Elder Duke,
In your distinctive voice, the truthful words of our Anishinabeg lives are so real and need to be heard the world over, especially the harsh and devastating realities. It is your strong contribution that you have displayed throughout your life that has given credence through your poetry and will live on.
Continue your Journey doing what you do best.
Sincerely,
Elder Marlene Pierre, 2022
Hello Elder Duke,
I was honoured for the opportunity to learn from you and wanted to express the gratitude and long standing impact you create. I often speak of your work, and share what I have learned from you with my own students. Thank you for your art, activism and for all you do.
Amy, BANff leaders lab participant, 2022
Elder Duke - I just wanted to convey one more thank you for today’s land acknowledgement, those were beautiful words. Your teachings are always so meaningful and really make all of us reflect on what our place is on this land.
Best,
Marta,Mural Routes, 2021
Good afternoon elder Duke Redbird,
I saw your interview with Global news "Retrieve the history:" Elder Duke Redbird on why Canada Day 2021 is a time of reckoning" and found it insightful. Your comments in it about the Bruce Peninsula spoke to me as I have spent many summers up in the area around Wiarton. As was the suggestion for allay's to research the Indiginous history of the areas around their homes. Thank you.
I am going to read the teachings on your website to learn more. Thank you very much for helping us all learn.
Katharine, 2021
Good day Elder Redbird,
I was listening to “q” this morning and heard you recite your poem “Eulogy to the stolen children and the stolen soul”. It opened up my heart and allowed me to feel one snippet of the challenges faced by Canada’s First Peoples. As a Black man, I felt your angst and sorrow as your read the poem. I’m an amateur poet and found your writing to be inspiring and evocative of the blight of those who are the downtrodden. I have nieces and nephews who are part of the Canada’s First Nation and I hope that this will help them as they come to terms with the hardships faced by their forebearers.
In Peace,
Randolph, TDSB, 2021
Dr. Elder Duke,
I caught your opening remarks at the Juno last night and was absolutely moved to tears. Thank you for using that time to share your work with us and in such a powerful way. Your ability to use the arts as a tool to magnify human rights narratives is incredible. I will be sharing this with the rest of the JAYU team on Monday in case anyone missed it.
All the very best,
GIlad, Jayu, 2021
Elder Dr. Duke,
Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your beautiful poetry and insightful words with us. Even though I've been lucky enough to hear you recite your poetry and lessons over the past few weeks, hearing it again still lands with so much impact.We've already received a number of messages and comments about your talk; it really hit home for so many of our colleagues who are searching for guidance around how to treat our earth. It's plain to see you've inspired our group.
Happy Earth Day - and thank you for making ours special,
Carmine, Google cloud, 2021
Elder Duke,
Thank you for sharing your wisdom and your poetry and your generous spirit with all of us earlier today. Every conversation is a wonderful learning experience, and today’s created a shared platform from which we can implement a powerful vision within Quayside.
Mitchell, Quayside Project, 2021
Elder Duke,
On behalf of all of us at Red Sky, I wanted to send a message of THANKS for your wisdom and stories and knowledge yesterday for the REDTalk. It was our pleasure to have you be part of the REDTalk series, and it was special to have you share with us and our audience.
With warm thanks and best wishes,
Kathy, RedTalks, 2021
Dear Elder Duke,
What an honour to have you speak with us today. I keep getting messages of appreciation, and you heard for yourself how impactful your words are.
Cathy, 2021 LUminato
Dear Dr. Redbird,
Thank you so much for spending time with us yesterday evening, You shared with us many wonderful stories and insights, some apart from what are on your website.
I’ve immersed myself in your work in its myriad forms and your website allows for one way to follow you from your youth to today. I have almost finished reading and viewing everything on your website, although these writings, readings, and films will always be linked to others, and still cannot encompass every detail of you up to the moment. That’s one reason it was such a pleasure to meet you “in person”, in real time.I am learning more about the reality of the continuing Indigenous history of this land. I learned a lot just from your website that I never learned in school (of course) or from history books, which are never written from anything but the white man’s imaginary and self-congratulatory perspective. I noted another thing you said that I will remember: A simple idea can change the consciousness of the world and you told the story of Lillian Piché Shirt and her giving permission to Lennon to use her words in his song, "Imagine", illustrating this point. I believe in serendipity and in hope.
Thank you for giving us your time and for inspiring us, Dr. Redbird! All good things to you always,
Julie, Attendee Amadeus Creation Lab 2021
Elder Duke,
thank you so much for your powerful words and presence. People were so touched by your words, and perspectives, it was an honour to work with you, and I have a few ideas about how we could work together more. Thank you Nancy for your help and involvement, all the best and talk soon,
chi Miigwetch,
andrew, Notinikew Project 2021
Dear Duke,
I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your beautiful teachings yesterday. I attended the entire event and absolutely loved it. It’s what the world needs to hear.
