What a great experience the Arts and Human Rights Summer School was this year! As a fourth year student in the Conflict Studies and Human Rights program, this was a unique experience and was unlike any other class I've taken at uOttawa. The week saw various guest speakers with expertise in the field, interesting discussion topics, multiple field trips, and good food! The HRREC team ensured that we were well taken care of throughout the week. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and would recommend this opportunity to every student.

Arts and Human Rights is an amazing program. I lost my mother tongue and culture, and suffered from assimilation by the dominant groups. Reforming self-identification and reviving traditional culture is the same dilemma for the people in my country as well. This program gave me an opportunity to view my own culture from the different angle. During the course, I found that it might be the first time in my life that I know who I am and know what to do for my self-identification.

The course was definitely one of the best courses of my degree! I was truly impressed by the calibre of presentations, the choice of activities, and the diversity of subjects covered. To be in the presence of elders and activists who graciously shared their wisdom and expertise with us was deeply humbling. The way in which the course dealt with Canada’s troubled past while also discussing current action that is being taken to work towards a better future left me both inspired and hopeful. I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to participate and highly recommend it!

The one-week intensive course about Indigenous Arts and Culture has been a rewarding experience in every sense of the word. We had the opportunity to engage in hands-on activities that allowed us to gain an intimate understanding of the beautiful ways indigenous peoples use art to creatively express themselves and speak back to the structural oppression that is still ongoing and has taken multiple forms since time immemorial. From making mini-canoes, to watching a powerful documentary together with the indigenous filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin herself, this course completely changed the rules of the game by departing away from the conventional Western pedagogy and indigenizing the way we learn and the way we engage in the study of current issues.

When you first think of Indigenous art and human rights, they definitely are not two topics you would expect to interact. Nevertheless, I could not be more happy to say I was wrong! The Human Rights Research and Education Centre has put on an amazing week-long, intensive course. Filled with field trips, elder teachings, and fascinating topics (including Indigenous traditional knowledge, international law, and an introduction to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples). I would highly recommend this course to anyone who asks! Thank you so much to everyone who put on an amazing week for a great group of students!

The Arts and Human Rights course (with a focus on Indigenous culture) was truly a transformative experience. Starting and ending our week with Anishinabek ceremonies, our classroom was transformed into a week of engaging discussions, inspirational speakers and a fantastic trip to Kitigan Zibi to learn from the community. Through an overview of Indigenous history and the current undertakings by Indigenous speakers, we were able to learn about our country's dark colonial past and what is being done to move forward towards reconciliation. This course will likely end up being one of the most enriching courses I will take through my time in law school!

My experience attending the 2016 Arts +Human Rights Course was very enriching. Although it went by fast, as it was over a one week period it was highly engaging and I learned so much. All the presenters came to the course with a diversity of experience and knowledge to share. I really enjoyed some of the activities we did such as the Indigenous Walks, visiting the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada Art Bank and the Aboriginal Arts Centre Exhibition, and having the opportunity to have a traditional Aboriginal Feast. My knowledge in the Aboriginal culture has been greatly enhanced and there were definitely many moments during the course when learning about the history of Indigenous Nations in Canada was heartbreaking. Being more educated though has allowed me to expand my perspectives and be more understanding.

The indigenous Arts and Human rights course was an amazing, educational and well organized experience. The course directors were helpful and enthusiastic about this course and it was easy to see the amount of dedicated planning that had gone into this week long educational seminar. Through a diverse group of world class speakers I came away with a greater informed perspective on Indigenous Human Rights issues around the world and a renewed appreciation for Indigenous Arts from all corners of the globe. Additionally, I have a better understanding of indigenous groups in this area through lessons on their history and culture. I have and will continue to recommend this course as a must for any student in all disciplines at this university and I hope this course becomes a yearly staple in all University of Ottawa’s student’s course time table.

My name is Caitlin Tolley and I am Algonquin from Kitigan-Zibi, Quebec. Partaking in the Summer School on the Arts and Human Rights was an incredible learning experience. I appreciated having the opportunity to attend summer classes learning about indigeneity, the arts and human rights. I enjoyed the hands on learning experience and attending the different field trips that the Professors organized. My favorite part of the week was listening to the remarkable guest speakers. I would gladly take another summer course similar to the Summer School on the Arts and Human Rights. I believe that more classes should be offered like this in law school.

Caitlin Tolley
Algonquin Nation

I was thrilled to be a part of the Art & Indigeneity course in 2016. It was an honor to have my artwork represented alongside indigenous artists from all across the globe. I overheard an elevator conversation that was partly spurred by my presentation – that was great! It made me wish that I were going to be present all week to engage in further discussion. My main contribution was to be a grassroots voice on a panel for Opening Day, to be able to speak firsthand about my community, as well as about indigenous art. The main gift I received was that my sons were in attendance and they were pleased with my presentation. They have been raised by me to have access to more language and culture than I did, so they have greater knowledge than I do in those areas (re-indigenizing our family across the generations). One of my sons said that it was the first time that he realized that I have a great deal of knowledge myself, and he was proud of his mother. Great gift – Nia:wen HRREC!

The contributions of all the First Nation peoples to Canadian heritage through an appreciation of the land, its waters and the arts became a focus of the compelling discussions and presentations throughout the week. The diversity of the students, their interests and their aspirations made the program a delightful mix of people and ideas against a backdrop of Canadian history and the impressive grandeur of Ottawa itself. Whether a student, artist, lover of history or activist, this program will stir your imagination to believe that positive change is possible for diverse peoples through the world.

Last summer, I participated in HRREC’s Arts and Human Rights Summer School, which focused on Canada’s indigenous cultures. I was the Centre’s Fulbright Chair in Human Rights and Social Justice and it was my sincere pleasure to have worked with knowledgeable, passionate, and dedicated steering committee colleagues, who cared about presenting an excellent summer school program for the attendees. As part of the program, the organizers ensured that we enjoyed the richness of Ottawa as a cultural center through an indigenous walking tour through the city, a visit to an indigenous art exhibition, and the Aboriginal Art Centre of the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. I am sure that the 2017 session will exceed all expectations.