We acknowledge and respect the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples on whose traditional territory the University of Victoria stands, and the Songhees, Esquimalt and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.
About
“From Policy to Practice: Indigenizing and Decolonizing Music Education” is a working group comprised of eight partner organizations:
In keeping with the BC curriculum and DRIPA Action Plan 3.4, our general goal is to facilitate all British Columbia music educators’ appropriate embedding of Indigenous content, pedagogies, and worldviews in K-12 music classes in all BC public schools.
Indigenous Musics in Musics Education
Project Steering Committe
Everything is connected: Songs, relationships, and Indigenous worldviews
Ron Rice
Executive Director, Victoria Native Friendship Centre
Ron Rice is from Cowichan Tribes of the Coast Salish Nation and his hereditary name is Wush’q.
He has worked with BC Friendship Centres since 1998 and accepted the post as the Executive Director of the Victoria Native Friendship Centre in January 2018. In this role he acts as Co-Chair for the Victoria Urban Reconciliation Dialogue.
He loves to plan events; most notably with the Cowichan 2008 North American Indigenous Games where he was the Manager of Cultural Events & Ceremonies and currently plans the Aboriginal Back to School Picnics, in 6-10 communities, province wide.
In 2013 he received an Order in Council appointment to the Board of Governors for Camosun College in Victoria BC, ending his six year term as Board Chair.
In September of 2020 he accepted an appointment to the Board of Directors for Island Health.
Lisa Mercure
Indigenous Culture & Traditions Coordinator, Victoria Native Friendship Centre
As the Indigenous Culture & Traditions Coordinator at the Victoria Native Friendship Centre (VNFC), she supports Indigenous Elders/ Old Ones to determine culturally relevant programming for the urban Indigenous community at VNFC.
The vision for the Urban Indigenous Language Hub was initiated by Ms. Mercure once visiting fluent speakers began to frequent the Centre and inquiring how to start up language classes. Lisa has coordinated and documented the work in 5 distinct Indigenous language classes, creating language learning tools for new learners.
The Friendship Centre became a social gathering place for Indigenous Elders and Seniors, now with 24 Indigenous Elders/Seniors as employees and 6 Advisors actively supporting programming. Lisa provides technical support to Elders engaging with the City of Victoria’s Senior Task Force, District of Saanich Older Persons Recreation, to engaging with New Canadians.
She has 19 years’ experience managing the Urban Indigenous Friendship Centre Program in BC, and developed five provincial programs. Ms. Mercure recruited an annual 5-8-person volunteer advisory team of professionals and 3 founding Elders, to provide sound governance, finance, management, organizational capacity building and training for non-profits experiencing board or operational challenges. Being mentored by 40 experts to assist in developing organizational curriculum, customized culturally-relevant resources, and mentors Managers and Board Directors. This mentoring model continues to inform her, in building consensus and mentoring emerging leaders.
Since 2018, Lisa has been listening, supporting and helping to engage Indigenous Leaders to guide and inform UVIC’s Indigenizing Choral Music led by Professor Anita Prest and many partners. “It has been an Honor to be of service and support at a grass root level.”
Denise Augustine
Superintendent of Indigenous education, BC Ministry of Education
Swee’alt, Denise Augustine, Director of Indigenous Education for Cowichan Valley School District is currently seconded to the Ministry of Education, where she is supporting the implementation of the British Columbia Tripartite Education Agreement and professional development for ministry staff.
Drawing on the knowledge and experiences of her community and family, and with over 25 years experience as an educator, Denise carefully weaves story and research together, inviting us to imagine a community that values diversity, advances equity and inspires innovation. A recipient of the 2016 Indspire Indigenous Educator Award for leadership, she is an active participant in the local, national and global conversations seeking educational equity for Indigenous children and youth.
Shelly Niemi
SD 61 Administrator, Director of Indigenous Education, Greater Victoria School District
Shelly Niemi is the District Administrator of Indigenous Education with the Greater Victoria School District No.61. Shelly is Cree/Metis and has held a leadership role within Indigenous Education in the B.C. Public Education System for the last 14 years. Shelly’s work includes supporting the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives and worldviews across the public education system to further support the academic success, sense of belonging and cultural safety for Indigenous students, families and the community.
