On November 6, Niagara College’s Libraries and Learning Commons, in partnership with Indigenous Education, hosted the 10th edition of its Living Library event – A conversation with Dr. Kahente Horn-Miller.
Dr. Kahente Horn-Miller (Kahente means “she walks ahead”) (Kanien:keha’ka/Mohawk), Associate Vice President of Indigenous Teaching, Learning and Research for Carleton University visited the Welland Campus to lead a conversation and presentation of her performance piece “We are Her and She is Us – Sky Woman’s Story” – a first-person, modern telling of the Haudenosaunee story of creation that centres on Sky Woman and her fall to earth.
Dr. Kahente Horn-Miller performs her Sky Woman story.
At this Living Library event, Dr. Kahente Horn-Miller spoke to a room full of NC staff, faculty and students of her ancestry and the importance of traditions and storytelling. Proud to be Akskare:wake (Bear Clan) from the Kanienkehaka community of Kahnawake, she feels a responsibility to interpret Haudenosaunee culture and to bring new life to old traditions.
“I’m excited to be here and to share what I love to do which is to translate our traditions into the modern setting,” shared Dr. Horn-Miller. “The work I am going to share with you today came about when I was doing extensive interviews with women in my community, who spoke about Sky Woman as though she was in the room with us.”
“I decided to re-write the story of Sky Woman in the first person because all the stories that are in existence are always written in the third person,” continued Dr. Horn-Miller. “What I wanted to know was what was she thinking? how was she feeling? how was she going to react? And what did it mean to her?”
We are Her and She is Us
During the Living Library event, Dr. Horn-Miller shared her powerful performance piece, We are Her and She is Us.
Through this first-person account of Sky Woman’s fall to earth, Dr. Horn-Miller offers viewers a unique perspective of Sky Woman’s origin while challenging some other re-writings of the Sky Woman story. Taking on a rematriated perspective, Horn-Miller’s performance encouraged audience members to read between the lines to “find the history.”
“The opportunity to work in partnership with Indigenous Education on another Living Library was a welcome one and we thank Dr. Kahente Horn-Miller for sharing her story and impactful performance with the NC community (and beyond),” shared Bellan Dye, Library Technician – Outreach and Advocacy. “The Living Library series allows the Libraries and Learning Commons to welcome guests to NC to share unique and powerful stories with our wider community which is a privilege for us to be part of.”
Watch a recording of the event
A recording of the event is available online through the Libraries and Learning Commons’ Living Library Event Guide. Recordings of all past events within the Living Library series are also catalogued on the guide.
