Registration open through June 13! Register today!
Keynote:
Dr. Tasha Hubbard
Singing Back the Buffalo
Dr. Tasha Hubbard is a filmmaker and an associate professor in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta. She is from Peepeekisis First Nation in Treaty Four Territory and has ties to Thunderchild First Nation in Treaty Six Territory. She is also the mother of a seventeen-year-old son. Her academic research is on Indigenous efforts to return the buffalo to the lands and Indigenous film in North America. She has been working to support the Buffalo Treaty since 2015, and is one of the founding directors of the International Buffalo Relations Institute.
Her first solo writing/directing project Two Worlds Colliding, about Saskatoon’s infamous Starlight Tours, premiered at ImagineNATIVE in 2004 and won the Canada Award at the Gemini Awards in 2005. In 2016, she directed an NFB-produced feature documentary called Birth of a Family about a 60s Scoop family coming together for the first time during a holiday in Banff. It premiered at Hot Docs International Film Festival and landed in the top ten audience choice list. It also won the Audience Favourite for Feature Documentary at the Edmonton International Film Festival and the Moon Jury prize at ImagineNATIVE. Her last film was nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up, an exploration of the impact of the death of Colten Boushie that premiered in the spring of 2019. It opened the Hot Docs International Film Festival and won the top Canadian documentary prize. It also won the Colin Low Award for the top Canadian film at the DOXA International Film Festival and the Canadian Screen Award for Best Feature Documentary. Hubbard was awarded the DGC Discovery award in 2019. She is the writer/director/producer of Singing Back the Buffalo (2024).
KEYNOTE TALK ABSTRACT:
Tasha Hubbard will share an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the making of Singing Back the Buffalo, including her research journey, the knowledge and guidance from Elders, and the experiential and community-based knowledge of plains Indigenous peoples, all who work towards the notion of justice for the Buffalo. She will connect the dots on the constellation of history, ecology, and Indigenous creative expression that culminates in Indigenous-led buffalo consciousness and buffalo rematriation projects.
As part of the ISAZ 2025 Conference, we will also be screening Dr. Hubbard's documentary at The Roxy Theater on Thursday, June 19th.
This event is open to the public for attendance, as well as conference delegates. See more information on our social gathering page.
To RSVP as a non-conference attendee, please visit the following EventBrite link to reserve a spot!
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PANEL DISCUSSION - JUNE 19, ROXY THEATER
Panel Discussant Glenda Abbott is nehiyaw-Plains Cree from Pelican Lake First Nation, Saskatchewan in Treaty 6 Territory, Canada. Glenda works with the International Buffalo Relations Institute on the SAGE- ē kānātahk askiy Project and is a Lead Matriarch & Technical Assistance Director with the Indigenous Birth Justice Network. 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.
Panel Discussant Dr. Melissa Arcand is an Associate Professor in the Department of Soil Science at the University of Saskatchewan and is a member of the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation in Treaty 6. She researches soil health, carbon storage, and nutrient cycling in agroecosystems. She teaches and is the academic advisor for students in the Kanawayihetaytan Askiy (“Let us take care of the land” in Plains Cree) Indigenous land and resource management certificate program and is the Academic Lead for the kihci-okâwîmâw askiy Knowledge Centre at the University of Saskatchewan.
Moderator Candice Pete-Cardoso is a nēhiyaw-iskwēw (Cree woman) from wāskicōsihk (Little Pine First Nation) within nikotwāsik-tipahamātowin (Treaty 6) Territory. She is a proud mother of 2 and grandmother of 5. Her life's trajectory reflects the transformative power of education, community engagement, and a profound connection to her nēhiyaw heritage. Candice is an alumnus of USask and holds a Master of Public Administration, Bachelor of Commerce, and a Certificate in Indigenous Business Administration. She has over 25 years of experience working with federal, provincial, and Indigenous governments.
Candice's early career unfolded with Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. Here, she gained experience in the areas of human resources, economic development, and fiscal management. Her work related to the management of funding agreements between the federal government and Indigenous governments deepened her understanding of the challenges faced by Indigenous communities.
Her expertise in these areas led her to the University of Saskatchewan where she worked as the Director of the Indigenous Peoples Resource Management/Coordinator of Aboriginal Programs for over 10 years. During her time at the University, over two hundred students successfully graduated with a certificate specializing in Indigenous lands and resource management. Candice ensured that the program met the needs of Indigenous communities by incorporating Indigenous content and worldviews into curriculum.
Driven by her belief that life should be a continuous learning journey, Candice explored new horizons. She accepted the role of Executive Director, Northern Engagement Branch, Ministry of Government Relations within the Government of Saskatchewan. This experience broadened her perspective and reinforced her passion for making a meaningful difference. Her passion for working with and for Indigenous communities brought her back to the University of Saskatchewan.
Candice returned to USask, where she supported the Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement in operationalizing the office's mandate. Her strategic acumen, and strong belief in ensuring that Indigenous peoples and communities are included in meaningful and respectful ways, contributed to the engagement approach for the development of an Indigenous strategy at USask, as well as the development of the newly launched kihci-okāwīmāw askiy Knowledge Centre where she now serves as Director.
Other Featured Speakers: Dr. Robert Losey; Dr. Michael Yellow Bird