Sign in

Yellowhead Institute

@miskoaki.bsky.social
515 followers 8 following 73 posts

Critical Indigenous Policy Perspectives. Based at the Faculty of Arts, Toronto Met. University | linktr.ee/yellowheadinstitute

PostsRepliesMedia
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Join us on September 30th for a special event, "The Right to Truth: Protecting Survivor Records" to learn more about the impending destruction of Residential School records and why their protection is critical for everyone in Canada to confront. Register at therighttotruth.eventbrite.ca
178
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Yellowhead is hiring two Indigenous Research Assistants to support the Borders Hide the Horizon Red Paper. For more information and how to apply, visit us at yellowheadinstitute.org/work-with-us/
Poster with “WE’RE HIRING” headline, seeking Indigenous Research Assistants for the Borders Hide the Horizon Red Paper. Application deadline: October 1, 2026, 11:59pm EST.Job posting for a part-time researcher at Yellowhead Institute, open to Indigenous applicants, with details on qualifications, hours, pay, location, and an overview of the research project.
022
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
A 2017 Supreme Court ruling authorized the destruction of 38,000 Indian Residential School Survivor records in Sept. 2027. In this Brief, Kimberly Murray argues for a right to truth to ensure that the violations of Indigenous human rights never happen again. yellowheadinstitute.org/2026/protect...
Slide 1: Top half of the image displays a photograph of a residential school memorial. A blue line across the image beneath the photo. Within the line reads: “The Yellowhead Brief”. The bottom half of the image displays the brief title information: September 17, 2026 #195. Proteecting the record: Indian residential school litigation and the right to truth by Kimberly Murray. The YI logo is displayed on the right side of the image.Slide 2: a quote is bordered by a dashed red line. A quotation mark sits at the top centre of the border and “The Yellowhead Brief” is placed in the bottom centre of the border. Inside the border reads: The lawsuits filed by Survivors are more than court records. They not only document what happened inside Indian Residentials Schools, but they also document Survivor resistance...what truths must we protect to ensure that the gross violations of human rights and other atrocities that occurred against Indigenous children never happen again? - Kimberly MurraySlide 3: The blue heading in the top left reads, "LEARN MORE" Below states, "Read the brief, Protecting the Record: Indian Residential School Litigation and the Right to Truth by Kimberly Murray. Join us on Sept. 30 for a special event. The right to truth: protecting indian residential school records with connie walker, kimberly murray, marie wilson and stephen kakfwi, hosted by hayden king. The event details are listed in red: september 30, 2026, 2PM-5PM ET, Toronto & online. A link icon sits left of the eventbrite URL - therightotruth.eventbrite.ca
022
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
As Canada moves to amend the Indian Act through Bill S-2, questions of First Nations citizenship and belonging are once again at the centre of public debate. yellowheadinstitute.org/report/actin... Artwork by Nadia Myre and Luanne Redeye
088
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Join us on National Day for Truth & Reconciliation. In less than one year, the largest archive of Survivor testimony is set to be destroyed. What is at stake if we lose Survivor records? Register for online and in person participation: therighttotruth.eventbrite.ca
Text reads: "A National Day for Truth & Reconciliation conversation with Connie Walker, Kimberly Murray, Marie Wilson and Stephen Kakfwi, hosted by Hayden King

The Right to Truth: Protecting Indian Residential School Records"


Artwork by Hal Cameron is displayed. It shows an Elder leaning down towards a youth kneeling on grass reaching their arm upward. 

"A Yellowhead Fire event" Link: "therighttotruth.eventbrite.ca"Text reads: "A Yellowhead Institute x Indian Residential Schools Records Project Event"

"In less than one year, the largest archive of Survivor testimony on residential schools is set to be destroyed. What is at stake if we lose Survivor records?" 

A photograph by Yumi Numata is displayed which shows a plaque with the names of former residential schools.Featured Speakers are displayed: 

Stephen Kakfwi
IRS Survivor & Former Premier,
Northwest Territories (2000-2003)
Dene

Marie Wilson
Commissioner on Canada’s
Truth & Reconciliation Commission (2009-2015)

Connie Walker
Investigative Journalist, Assistant Professor
& Velma Rogers Research Chair (TMU)
Okanese First Nation

Kimberly Murray
Lawyer, Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children
Kanehsatà:ke, Mohawk Nation

Hayden King
Executive Director, Yellowhead Institute
Anishinaabe, Beausoleil First Nation

