Celebrating Indigenous Scholars

Valerie (B.Ed, M.Ed) and her daughters Kari (B.Ed, M.Ed) and Shawn (B.Ed, M.Ed) share a lifelong commitment to Indigenous education.

As they continue to pursue graduate studies together, they are embracing Indigenous knowledge and perspectives. By centering Indigenous wisdom and educational leadership, they honour Indigenous heritage and pave the way for more equitable and inclusive educational systems.

About Valerie Harper

Tanisi, Valerie Harper, nitisiyihkâson, Mistawasis Nêhiyawak ochi niya. Hello, my name is Valerie Harper from Mistawasis Nêhiyawak.

For Valerie, her ancestral relations remind her that she is inherently and spiritually Indigenous, and her ancestors are always with her providing strength, courage, guidance, wisdom, and resiliency. She is grateful to Creator God for her Indigenous identity and for all His blessings, past and present.

From her birth to present day, Valerie’s path through life has been unconventional. Growing up, she faced racism, discrimination, and prejudice which affected all areas of her life. Despite dreaming of becoming a nurse, Valerie was told she would not have the capacity to achieve more than a grade 10 education, placing an arbitrary ceiling on her learning. Feeling as if she did not belong in the education system, Valerie dropped out of high school at age 15 in 1963.  

At 17, Valerie married her husband, and their family eventually grew to four children and seventeen grandchildren (including great and great, great). Valerie returned to school for upgrading and slowly felt her confidence grow as she found new opportunities to thrive.

In 1980, Valerie started as a teacher associate at a community school. In 1981, she was accepted into the Indian Teacher Education Program (ITEP) to complete a four-year degree in education. After completing her internship in the fall of 1984, she was soon offered a role to teach for Saskatoon Public Schools (SPS). Valerie believes that Spirit was guiding her path during this time, and she gives thanks for the spiritual blessings she’s received throughout her life.

After dropping out of high school at 15, completing a Bachelor of Education degree was a major accomplishment, and created the momentum that led to over four decades of further education. After starting as a teacher associate with SPS, Valerie worked for 12 years as a classroom teacher in the division. In 1997, she was accepted into graduate studies to complete at Master of Education degree in Educational Administration. In 1998, she earned a postgraduate diploma, and then graduated with her M.Ed in 1999. Graduation was an especially powerful moment for Valerie, as her daughter Kari graduated with her B.Ed. on the same day. Valerie continued to work with SPS as an educational administrator from 1998 to 2007.

In the fall of 2007, Valerie was encouraged to apply for a position with the Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC). Later that year, she took a leave of absence from SPS to join the STC as the Director of Education. For Valerie, the opportunity to work with and for her people felt like coming home. In January of 2008, Valerie moved on from the provincial education system and chose to finish her career in the federal education system, working with the seven STC First Nation communities. Valerie retired in December 2020, but continued to pursue higher education and advocacy for learning environments that provide equitable space and place for Indigenous children to excel, realize their potential, and achieve their dreams.

Valerie is now in her final year of a Doctoral program, using her own life story as her dissertation. She looks forward to celebrating this momentous achievement at graduation, where her eldest daughter, Shawn, will also receive her doctorate in educational leadership.

“I have come a long way from the little Indigenous girl who grew up on the Fox Farm in Prince Albert. I have been blessed with a beloved five-generation family. My warrior daughters Shawn and Kari, and warrior son, Jason walk hand-in-hand with me on Mother Earth. My beloved husband, son, and mother are in Spirit world with our ancestors, all of whom give me strength, courage, hope, wisdom, and resiliency to stay true to my teachings. I am honoured to have had some true mentors in my life who supported and guided me in my decision to walk the hallways of schools in a capacity that I was once told was beyond my reach. I have learned that man can set ceilings on one’s capacity but has no power over our destiny. Through the Grace and Love of our Creator and our heavenly and ancestral Spirits, we can flourish beyond our imagination. My journey was not a conventional one but, it was my conventional path to walk.”

About Kari Harper

“I am Kari Rochelle Harper an inherent member of the Mistawasis Nehiyawak, on Treaty Six territory. My relationship to my inherent sense of place (passed down to me through my ancestors) connects me to their traditional teachings. I value the inherent identity instilled in me through the experiences of my parents, grandmothers and grandfathers, and their sense of place, and connection to the land. I value my familial teachings and uphold spiritual practice as the core of my existence.”

In 1999, Kari and her mother, Valerie, walked the convocation stage on the same day, Kari with a Bachelor of Education and Valerie with a Master of Education. In 2018, Kari and her sister, Shawn, walked the convocation stage together, both earning their own Master of Education degrees. Sharing the stage with these humble and powerful women was an immense honour for Kari, and she looks forward to watching her mother and sister cross the stage once again as they complete their Doctoral studies.