With great admiration and great affection,
Andre, 2020
Dear Dr Redbird,
On behalf of the MIT Creative studio and lab, I wanted to sincerely thank you for this phenomenal keynote today! Much needed medicine for us. THANK YOU!
We will share with you the recording, as well as all the plentiful comments in the chat, a true outpouring of love and appreciation.
With deep gratitude,
Kat, MIT Creation Lab, 2020
Elder Duke,
Thank you so much for sharing your incredible wisdom, brilliance and humanity with us today. My son is in the generation born in the 21st century and I am going to have him listen to your talk. They are words to guide, inspire, and live by.
Sarah, MIT Creation Lab, 2020
Elder Duke,
I have been thinking about the right words to express my gratitude to you for your gift of poetry yesterday! Your presence brought 200 listeners to the live stream and the feedback was amazing. People were moved to tears during “Dish with One Spoon” and found themselves in “O’de Min Giizis. Some even quoted “Power of the Land”. You may have a new fan base of Rogers employees coming to your next speaking engagement.
Kim, 2020
Honestly such an incredible event. Inspiring elder, thoughtful questions from the audience, culturally appropriate food... I’ve been feeling the need to increase my focus on spirituality and that is what this event gave me. Such a warm environment with thoughtful people. Cannot say enough about this event... Well done all.
Attendee, Myseum 7 Ancestor Teachings Talk, 2020
Elder Duke,
I just wanted to reach out and say a huge thank you for last night at Stackt. As always, your talk was incredibly engaging and insightful. Last night was the most powerful Q&A I've ever heard!
Warmly,Kathleen 2020
Elder Duke,
Your opening address was incredible. It was insightful, intellectual, deeply personal and inspiring. You were somehow able to bring together, reflection, pragmatism, futurism and astro physics, tying all of those elements together to bring us back to nature and the land.
Wow.
John, 2018
So many of us are moved, inspired and challenged by what you had to say. I can't tell you how many of the participants sought out the staff to express how much they appreciated your talk. One woman in particular told me how incredibly profound the experience was for her. She talked about how often we hear all the reasons it's difficult and impractical to be an artist. To be told by Duke that our creativity is imperative in re-imagining a better world was a revelation to her. She walked away feeling so inspired and invigorated as an artist. To open up a new way for people to see their purpose and their work is a wonderful gift. Again, we are so thankful.
Phyllis, 2018
I wanted to let you know that Young People’s Theatre feels your knowledge and participation in their learning has been invaluable, and to take this opportunity to say Miigwech/ thank you once again for being part of the INDIGENizeUS program at Young People’s Theatre. the feedback we have been receiving has been very positive, and I’m hoping to do more programming like this in the future.
Lindy Kinoshameg, 2017
Dear Duke,
I just wanted to thank you for your powerful words yesterday. The story of the lost history of Canada’s Indigenous peoples was so powerful, so unbelievable and tragic. And yet, it is because of leaders like you that we should have hope in what the future brings. Your message is so important and inspirational – for all of us. It meant a great deal to us all to have you at the launch of Connected North. Thank you.
Seeing you with students from Toronto, and with those over 1700 kilometers away at the same time was incredible. I spoke with one of the teachers afterwards who said that the kids were 100 per cent and entirely engaged in your presentation, As were all of us. Thank you for being such an important voice for a new and better Canada.
Fondly, Willa 2016
Dr. Redbird,
Thank you for opening CCAB's Design Thinking workshop on Wednesday. I have been reflecting on your words and shared some of what I remembered with my colleagues here. As I anticipated, they are intrigued and would like to learn more.
Thank you once again for sharing your knowledge.
With respect,
Michael, 2016
Duke,
I wanted to say thank you so much for coming to Collingwood today and providing a huge amount of information and insight toward helping to develop the concept for indigenous placemaking in our community. I’m a little overwhelmed with inspiration at the moment and am really looking forward to the next steps.
Dean, 2016
Dear Elder Dr. Duke,
From all of us on the TCG Conference team and staff, thank you so much for joining us as a speaker at last week’s first hybrid TCG National Conference, your contributions only added value to our content offerings for attendees. We were not without bumps, but we thank you for the grace you showed our team in overcoming any hiccups we came up against. And from what we’ve heard so far, many of our attendees had one of their best conferences yet.
All our best,
The TCG Conference Team, 2015
Hi Elder Redbird,
We are still celebrating the success of the event last week and are so appreciative of the energy you brought to the day. The students were highly engaged, and we have been receiving positive feedback from teachers and staff on the overall experience. On behalf of the DWF team, thank you for opening us up in a good way!
Jamie, 2020
Thank you so much for inviting me to be part of the talk, it was very powerful, and it’s always an honour to talk with you, elder Duke.