Yellowhead Institute logo is displayed and the link to the registration: therighttotruth.eventbrite.ca
0813
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Andrew Ambers & Charlotte Weston examine the Cowichan & Wolastoqey decisions, challenge the Crown for their failure to address private property & Aboriginal title, & explore approaches to land and property rooted in Indigenous legal orders. Art by Rande Cook yellowheadinstitute.org/2026/all-roa...
011
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Cassandra Blondin Burt examines the consequences of interrupting Residential School mental health supports on Indigenous communities, showing how reconciliation remains contingent on unstable administrative decisions. yellowheadinstitute.org/2026/reconci... Artwork: Bree Island
033
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Omar Elsharkawy examines the social, environmental, and political costs of hosting the World Cup. Yet, Indigenous and grassroots football movements are reclaiming the game as a tool for resistance, healing, and decolonization. Artwork: Ángel Faz Full Brief: yellowheadinstitute.org/2026/how-the...
100
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Applications are open for the Public Administration and Indigenous Governance (PAIG) Program! The program is run in partnership with the First Nations Technical Institute, and the Dept. of Politics at Toronto Met. University. Visit yellowheadinstitute.org/paig-program/ to learn more! 📚
121
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Scott Franks examines Cook et al. v. Manitoba, recognizing that First Nations in Manitoba hold an Aboriginal right to self-government over child welfare and child and family services under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. Full Brief on our website: yellowheadinstitute.org/2026/case-co...
000
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Throwback to our Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange (MAKE) program this past May. We’re grateful for the gathering of students, faculty and Yellowhead School team members for MAKE 2026 – swipe through for a few moments of joy, learning, and community-building! 🌏🙌
020
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Azeezah Kanji argues that Palestine should be understood not as an exception, but as an emblem of the contemporary colonial condition – inviting reflection on how Indigenous experiences, globally, are intertwined. Art: Narmeen Hamadeh Full brief: yellowheadinstitute.org/2026/the-pal...
010
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
In our fourth and last virtual session of Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange (MAKE), we continue to explore themes of “Hyperlocal Worlding.” In this session, led by Jade Nixon, we examined the imbrications of abolition and decolonization, and their relationships to waterways.
Image of notes describing abolition and decolonization. Text: A MAKE 2026 SNAPSHOT. Session 04 Abolition and Decolonization with Jade Nixon.” 
 Text: How are decolonization and abolition connected? ‘Thinking about abolition and decolonization is mandatory to understand how to create the world that makes life a resource where all people are accountable to indigenous sovereignty and futurity,’ Dr. Jade Nixon says, in our fourth and last virtual MAKE session of 2026. ‘To me, abolition and decolonization are the absolute best when Black, Indigenous, and racialized people are interweaved together.’” A photo of Jade Nixon. “MEET JADE! Jade Nixon (she/her) is a Caribbean Black feminist scholar. She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Collaborative Indigenous Research with Communities and Lands and serves as Assistant Director of the Visiting Lab at NYU.”
Text: “Solidarity and resistance: Abolition and decolonization are distinct but interconnected. Making abolition as a part of everyday life reveals prison abolition requires people to join across many sites of struggle. For example, building prisons in rural areas places enormous pressure on the land and water systems. Drawing on Dr. Leanne B. Simpson’s idea of Sintering, a process where snowflakes create bonds: how can we think of sintering as a method of solidarity in strengthening and renewing connections across communities of struggle towards new constellations of co-resistance?” Bottom left: Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange logo. Bottom right: “A YELLOWHEAD SCHOOL PROGRAM.”
100
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
In Week 3 of Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange (MAKE), we continue to explore themes of “Hyperlocal Worlding.” In this session, led by Harsha Walia, we examined carceral borders on Indigenous land. Here’s a brief recap of our session reflections and learnings.
A collage of art. Under this, text reads: “A MAKE 2026 SNAPSHOT. Session 03 Carceral Borders on Indigenous Land with Harsha Walia.” At the bottom left, a logo with caribou and sunbeam with text reads “Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange”, and text on the right reads “A YELLOWHEAD SCHOOL PROGRAM.” 
Text: Harsha Walia: “Our clothes are largely produced in sweatshops, our phones are made in the tears of blood of children in the Congo...We are connected to all peoples in this world.” We are not connected in conditions of relationality but rather of extraction. There are other ways to be in a relationship with each other.” A photo of Harsha Walia. “MEET HARSHA! Harsha is a Punjabi Sikh community organizer, author and parent living on xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ lands. She is the award-winning author of Border and Rule: Global Migration, Capitalism, and the Rise of Racist Nationalism (Haymarket, 2021).”
 Text: “Borders are inseperable from colonial violence. Borders are completely intertwined with colonialism. We often normalize the nation-state borders when in reality they are relatively recent social constructions. ‘Migrant’ is a state-imposed, colonial category that marks groups of people as “not belonging”. Migrants face intense violence and racism, scapegoated and held responsible for the housing crisis, the crisis of austerity, and lack of jobs.” Bottom left: Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange logo. Bottom right: “A YELLOWHEAD SCHOOL PROGRAM.”
110
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
In this co-authored Brief, Mendizabal et al examine the federal government's proposed Youth Climate Corps pilot and what it would take for the program to support Indigenous-led climate solutions. Read the full Brief: yellowheadinstitute.org/2026/the-you...
Top half of the image displays a photograph of artwork by Taylor Jolin. A red line across the image beneath the photo. Within the line reads: “The Yellowhead Brief”. The bottom half of the image displays the brief title information: The Youth Climate Corps and the Indigenous Green Jobs Revolution. The YI logo is displayed on the right side of the image.a quote is bordered by a dashed red line. A quotation mark sits at the top centre of the border and “The Yellowhead Brief” is placed in the bottom centre of the border. Inside the border reads: It is imperative that a YCC learn from and support — not supplant — Indigenous-led projects that are revolutionizing the climate, environment, and renewable energy sector. Indigenous communities are already leading the way and have the experience to provide direction."Image is of a dark blue background. A dark red text box is displayed in the top centre of the image, white text reads, “Learn More”. White text in the centre of the image reads: What is a Youth Climate Corps and could it be designed to support Indigenous sovereignty amidst the ongoing climate crisis?. Below this, smaller white text reads the title information: The Youth Climate Corps and 
the Indigenous Green Jobs Revolution by Serena Mendizabal, Aubrey-Anne Laliberte-Pewapisconias, Bushra Asghar, Farron Rickerby-Nishi, and Doug Hamilton-Evans. A dotted red line separates the title information from the Yellowhead Institute logo displayed in the bottom centre of the image."
068
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