Shelly also holds a doctorate from the University of Western Ontario in Educational Leadership where her doctoral research was focused on “Weaving the braid of culturally responsive leadership through practice, policy and governance to further support Indigenous student success”. Alongside her research Shelly’s work as the District Administrator of Indigenous Education is to support the education system and community on how to further align and become responsive to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, UNDRIP, and the Auditor General’s Report on improving Indigenous Education and Indigenous student success across the education system.
Alana Johnson
Music Educator, School District 61
Alana Johnson was born to K’eets’uu Nee (Star House) of Kyaanuusalii (Codfish People) of Kayxal, the Raven matrilineages of Haida Gwaii. She identifies as Haida and British-Canadian. She is privileged to be mother to an ʔiiḥatisatḥ (Ehattesaht) daughter and aunty to many nieces and nephews. She studies both nuučaan̓uł (Nuu-chah-nulth) and Xaayda kil (Haida) languages. She is currently the choir teacher at Pkols Secondary (Mount Doug), teaches piano lessons from her home in lək̓ʷəŋən (Lkwungen) territory, and is an Indigenous Role Model in the Sooke School District. She is grateful to her many Indigenous and musician mentors over the years and for the strength of her Haida ancestors, and is excited to see this important initiative equip music educators and build relationships between individuals and communities.
“Jaahljuu” Graham Richard belongs to K’eets’uu Nee and is a Haida citizen living in HlGaagilda (Skidegate) Haida Gwaii where he can live within the land with Kuuniisii, the Haida ancestors. Jaahljuu is a drummer, singer, and mask dancer with Hltaaxuulang Gud ad K’aajuu with beloved leader Jisgang (Nika Collinson). For the past six years he has drummed for Jason Camp and the Posers, a Haida rage-rock band that has played several tours and is currently producing its third studio-album. He is currently building a community music studio for language and cultural use in HlGaagilda. Jaaljuu is trained in classical piano, drum kit, and guitar.
Jenn Hill
Music Educator, School District 61
Jennifer Hill is of Nlaka’pamux, Metis, English, Scottish, Irish, Norwegian, Swedish and Austrian ancestry. She was born, raised and currently resides in Victoria, BC on the territory of the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ speaking peoples.
Jennifer had the great privilege of working with Sarah Rhude and Nella Nelson to implement a district-wide indigenous drumming initiative in the Greater Victoria School District. She works with classroom teachers to include drumming, and other teachings in their classrooms, including working with students in maintaining an indigenous medicine garden and camas meadow.
Jennifer is a teacher at Ecole Arbutus Global Middle School, where she has taught music and drama since 2006. She holds a Bachelor of Music with Distinction from the University of Victoria. Jennifer is the co-recipient of the 2017 VCPAC Fine Arts Champion Award, and has twice co-taught winning submissions to the CBC Music Class Challenge. She is a Past-President of the Greater Victoria Music Educators’ Association.
Missy Haynes (Missy’hl w’a’y)
Indigenous education policy, BC Ministry of Education can become Music Educator, previously School District 62; past Indigenous Education Member-at-Large for BC Music Educators’ Association
Simgigyat, sigidim hanaak, ganhl gubawilxsilxw. Missy’hl w’a’y (she/her), Gitxsan nii’y, Ganeda p’deek’y. Wilps Haluus wil sa wit’xw’y. Sandra Bruce was nox’y, Kenneth Haynes ni gwoot’y. Lkwungen wil jok’y, Songhees ganhl Esquimalt. Hamiyaa.
Missy Haynes is a Gitxsan woman was born on Wet’suwet’en territory, grew up on K’tunaxa, Sinixt, and syilx territory, attended university on Coast Salish territory, and begun teaching on nuučaan̓uł territory. She has worked at all levels of K-12 education, including classroom teaching as well as non-enrolling teaching. She has worked with many student teachers, and is regularly involved in academic research as a participant. She is grateful to be privileged with the many experiences she has lived in many territories and in many positions
Joe Heslip
Learning Division at the BC Ministry of Education as lead for the Equity in Action Project
Joe is works at the Learning Division at the Ministry of Education as lead for the Equity in Action Project, on secondment from his role as District Principal, Indigenous Education for Mission Public Schools SD75. Joe hails from Barrie, Ontario. He identifies as Cree, and also has European settler ancestry.
