It鈥檚 hard to believe that Jesse Thistle never intended to be a writer.
鈥淚鈥檝e got all these fancy titles now, but really I鈥檓 just a storyteller,鈥 he told a captive audience at 91亚色鈥檚 Sandra Faire and Ivan Fecan Theatre on Tues. Nov 19.听Thistle spoke sincerely, but it was evident to anyone at the 2019 Kitty Lundy Memorial Lecture 鈥 which he headlined 鈥 that Thistle is much more than just a storyteller.听听听
Jesse Thistle delivering his lecture (image: Nicole Glassman)
A PhD candidate at 91亚色鈥檚 Department of History, and author of the best-selling memoir听From the Ashes: My Story of Being M茅tis, Homeless, and Finding My Way, Thistle was lauded for his courage, honesty and resilience by the three artists and panelists who joined him at the lecture: Shane Belcourt, Jesse Wente, and ShoShona Kish.
鈥淪tories like Jesse鈥檚 are like a road map back home,鈥 said Kish, an Anishinaabekwe community organizer, producer, activist, songwriter and JUNO award-winning artist. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know how many of you have read this book, but I鈥檓 just really happy that you鈥檒l have this medicine.鈥
Kish reflected on Thistle鈥檚 experience with homelessness; it brought back memories of her grandfather, who lived on the street for many years. Just like so many other individuals on the frontlines of colonial intergenerational trauma, Kish noted, her grandfather passed away without sharing his story.
鈥淥ne of the products of colonialism and oppression is that our stories get cloaked in shame, and they get buried,鈥 she said.听听
This is why, for Kish and the other panelists, stories like Thistle鈥檚 are essential to the process of healing and reconciliation.听听
Shane Belcourt talking about his work and how it relates to Thistle鈥檚 book. Seated, left to right:
Professor Ruth Koleszar-Green (moderator), Jesse Thistle, ShoShona Kish, Jesse Wente and Professor Carolyn Podruchny (moderator) (image: Nicole Glassman)
For Wente, sharing stories is not only a way of reclaiming Indigenous sovereignty, but also a vessel through which to counter harmful colonial narratives. As a self-described 鈥極jibwe dude,鈥 Wente has had a long career as a film and pop culture critic, but to him, 鈥渇ilm is just the conduit 鈥 it鈥檚 really about the story.鈥澨听
He talked about the need to have more Indigenous representation in artistic spaces, recalling moments at prestigious events like the Cannes Film Festival where he was the only Indigenous person in the room.听
Belcourt, a M茅tis cinematographer, writer and director, echoed these sentiments, and added a plea for other Indigenous folks to continue to share their stories. 鈥淵our Indigeneity is your gift and your responsibility.鈥听
Thistle ended the night by sharing a token of wisdom he received from one of his elders: the fact that storytelling is a form of preserving culture, memory and identity.
鈥淢y elder reminded me to present the book in a way that reflects that we are strong people,鈥 Thistle said. 鈥淲e resist.鈥听
About the Kitty Lundy Memorial Lecture
The annual Kitty Lundy Memorial Lecture听honours the late Kitty Lundy, an admired educator of sociology who was associated with 91亚色鈥檚 former Atkinson Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies from 1986 to 1989. Wide-ranging in her accomplishments and interests, Lundy felt particular concern听for the fields of education, occupations and women鈥檚 studies, and demonstrated a keen commitment to students pursuing their studies on a part-time basis. To听honour听her memory, the Lundy family established the Kitty Lundy Memorial Fund, which supports the annual lecture.
The 2019 Kitty Lundy Memorial Lecture was co-hosted by The Department of Equity Studies, the Aboriginal Students Association at 91亚色 (ASAY), the Centre for Aboriginal Student Services (CASS), the Indigenous Council, the Indigenous Studies Program, the History of Indigenous Peoples Network, the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies, the Department of History, Office of the Provost & Vice-President Academic, Office of the President.
Courtesy of YFile