In Week 2 of Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange (MAKE), we continue to explore themes of “Hyperlocal Worlding.” In this session, led by Dr. Autumn BlackDeer, we examined understandings of queerness and feminism as they relate to colonialism. 💡 What does it mean to decolonize conceptions of queerness?
 A collage of art. Under this, text reads: “A MAKE 2026 SNAPSHOT. Session 02 Indigenous Feminisms and Queer Perspectives with Dr. Autumn BlackDeer.” At the bottom left, a logo with caribou and sunbeam with text reads “Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange”, and text on the right reads “A YELLOWHEAD SCHOOL PROGRAM.” Text: What are core concepts of gender and sexuality? ‘Desire does not exist in a vacuum,’ Dr. Autumn Blackdeer says, in our second virtual MAKE session of 2026. ‘It is often fundamentally tied to socially constructed colonial ideologies of desire.’ For Indigenous peoples, variability in interpretations of gender and sexuality have changed over time and have served different purposes.” A photo of Dr. Autumn BlackDeer. “MEET AUTUMN! Dr. Autumn BlackDeer (they/she) is an Indigiqueer anti-colonial scholar-activist from the Southern Cheyenne Nation (Tsistsistas). Currently serving as an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at York University, their scholarship illuminates the impact of structural violence on Indigenous communities across Turtle Island.”
 Text: “What is Compound Colonialism? Racism and homophobia intersect to create compound colonialism on queer and Indigenous peoples. Colonialism has tried to interpret queerness within Indigenous communities, using settler logics to impose and define desire and kinship. As Dr. Blackdeer says, ‘the earth is queer and nature is too.’” Bottom left: Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange logo. Bottom right: “A YELLOWHEAD SCHOOL PROGRAM.”
110
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Join us in Edmonton for the first time ever! In advance of the 150th anniversary of Treaty 6, join us for a discussion on its enduring significance and the challenges of implementation today. Register: 150-years-treaty-6.eventbrite.ca
032
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Minh Do examines the legal and political dimensions of Gitxaała v. British Columbia. The case considered B.C. 's mineral claims system – which permits companies to acquire rights to Indigenous lands without consultation or consent. Read the full brief: yellowheadinstitute.org/2026/the-pol...
yellowheadinstitute.org
The Politics of Process: B.C.’s Mineral Claims Regime and the Threat of an FPIC Freeze
In this Brief, Minh Do examines the legal and political fallout of Gitxaała v. British Columbia, tracing how B.C.’s mineral claims system permitted companies to acquire rights to Indigenous lands with...
000
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Reconciliation has become part of the script of corporate Canada — but who benefits from the story being told? Artwork: Bailey Macabre Nêhiyaw Michif, Ukrainian Read the full Special Report: yellowheadinstitute.org/report/lifti...
121
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange (MAKE) 2026 is underway!  In our first session, led by Dr. Megan Scribe and Nazbah Tom, we oriented ourselves towards hyperlocal worlding, and ways in which we can relate to ourselves and others. What does hyperlocal worlding mean to you? 📍🌏
A collage of art and magazines. Under this, text reads: “A MAKE 2026 SNAPSHOT. Session 01 Orientating Ourselves to Hyperlocal Worlding with Megan Scribe & Nazbah Tom.” At the bottom left, a logo with caribou and sunbeam with text reads “Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange”, and text on the right reads “A YELLOWHEAD SCHOOL PROGRAM.” At the top of the image, text reads, “Yellowhead school Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange 2026.” Text reads: “How do we orient ourselves towards hyperlocal worlding? In our first virtual MAKE session of 2026, Nazbah Tom reminds us: ‘It is a project of dispossession to disconnect us from our bodies and each other. When we practice the Sacred Pause — an intentional moment of presence — we listen and become aware of how our bodies are responding, and what that means for how we show up.’” On the bottom left, a photo of Nazbah Tom. On the bottom right, text reads: “MEET NAZBAH! Nazbah (they/them) uses conversation, breath work, gestural work, bodywork, and somatic skills to guide individuals and groups through a process of embodied transformation. They have been a MAKE Faculty member three years in a row!”
At the top of the image, text reads, “Yellowhead school Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange 2026.” Text reads: “How can a neighbour mentality transform collective relations? ‘Neighbour relationships are sometimes an undervalued relationship,’ says Dr. Megan Scribe. ‘When we think about community we think about the relationships we prefer; but what happens with the relationships that you don't prefer, but you’re proximal or reliant on each other for whatever reason?’” On the bottom left, a photo of Megan Scribe. On the bottom right, text reads: “MEET MEGAN! Megan Scribe (Ininiw iskwew, Norway House Cree Nation) is an interdisciplinary Indigenous feminist researcher, writer, and educator. Megan created the MAKE program in her role as founding Education Director for Yellowhead School, and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Toronto Metropolitan University.”Against a backdrop of students at a Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange lecture, text reads, “What does the term ‘hyperlocal worlding’ mean to you?” followed by the image of the book, Let This Radicalize You by Kelly Hayes & Mariame Kaba. An arrow pointing to the book reads, “Megan's recommended reading.” At the bottom left, a logo with caribou and sunbeam with text reads “Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange”, and text on the right reads “A YELLOWHEAD SCHOOL PROGRAM.” 
030
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Annie King traces the history of the Norman Wells Oilfield through stories shared in Fort Good Hope, examining how Imperial disrupted reciprocal relationships b/w people, water, animals, & land – asking what is required to right a century of historic wrongs. yellowheadinstitute.org/2026/after-a...
011
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
In this Brief, Michaela M. McGuire (Jaad Gudgihljiwah examines how fiscal decisions intersect with justice policy, resource development and militarization – and what that reveals about Canada's approach to addressing gender violence. Read the full Brief: yellowheadinstitute.org/2026/sunsett...
Top half of the image displays a photograph of MMWIG 2024 by Solange Aguilar. A red line across the image beneath the photo. Within the line reads: “The Yellowhead Brief”. The bottom half of the image displays the brief title information: Sunsetting Gender Justice: Economic Austerity and the Defunding of MMIWG+ Supports The YI logo is displayed on the right side of the image.a quote is bordered by a dashed red line. A quotation mark sits at the top centre of the border and “The Yellowhead Brief” is placed in the bottom centre of the border. Inside the border reads: Tightening the fiscal shoestrings, using stealthy “sunsetting” to halt funding that supports ending violence against Indigenous women — while increasing funding to support the military industrial complex — demonstrates the Canadian government’s commitment to sustaining shape-shifting colonial violence."Image is of a dark blue background. A dark red text box is displayed in the top centre of the image, white text reads, “Learn More”. White text in the centre of the image reads: Despite the Calls to Justice from the MMIWG Inquiry, the federal government has sunset funding for organizations working to end violence against women and girls. How can Indigenous people take seriously Canada’s commitment to ending gender violence and reconciliation?. Below this, smaller white text reads the title information: Sunsetting Gender Justice: 
Economic Austerity and the Defunding of MMIWG+ Supports