Joe has many deep connections with students, parents and community members through his love of people, culture, education and music. Joe’s mission to understand and contribute to Reconciliation is exemplified in a locally developed K-12 Precontact and Residential School curriculum website called www.greatspirithand.com. Joe raises his hands in gratitude to the Elders who have shared many teachings and stories as he has walked along this path in serving the Indigenous students in all 60 school districts.
Joe’s educational background also includes a Bachelor degree in Music, from Wilfrid Laurier University, a Bachelor degree in Education from York University, and a Master’s degree in Leadership and Counselling from the University of Seattle.
Joe is humbled to be tasked with this important and transformative work in the Ministry of Education, and is excited to contribute to the enhanced success of Indigenous students in this part of Turtle Island, also known as British Columbia.
Mandart Chan
Past-President, BC Music Educators’ Association
Mandart is a 2nd generation visitor to the lands of the Lekwungen speaking people . As a child of immigrant parents from Hong Kong (maternal grandparents from Shanghai and Canton, and paternal grandparents from Shenzen) he grew up with Chinese traditions, Western ways, and always wanting to learn more about life. Music & fine arts is always a passion for him (he is one of the music directors of Belmont Secondary School), but Volunteerism, Social Justice, and Equity has been a strong force in his life in the past few years.
All of these passions have led him to learn more about the intersectionalities of life, Mandart volunteers his time as a member of the executive of the Sooke Teachers’ Association, BC Music Educators’ Association, Canadian Music Educators’ Association, The Nature of Us, and Friends of Music Society. He is also an active member of the Canadian Armed Forces, as a Cadet Instructors’ Cadre Officer. Mandart resides in Victoria (View Royal) with his partner Jason and their puppy Tikka.
Jenn Treble
Music Educator, School District 61
Jenn was born and raised on Treaty 4 Territory, Regina, Saskatchewan. She is South Korean on her mother’s side and English, Irish, and German on her father’s side.
Jenn Treble teaches Music and English at Esquimalt High School in Victoria. She began her career in Regina and has been teaching for over 20 years. Jenn is ever grateful to be living on Lekwungen Territory and for the opportunities to learn about local Indigenous cultures.
Michelle Reed
Music Administrator, School District 83
Michelle was raised in Salmon Arm, BC on Secwepemc Territory, where she continues to live and work. Michelle is a descendant of Dutch settlers on her Father’s side and Irish and Swedish settlers on her Mother’s side.
Michelle is a Music Education Graduate of Brandon University in Brandon, Manitoba and also holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of New Brunswick. Michelle has been teaching high school music for 15 years and also works as the School District 83 Music Administrator, where she oversees a K-12 District Music staff. Michelle is working with the SD 83 Indigenous Resource Helping Teacher to find ways to respectfully introduce local indigenous music content and appropriate delivery in all District Music classes.
Adam Jonathan Con
Associate Professor of Music Education, UVic
Adam was born and raised on the traditional lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia. As a 4th generation descendent of the Chinese Diaspora in Canada, he is grateful to be able to embrace his rich cultural and spiritual lineage while living and working as a guest on the beautiful traditional lands of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples in Victoria, British Columbia.
Dr. Adam Jonathan Con is Co-Head of Music Education and conductor of the UVIC Symphonic Chorus at the University of Victoria. In addition, Dr. Con coordinates Graduate Choral Conducting, and serves as graduate faculty supervisor for the accordion applied area. His invitations to perform, conduct and present workshops include: Foro Coro Americano in Argentina, I Foro Internacional De Educación Musical in Mexico, HCES Music Festival in Australia, Podium Choral Conducting Symposium, ISME The International Society for Music Education, the Canadian GALA Conference, the Canadian and the American Orff-Schulwerk Conferences, the Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia Provincial Music Educator’s Conferences, the British Columbia Choral Federation, the Unitarian Universalist Musicians National American Conference, the Ohio and Georgia State Music Educator’s Conferences and the American Choral Directors Association. Adam has recently complete his role as principal investigator for the historic National Study on the State of Music Education in Canada.
