother and mother who has dedicated much of her time learning from knowledge keepers to revitalize and reclaim Indigenous knowledge systems. She has traveled extensively to work with Indigenous initiatives and communities throughout North America and internationally. Her work focuses on indigenous-led community based projects and cultural revitalization initiatives related to food sovereignty, Indigenous midwifery/doula, traditional medicine, Indigenous holistic wellness, and land-based education curriculum development.