by Michaela M. McGuire (Jaad Gudgihljiwah). A dotted red line separates the title information from the Yellowhead Institute logo displayed in the bottom centre of the image."
031
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Hayden King traces the "off-ramp" approach to re-shaping the Act, showing how incremental reforms have created a landscape where First Nations are increasingly opting into new legal and policy frameworks outside the Act. Read the full Brief: yellowheadinstitute.org/2026/the-ind...
031
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
Canada has a long history of surveilling Indigenous peoples –Riley Yesno highlights the consequences on Indigenous communities & argues for a more deliberate response to ongoing colonial surveillance. yellowheadinstitute.org/2026/i-spy-c...
12015
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
On March 24, we held our first Fire event of 2026, Treaties in Troubling Times: Old Frameworks for New Futures. Crystal Fraser, Sara Komarnisky, Gina Starblanket, and Hayden King discussed: how do treaties provide a framework for new futures? Learn more at yellowheadinstitute.org/yellowheadfire/
“Once you start looking at things with a treaty lens, you can’t go back.” - Crystal Fraser. A look at our last Yellowhead fire event: Treaties in Triuvling Times Old Frameworks for new futures

On March 24, we held our first Fire event of 2026, Treaties in Troubling Times: Old Frameworks for New Futures. Crystal Fraser, Sara Komarnisky, Gina Starblanket, and Hayden King discussed: how do treaties provide a framework for new futures, and why are these frameworks especially critical today as we face uncertain times?
 yellowheadinstitute.org/yellowheadfire/