Andrew,
via email to Myseum 2019
it was very touching to be able to be able to experience this form of dialogue; real time, direct and spontaneous.”
Wigwam Survey particpant 2019
Hearing Elder Duke Redbird's calm and quiet voice speak of urgent matters informs my approach in learning and teaching.
Wigwam Survey particpant 2019
Hello Duke,
Yesterday my friends and I had a chat with you on your boat and I wanted to thank you so much for your time and knowledge. You had a significant impact on me and my boyfriend, Alex. Your poem about the beaver really hit us hard in the gut, as well as the part where you pointed out that Canada will bring in refugees from other countries, while creating refugees at the same time. It's horrific and I am ashamed to say I hadn't considered that before.
Wigwam Chi-chemung attendee at Ontario Place, 2019
I can't thank you enough, I'm sitting here with my 14 year old daughter listening to this most wonderful and edifying presentation of yours. we need so many more big floating canoes with this information for all Canadians. I was astounded, you're right, there was no recognition of the Indigenous peoples who lived all along the lake. please know that my daughter and I are endeavouring to educate ourselves and somehow help with this reconciliation.|
re: Wigwam Chichemung 2019
You’ve provided some of The most valuable insight I think I've gained. I've wondered for a while if land acknowledgments are something that were beneficial in anyway really, or just the latest piece of theatre that white people are using to pat ourselves on the back to congratulate ourselves for our awareness. I'm heartsick with all these children and the unmarked graves that are being found in the land here and I am wondering perhaps if that is maybe the land acknowledgment or land reckoning that we really need and that is maybe going to result in something happening finally that is meaningful.
Thank you for your thoughts, especially the idea of indigenous peoples being invited into confederation because that is exactly what should happen, and I hope it does.
Thank you so much, Elder Duke.
re: Wigwam Chichemung 2019
Dear Elder Dr. Duke Redbird,
Thank you for sharing your wisdom. This is the second time I’ve heard you speak and both times your words have been energizing and clarifying. I especially appreciated how you described the misguided ideologies of exploitation of the earth, total individual freedom, and relentless drive for profit.
Hillel, 2020
What a gift it was to hear you speak. You speak truth to power and remind us that we need to think and imagine big. I loved how you said we need to stop using the flashlight viewpoint and start using the floodlight viewpoint. I take this as meaning we have skewed priorities, caught up in the every day and the minutiae of financial success and career ambition. We need to remember what really matters in the world And, I think as teachers we can really play a role in shining those floodlights!
it must be frustrating to see that so many of the problems that you were discussing in 1967 continue to exist and that sovereignty and self-determination is still not a reality. I’m thankful that despite how aggravating that must be, you continue to share your wisdom, with an openness and patience for all of our questions, questions you must have had to answer so many times before.Miigwetch, Elder Duke. I hope to have the PRIVILEGE to continue learning from you.
TDSB Staff, 2020
Chi-miigwech, Elder Dr. Duke Redbird, for sharing your knowledge, wisdom, and experience with all of us. I’ve had the privilege of hearing you speak and reading your poetry before, and every time, I am struck by the power of your words and message. As a settler teacher working in relationship and solidarity to centre Indigenous voices in the curriculum and decolonize the education system, your guidance and framework is invaluable.
I had never seen your films before, and they provided a fascinating, and in some cases, depressing look at Indigenous-settler relations. I say depressing because it’s a stark reminder of how little has changed. The fact that we are still talking about the struggle for a dignified standard of life for all, the violation of Indigenous sovereignty, and even a Prime Minister Trudeau who pays lip service to Indigenous peoples while fighting children in court, is dismaying. While we may not be as worried about the possibility of a nuclear apocalypse, the climate emergency and covid are very much contemporary cases of what happens when settlers do not live in relationship with the Earth and its traditional stewards. The message of people before profits resounded both through these conversations and your talk today, and the importance of Indigenous self-determination in negotiating a path forward.I am so grateful for the many ways in which you help to make me, and others, better educators.
TDSB Staff, 2020
Dear Dr. Duke Redbird,
It is hard to put into words how much gratitude I hold for the opportunity to hear you speak.
I feel your moments of giving wisdom, your personal history, your weaving creative ways to help us educators navigate learning new cultural norms with humility are so richly packed with the stuff that is important to do good work with students in a good way.your body of work is PROLIFIC. You have poetry, art, films, and stories spanning so long and this allows for so many entry points into the conversations about relationships that have underlined your life’s work. You are able to pull so many of your pieces into relevance and understandings that make sense today.
I don’t recall a time when you didn’t share a work or story that didn’t relate to a current event happening today, so your presentation of the article and conversation were made so relevant to today’s promise of resources to First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples. A warm thank you for your continued good work and time with us.
Barb , 2021