Steven Capaldo
Associate Professor of Music Education, UVic
Steven Capaldo was born and raised on the traditional land of the Braiakaulung people of the Gunai/Kurnai nation in the south-east of Australia. First coming to Victoria in 2004 as an Assistant Professor of Music Education at UVic, he returned to Australia four years later and worked in Music Education and Conducting positions at universities in Wollongong and Sydney. Coming back to Victoria in 2018, Steven is now an Associate Professor of Music Education & Conducting, Wind Symphony Conductor and Co-Head of Music Education at the University of Victoria.
Steven has extensive conducting experience working with symphony orchestras, wind orchestras and chamber ensembles. As an active writer, Steven composes, arranges and transcribes music for wind orchestras, symphony orchestras, festivals and concerts and his works have been performed by groups in Australia, Canada, Japan and the United States, recorded on Klavier records (US) and published with Brolga Music and Murphy Music Press. An Assistant Producer and Co-Editor for eight Klavier Records CDs, Steven became a full voting member for the US Grammy Awards in 2010 and was Chair of the Australian Jury Panel for the 2017 International Eurovision Song Contest.
Distinguishing himself as one of the most respected music educators, wind conductors and conductor educators in Australia, Steven has earned academic and musical recognition locally, nationally and internationally. Steven is in-demand as a conductor, clinician and adjudicator, and is committed to providing professional learning opportunities for music educators and conductors in educational settings.
Scott Goble
Associate Professor of Music Education, UBC
Scott was raised in Seattle, Washington, USA, and lived with his grandparents on the Tulalip reservation during summers throughout his youth, beach seining Puget Sound for salmon alongside his grandfather and the Coast Salish people of the Tulalip Tribes. He is grateful to live now on Musqueam Territory in Vancouver. His heritage is Norwegian, English, Dutch, and German.
A specialist in vocal and choral music who has conducted choirs and orchestras in educational, professional, church, and community contexts throughout North America, Scott also plays piano, clarinet, guitar, and banjo. Formerly a teacher of Music in public K-12 schools, he presently serves as Associate Professor of Music Education at the University of British Columbia, where he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses and supervises work of M.Ed., M.A., and Ph.D. students. His book What’s So Important About Music Education? is published by Routledge, and he is co-editor (with Deborah Bradley) of the online, open-access journal Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education (ACT). In support of Canadian Truth and Reconciliation and decolonization, his current research with Anita Prest and Héctor Vázquez-Cordoba focuses on Indigenous knowledge and music.
Anita Prest
Associate Professor of Music Education, UVic
Anita was born and raised in Montreal (Tiohtià:ke). She is of Italian descent. She is grateful to live and work on the beautiful, unceded territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples. Anita is Associate Professor of Music Education at the University of Victoria.
Guided by an Indigenous Steering Committee and alongside multi-First Nation and Métis partners, she engages in community-based participatory research to examine ways of appropriately embedding local Indigenous knowledge, pedagogies, and worldviews in British Columbia’s public school music classes. She is co-founder of the International Society for Music Education Decolonizing and Indigenizing Music Education special interest group that works to highlight the work of Indigenous scholars in music education. She has appreciated learning with and from her partners in the creation of this conference, and hopes to learn more in the conversations that emerge during the event.
Hector Vazquez Cordoba
Project Manager, UVic
Hector Vazquez Cordoba was raised in Naolinco, Veracruz, Mexico. He has undocumented Totonac (Indigenous from the central Veracruz area) and Spanish ancestry. Hector is grateful to live, work, and play on the beautiful, unceded territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples since 2016, when he started his PhD program at UVic, which he completed in Spring 2021.
Hector currently is one of 10 Aspiration 2030 Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Victoria. He has played violin since he was six years old. Hector is the Founder and Executive Director of the non-profit Mateo Oliva Oliva Association and the Founder and Director of the Festival Internacional de Música Naolinco. Hector hopes for this conference is to keep building relationships of friendship and trust with people who will take part in the event.
Our Partners
We acknowledge the generous support from our partners.
School District No. 83
University of British Columbia
Indigenous Education Department School District No. 61
Our Sponsors
We acknowledge the generous support from our partners.
SSHRC
UVIC Education
UVIC Fine Arts
UVIC School of Music
Office of the President