“One of the reasons Yellowhead was founded was to be able to support treaty implementation. Communities need the knowledge to challenge narratives and push towards honorable treaty implementation “ -Hayden King
Yellowhead Fire
Yellowhead Fire brings together established and emerging scholars, activists, and artists to discuss pressing concerns and issues, exchange ideas, and offer critical Indigenous perspectives on settler colonialism and the reclamation of Indigenous land and "the good life". Link: yellowheadinstitute.org/yellowheadfire/
010
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
Manitoba’s Bill 48 empowers police to target individuals of perceived drug intoxication and detain them for 3 days in solitary confinement. How does the expansion of involuntary detention and forced detox, made possible through Bill 48, deepen colonial harm? yellowheadinstitute.org/2026/care-no...
057
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Hayden King examines new “Cooperation Agreements” b/w the federal & provincial governments – finding trade-offs for efficiency & coordination, handing authority to provinces already criticized for weak environmental oversight & consultation w/ Indigenous communities. yellowheadinstitute.org/2026/
021
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
Ashley Kyne & Justin Piché challenge the “Indigenization” of prisons, arguing these efforts reproduce colonial space through carceral policies – ultimately misrepresenting Indigenous life & normalizing confinement. Art: ‘Genocide’ - Nshannacappo Full Brief: yellowheadinstitute.org/2026/the-pri...
025
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
How do treaties provide a framework for new futures and why and these frameworks especially critical today as we face uncertain times? Join us on March 24 1PM for a Yellowhead Fire with Crystal Fraser, Sara Komarnisky, Gina Starblanket, and Hayden King. Register: treaties-fire.eventbrite.ca
044
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Anton Clark highlights the role of the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO), built on decades of Indigenous advocacy, to enact these principles by supporting Indigenous creators and shaping international diplomacy and the circulation of their stories. Read the full Brief on our website, linked in bio.
Top half of the image displays a photograph from the movie, Wrong Husband by Zacharias Kunuk. A red line across the image beneath the photo. Within the line reads: “The Yellowhead Brief”. The bottom half of the image displays the brief title information: Sovereignty and The Indigenous Screen Office: A Proposal to Reshape Canada’s International Cultural Strategy. The YI logo is displayed on the right side of the image.a quote is bordered by a dashed red line. A quotation mark sits at the top centre of the border and “The Yellowhead Brief” is placed in the bottom centre of the border. Inside the border reads: Canadian cultural exports depend not only on which stories are told, but also on which institutions ultimately hold decision-making authority.Image is of a dark blue background. A dark red text box is displayed in the top centre of the image, white text reads, “Learn More”. White text in the centre of the image reads:In Canadian cultural institutions, how can the ISO be empowered to ensure that Indigenous creators control the funding, production, and global circulation of their stories? Below this, smaller white text reads the title information: Sovereignty and The Indigenous Screen Office: A Proposal to Reshape Canada’s International Cultural Strategy by anton clark. A dotted red line separates the title information from the Yellowhead Institute logo displayed in the bottom centre of the image.
000
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
Applications are now open for the Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange (MAKE) spring session! 📚🌏 MAKE is an ideal program for Indigenous, Black, and racialized community helpers involved in local, place-based initiatives. Visit yellowheadinstitute.org/make-2026/ to learn more and apply!
Image of text that says 'Applications are open for MAKE 2026! What does Hyperlocal Worlding mean to you? Apply by March 4, 2026 Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange, A YELLOWHEAD SCHOOL PROGRAM YELLOWHEADINSTITUT.ORG/MAKE-2026'Graphic of text that says 'A FEW DETAILS The Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange (MAKE) is for Indigenous, Black, and racialized community helpers involved in local, place-based initiatives who are interested in expanding and deepening their knowledge on the theory and practice of hyperlocal worlding and what it means to refuse conditions of settler colonialism, racial capitalism, and climate injustice. Time commitment of 2-4 hours a week The program concludes with a four-day, mandatory in-person gathering in Toronto, ON No financial cost to participate" Image of text says 'This year's MAKE theme is "Hyperlocal Worlding," inspired by the far reach of neighbourhood organizing and the of 'worlding' coined by postcolonial scholar Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak. Yellowhead School'
Graphic with text that says 'LEARN MORE & APPLY  Yellowhead School yellowheadinstitute.org/make-2026 
Questions? Email us! school@yellowheadinstitute.org 
Application Deadline: March 4, 2026'
020
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Across Canada and beyond, Indigenous Peoples are reclaiming and rematriating place names – not just as acts of recognition, but as assertions of law, governance, and jurisdiction. Read the full special report on our website, linked in bio
0107
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
P.M. Carney’s speech in Davos received a rare standing ovation. In comments to build an alternative system, he inadvertently described the Crown-Indigenous relationship. Janna Wale & Michaela M. McGuire ask what this means for Indigenous Peoples. Full Brief: yellowheadinstitute.org/2026/reflect...
Top half of the image displays an illustration of Alyssa's Wale's art A red line across the image beneath the photo. Within the line reads: “The Yellowhead Brief”. The bottom half of the image displays the brief title information: Reflections on “Rupture”:  Mark Carney’s New World Order & an Indigenous Response. The YI logo is displayed on the right side of the image.a quote is bordered by a dashed red line. A quotation mark sits at the top centre of the border and “The Yellowhead Brief” is placed in the bottom centre of the border. Inside the border reads: If there is one key difference between the international order and the Canadian order, it’s Carney’s reference to “rupture.” There has not yet been a rupture in the rules governing Indigenous people and the Crown. But, there should be.Image is of a dark blue background. A dark red text box is displayed in the top centre of the image, white text reads, “Learn More”. White text in the centre of the image reads: Where do Indigenous people fit in Mark Carney's vision of Canada, leading the alternative to the "rules-based" order; and how are his comments hypocritical in light of the Crown-Indigenous relationship? Below this, smaller white text reads the title information:, Reflections on “Rupture”: Mark Carney’s New World Order & an Indigenous Response by Janna Wale & Michaela McGuire - Jaad Gudgihljiwah. A dotted red line separates the title information from the Yellowhead Institute logo displayed in the bottom centre of the image.
075
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Kalaallit voices are once again pushed to the margins. Vivi Vold & Kunuk Inutiq offer context to Kalaalliit Nunaat's (Greenland's) re-emergence in the centre of global geopolitics, centering Kalaaliit perspectives on colonial trauma and solidarity. Read the full Brief, linked in bio.
Top half of the image displays a digital collage of Ivinguak Stork Høegh's artwork. A red line across the image beneath the photo. Within the line reads: “The Yellowhead Brief”. The bottom half of the image displays the brief title information: Is Kalaallit Nunaat for Its People? 
Inuit Reflections on American (and Danish) Colonization. The YI logo is displayed on the right side of the image.a quote is bordered by a dashed red line. A quotation mark sits at the top centre of the border and “The Yellowhead Brief” is placed in the bottom centre of the border. Inside the border reads: This incessant imperialism is set against the backdrop of actual people in the Arctic living their everyday lives: with their families and communities speaking their language and with cultural integrity, with desires to live free.Image is of a dark blue background. A dark red text box is displayed in the top centre of the image, white text reads, “Learn More”. White text in the centre of the image reads: Amid renewed American imperialism and fraying international alliances, Kalaalliit Nunaat (Greenland) is at the centre of geo-political news – but where are the voices of Kalaallit?. Below this, smaller white text reads the title information: Is Kalaallit Nunaat for Its People?  Inuit Reflections on American (and Danish) Colonization by vivi vold with kunuk inutiq. A dotted red line separates the title information from the Yellowhead Institute logo displayed in the bottom centre of the image.
073
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Check out the Yellowhead Treaty Map's new Indigenous Treaty-Making Layer. While the inter-dimensionality of Indigenous-led treaties cannot be fully captured in any map, the new layer breaks the user away from the Treaty Map boundaries into an immersive digital experience. Linked in bio.
0155
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
Announcing version 2.0 of the Yellowhead Institute Treaty Map! New features added to the map include a re-imagined Indigenous Treaty-Making Layer and an Education Guide. Visit the treaty map and download the education guide today: treatymap.yellowheadinstitute.org
032
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
Today marks ten years since the TRC issued its 94 Calls to Action. JoLee Sasakamoose and Miranda Field argue that Canadian healthcare systems have perfected “Reconciliation Theatre,” prioritizing symbolic gestures over the structural change the Calls to Action demand. Full report linked in bio.
042
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Last week the Carney Government tabled their first budget. In this Brief, Riley Yesno reviews the commitments to Indigenous communities and highlights the gaps, limitations and general disappointment. Full Brief linked in bio.
Top half of the image displays a photograph of a protest. Participants hold cardboard signs and posters, including a cutout of Mark Carney's face. Visible signs read "LAND BACK," "End Ongoing Colonialism," and "Let Gaza Live." A red line across the image beneath the photo. Within the line reads: “The Yellowhead Brief”. The bottom half of the image displays the brief title information: "Budget 2025: A New Era in Indigenous-Canada Relations? By Riley Yesno." The YI logo is displayed on the right side of the image.A quotation is bordered by a dashed red line. A quotation mark sits at the top centre of the border and “The Yellowhead Brief” is placed in the bottom centre of the border. Inside the border reads: “...new financing at least means the federal government recognizes that it will require extensive engagement with Indigenous Nations to pursue the many national-interest economic projects they’re talking about—and that engagement costs money. How that money will be used, and whether it is accompanied by the time needed to build meaningful partnerships, is another discussion entirely. - Riley Yesno"Image is of a dark blue background. A dark red text box is displayed in the top centre of the image, white text reads, “Learn More”. White text in the centre of the image reads: "What can Indigenous communities expect from the Federal Government's 2025 budget?" Below this, smaller white text reads the title information: "Budget 2025: A New Era in Indigenous-Canada Relations? By Riley Yesno." A dotted red line separates the centered text from the title information and the Yellowhead Institute logo displayed in the bottom centre of the image.
062
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 23/10/2025
B.C.’s LNG boom is called progress—but for Indigenous women, it signals danger. Linked to man camps and state neglect, Michaela M. McGuire asks: what’s being done to protect women? Read the full Brief, linked in bio.
Top half of the image displays a photograph of No Pipelines by Gord Hill. A red line across the image beneath the photo. Within the line reads: “The Yellowhead Brief”. The bottom half of the image displays the brief title information: Is Violence against Indigenous Women in “Canada’s interest”? Liquified Natural Gas in B.C., Sexual Violence & Narratives of Terra Nullius by Michaela McGuire. The YI logo is displayed on the right side of the image.a quote is bordered by a dashed red line. A quotation mark sits at the top centre of the border and “The Yellowhead Brief” is placed in the bottom centre of the border. Inside the border reads: We are dehumanized, our bodies and lives considered unworthy of care. We bear the brunt of environmental, colonial, and genocidal violence. This unfolds against the normalization of racism, which exacerbates societal indifference, perpetuating harm.Image is of a dark blue background. A dark red text box is displayed in the top centre of the image, white text reads, “Learn More”. White text in the centre of the image reads:How do narratives of terra nullius intersect with resource development to perpetuate violence against Indigenous women?. Below this, smaller white text reads the title information:, Is Violence against Indigenous Women in “Canada’s interest”? Liquified Natural Gas in B.C., Sexual Violence & Narratives of Terra Nullius by Michaela M. McGuire - Jaad Gudgihljiwah A dotted red line separates the title information from the Yellowhead Institute logo displayed in the bottom centre of the image.
098
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
In this Brief, Dakota Erutse traces the arc of these narratives and reflects on what Mark Carney's new unifying legislation obscures about Canada's relationship with the North. Read the full Brief on our website, linked in bio.
Top half of the image displays a photograph of a boat on a body of water. A red line across the image beneath the photo. Within the line reads: “The Yellowhead Brief”. The bottom half of the image displays the brief title information: 
Reflections on “Northern Squalor” and Sovereignty. The YI logo is displayed on the right side of the image.a quote is bordered by a dashed red line. A quotation mark sits at the top centre of the border and “The Yellowhead Brief” is placed in the bottom centre of the border. Inside the border reads: I am not yet aware of any society’s well-being which is founded purely in the assertion of sovereignty, as though it were the honest result of good intentions. I thought the term for such a lie was colonialism?Image is of a dark blue background. A dark red text box is displayed in the top centre of the image, white text reads, “Learn More”. White text in the centre of the image reads: Where is the discussion of Indigenous well-being in narratives that justify Canadian sovereignty in the North?. Below this, smaller white text reads the title information:, Reflections on “Northern Squalor” and Sovereignty by Dakota erutse. A dotted red line separates the title information from the Yellowhead Institute logo displayed in the bottom centre of the image.
032
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
Canada frames “Cows and Plows” as one-time settlements meant to close the books on agricultural treaty promises. In this Brief, Gina Starblanket & Courtney Vance explore what happens when restitution is narrowed to cash and closure. Is this truly honoring treaty promises? Full Brief linked in bio.
Top half of the image displays a close-up photograph of a hand-stitched patterned quilt by Bailey Bornyk. Red beadwork of flowers is stitched on the left and right sides of the image. Blue and green beadwork is stitched into the middle of the quilt. Below the photograph is a red line across the image beneath the photo. Within the line, white text reads: “The Yellowhead Brief”. The bottom half of the image displays the brief title information on an off white background. On the left side, small black text reads: “October 07, 2025 | #173.” Larger black text below displays the brief title: “The “Cows and Plows” Treaty Settlement: Overview and Implications.” At the bottom of the image, smaller black text reads “by Gina Starblanket and Courtney Vance.” The Yellowhead Institute logo in red is displayed on the right side of the image.Image is of an off white background. Black text in the centre of the image reads: “Settlements for agricultural benefits claims can reinforce an understanding of treaties as one-time transactions of material items rather than living agreements to be revisited and renewed. This gives the Crown’s account of treaties greater authority than Indigenous ones.” Below this, smaller black text reads: “- Gina Starblanket & Courtney Vance.” The text is bordered by a dashed red line. A quotation mark sits at the top centre of the border and “The Yellowhead Brief” is placed in the bottom centre of the border. 
Image is of a dark blue background. A dark red text box is displayed in the top centre of the image. Within the box, white text reads, “Learn More”. White text in the centre of the image reads: “Do “Cows and Plows” settlements represent a genuine fulfillment of treaty promises—or do they prioritize Crown certainty over ongoing reciprocity and structural change in nation-to-nation relationships?” Below this, smaller white text reads the title information: “The “Cows and Plows” Treaty Settlement: Overview and Implications.” Below the title information, small white text reads: “By Gina Starblanket and Courtney Vance.” The Yellowhead Institute logo in white is displayed at the bottom centre of the image. A dotted red line separates the large white text from the title information text.
012
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 01/10/2025
In the latest Special Report, JoLee Sasakamoose & Miranda Field find little progress in Canada's healthcare systems on restoring Indigenous wellness systems, creating ethical spaces, or transforming service delivery – showing how institutions remain performative. Full Report linked in bio.
Report cover titled "Braiding Accountability: A Ten-Year Review of the TRC’s Healthcare Calls to Action" featuring colorful floral artwork and publication details.
A quote highlights that true reconciliation requires redistributing power and resources, not just symbolic gestures. Yellowhead Institute logo and flowers are at the bottom.
A text graphic asks questions about reconciliation in Canadian health authorities, referencing the Yellowhead Institute's report on accountability and Indigenous governance in health care.
035
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
On the surface, Ontario's "Safer Municipalities Act" seeks to address public drug use. In this brief, Brianna Olson-Pitawanakwat Mskwaasin Agnew, and Kelsi Balaban argue it maintains too-familiar traditions of Indigenous displacement and colonial harm: yellowheadinstitute.org/2025/ontario...
0125
Reposted by Yellowhead Institute
Arn Keeling @arnkeeling.bsky.social · 24/09/2025
Great little feature on the amazing research of @miskoaki.bsky.social and its growing Northern focus. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
cbc.ca
Indigenous-led thinktank launches Yellowhead North | CBC News
The Yellowhead Institute, an Indigenous-led think tank, wants to establish more of a presence across Dene and Inuit lands with research and writing on northern issues, including Indigenous governance,...
0176
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
September 30th is National Day for Truth & Reconciliation. As we approach this day, how can we avoid symbolic performances of reconciliation and equip ourselves to work toward transformative change? Check out these resources and more on our website: yellowheadinstitute.org. Linked in bio.
The image shows a graffiti-covered wall in the background. Title text in white text on black highlight reads: "Yellowhead Resources to Prepare for National Day for Truth & Reconciliation." Subtitle reads: "How can we avoid symbolic performances of reconciliation and equip ourselves to work toward transformative change?" The Yellowhead logo is displayed. In the bottom right corner of the screen, three arrows are displayed that indicate to scroll. A red text box at the top reads: "Education Resources". Title text reads: "How Do You Like Your Reconciliation?" A venn diagram demonstrates 4 overlapping circles. The circles include 1. Symbolic: Centres "efforts" by Canadians. 2. Easy: Low-hanging fruit, quick wins. 3. Transformative: Centres Indigenous self-determination, 4. Impactful: Empowers Indigenous peoples. 

Overlapping with Symbolic, easy, and impactful is: renaming
Overlapping with symbolic and impactful is: contrition: accountability + apology. 
Overlapping with Easy, impactful: funding, data transparency, sharing power. 
Overlapping with easy, impactful, and transformative: non-existent. 
Overlapping with impactful and transformative: justice for Indigenous peoples, land back. 
Overlapping with easy and transformative: Settler fantasy. 
Overlapping with symbolic and easy is: exploitative, performative "allyship", and inclusion. 

A dotted line separates the diagram and text that reads: "As we approach National Day for Truth & Reconciliation, consider where the actions you’re taking or observing fall according to this diagram. Are they transformative, impactful, symbolic, easy or somewhere in-between?"
A yellow text box reads: "Map / Education Resource". Title text reads: "The Yellowhead Treaty Map" A star designed by Michelle Sound is displayed. Next to it, text reads: "Covering every treaty since 1763, the Treaty Map depicts three eras of Treaty Making in Canada, Pre-Confederation, Confederation, and "modern". Each treaty contains descriptions on the context, terms, negotiation, and implementation of the treaty." A yellow text box contains the URL: treatymap.yellowheadinstitute.org. 

A dotted line separates text at the bottom that reads: "When you recite a land acknowledgement, are you actually engaging with what it means to occupy stolen land? Are you encouraging your audience to learn about how the territories you live on were dispossessed and remain contested?"A red text box reads: "Online course." Title text reads: "Land Back Online." 

A graphic of a desktop is displayed, which contains artwork by Julie Flett featured in the Land Back report and curriculum. Text reads: "This free open access online course examines the ways Canada dispossesses Indigenous people of the land - and the strategies communities are using to get it back." A red bubble contains the URL: learnonline.yellowheadinstitute.org. A dotted line separates text at the bottom that reads: "What does land back mean in the context of this moment in Canada? Land has always been at the centre of conflict between Indigenous people and Canadians. So, what could a just future look like?" The Yellowhead logo is displayed at the bottom of the image. 
01719
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
In this Brief, Veronica Fuentes explores the question, how can harm reduction reflect our traditions of care, mitigate harms, and sustain the life of people we love who use drugs? Read here: yellowheadinstitute.org/2025/a-love-...
021
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
We're recruiting instructors for our Public Administration and Indigenous Governance Program! For application information, please write to us at: info@yellowheadinstitute.org.
010
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 02/09/2025
Canada has renewed its focus on Arctic sovereignty. Jessica Penney argues that Arctic security cannot exist while Inuit communities face unmet basic needs. With food insecurity still alarmingly high, Arctic sovereignty must centre Inuit self-determination. Read the full Brief on our website.
Top half of the image displays a photograph of hands gutting a fish. A red line across the image beneath the photo. Within the line reads: “The Yellowhead Brief”. The bottom half of the image displays the brief title information: Bringing Inuit Food Security and Sovereignty into Canadian Nation-Building Narratives
By Jessica Penney. The YI logo is displayed on the right side of the image.a quote is bordered by a dashed red line. A quotation mark sits at the top centre of the border and “The Yellowhead Brief” is placed in the bottom centre of the border. Inside the border reads: Inuit food sovereignty refers to the rights of Inuit — not just having enough food to meet basic needs — but for Inuit to choose what they eat and how they get their food.Image is of a dark blue background. A dark red text box is displayed in the top centre of the image, white text reads, “Learn More”. White text in the centre of the image reads: What if policy approaches to Arctic sovereignty focused on building healthy communities rather than on militarization and extractivism? Below this, smaller white text reads the title information:, BRINGING INUIT FOOD SECURITY AND SOVEREIGNTY INTO CANADIAN NATION-BUILDING NARRATIVES BY JESSICA PENNEY
. A dotted red line separates the title information from the Yellowhead Institute logo displayed in the bottom centre of the image.
010
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 20/08/2025
We’re thrilled to announce the renewed Public Administration and Indigenous Governance (PAIG) Program, run in partnership with FNTI based at Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory and the Dept. of Politics at TMU. Visit yellowheadinstitute.org/paig-program for more details and how to apply 📚
Several Haudenosaunee wampum belts hang outdoors on a wooden pole, above text promoting a Public Administration and Indigenous Governance Program at Toronto Metropolitan University.
 A text-based image describing a program for Indigenous students, including eligibility for high school graduates or post-secondary credential holders who’ve been away from formal education for at least two years. 
 An infographic about an academic program for Indigenous students from remote communities, highlighting intensive format, hybrid learning, Indigenous-led courses, and student support services. The background is red and white with bold headings.
Announcement for Public Administration and Indigenous Governance Program: "Applications are open for the fall semester!" Includes program link (yellowheadinstitute.org/paig-program), contact info for FNTI (.800.267.0637 ext. 141 or recruitment@fnti.net.) and Yellowhead Institute, and logos of FNTI, Yellowhead Institute (linda.bui@torontomu.ca), and TMU.
010
Yellowhead Institute @miskoaki.bsky.social · 22/07/2025
As governments pass legislation to fast track resource development, a long-delayed LNG pipeline in B.C. has been approved. Buried Burdens considers PRGT's history, identifying a number of issues. Read the full Special Report on our website: yellowheadinstitute.org/buried-burde...
At the top of the slide reads the report title in black front: “Buried Burdens: The True Costs of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Ownership” Below it is artwork by Brett Huson, depicting an oiled being standing over a pipeline. The yellowhead institute logo sits in the bottom left corner.Below a centred black quotation mark icon, the slide reads: “No matter your understanding of economics, we must understand that our obsession with unrestricted growth is killing the very thing that sustains us. Our relationship with and actions upon the environment are interconnected: We cannot exist without a healthy environment and the tools to steward it according to Indigenous laws.” The special report information lines the bottom of the slide in a green bar: “From the Yellowhead Special Report, Buried Burdens: The True Costs of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) OwnershipTitle text reads: “LEARN MORE.” Below it, body text reads: “With major resource projects set to expand in Canada, including the controversial Prince Rupert natural gas pipeline in B.C. – and Indigenous communities encouraged to participate – what are the financial, environmental, social and cultural risks?” And “How can Indigenous Nations navigate the complex challenge of resource development when some Nations support (and invest) while others oppose?” The special report information lines the bottom of the slide in a green bar: “From the Yellowhead Special Report, Buried Burdens: The True Costs of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) OwnershipPictured is a photograph by Mike Graeme of the Skeena River
01314