As one of three educators in her immediate family, Kari has the platform to speak truths and share in redirecting the past and present school experiences of Indigenous children to reflect a stronger sense of identity, well-being, and belonging. She is in her 20^th year of educational practice with the Saskatoon Public School division as an Early Learning Kindergarten Educator. In her teaching practices, Kari works to right the wrongs of the Residential School era by teaching truths and honouring the lives lost and stolen by colonial Canada.

As a descendent of residential school survivors, Kari feels the lasting impacts of the residential school system still today. Her grandmothers were stripped of their Indigeneity and forced to assimilate in a colonial state, losing their own language in the process. Kari is slowly learning to speak Nêhiyawêwin, the language of her ancestors gifted by the Creator, and is regaining her own Indigeneity.  

Educating early learners has provided Kari with the opportunity to redirect educational practice to include the narratives and perspectives of the inherent peoples of the land on which Canada sits. By engaging students, parents, community members, and colleagues, Kari builds deeper relationships built on the foundations of mutual respect and trust. Over the past 20 years, Kari has managed to bring about meaningful changes and directly impact families in the communities she serves.

When Kari reflects on her own experience as an Indigenous child attending public school in the 1970’s and 1980’s, she was not visible, she never heard the languages of the First Peoples spoken in her classrooms. Her ceremonies were never visually practices and she faced racism because of her brown skin. Today, she works to flip the narrative and promote Indigenous Truths and Experiences within institutions. She is an advocate, an influencer, and a soldier of Reconciliation.

“The families which I served have a better understanding of who we are as Indigenous people, they have experienced the love that forms our Nations through the relationships and reciprocal love felt by their child for me and me for their child. They have partaken in traditional ceremony, and dance. They know about the Residential School era, they know about Treaty, they know about The Seven Sacred Teachings, and they know of the importance of relationship. If a 4- and 5-year-old child learns the history, and hears the truth, it creates a rippling effect and changes the trajectory of narrative and perspective. It is the first step in Reconciliation, and I get to play a part in influencing that path forward. May you always walk the path forward, hope for a better future and do all things with love for one another.”

About Shawn Sanderson

“Tanisi, Shawn Sanderson nitisiyihkâson Mistawasis Nêhiyawak ochi niya nikotwâsik tipahikan askiy. Within me resonates the ancestral narratives of resilient leaders, wise healers, and fervent seekers of knowledge. Their legacy of resilience and persistence profoundly shapes my identity. Reflecting on my life's purpose, I distinguish a rich tapestry of diverse encounters that have guided me to my present state. This trajectory symbolizes my quest for harmony and my unwavering commitment to Indigenous rights.”

As an Indigenous researcher and life-long learner, Shawn acknowledges the crucial role of Indigenous research in educational leadership. Her research philosophy emphasizes Indigenous perspectives, knowledge structures, and approaches, offering deep insights into the cultural social and historical backgrounds that impact educational experiences. Shawn believes that by equipping educational leaders with culturally aware tactics, Indigenous research confronts colonial impacts embedded in educational systems, promoting inclusivity and equity.

Growing up in Calgary, Shawn experienced racism first-hand, sparking questions about her identity from a young age. Shawn’s mother, Valerie, offered support as she learned to navigate life as an Indigenous person, but discrimination and marginalization persisted. Shawn would draw upon the wisdom of her Nohkumak (grandmothers) and kicâpan (great grandparent), who encouraged her to pursue education in the ‘white man’s way’, despite her negative experiences.

After relocating to Saskatoon, Shawn was treated harshly by her peers and began to further understand how society and it’s structures and prejudices affected her. She soon chose to drop out of high school, until impending parenthood compelled her to reconsider education.

Influenced by her mother’s career as an educator, Shawn eventually began working in an inner-city school, where she witnessed immense disparity in educational opportunities for Indigenous students. This experience ignited her passion for challenging and reshaping educational paradigms throughout society.

Shawn’s educational journey embodies a request for understanding, resilience, and advocacy. Rooted in her Indigenous heritage, Shawn works to challenge systemic injustices and nourish environments where Indigenous voices are valued and empowered.

Throughout Shawn’s undergraduate and graduate studies, delving into Indigenous Studies has been a particularly profound journey. Indigenous perspectives emphasize interconnectedness, reciprocity, and holistic approaches when it comes to parenting and child-rearing, which sharply contracts mainstream Western paradigms. By incorporating Indigenous perspectives into child-rearing, educators can better nurture cultural identity, resilience, and harmony, bridging the gap between conventional educational models and Indigenous wisdom.

Shawn believes that embracing Indigenous knowledge and perspectives is transformative. By centering Indigenous wisdom and educational leadership, researchers honor Indigenous heritage and pave the way for more equitable and inclusive educational systems. For Shawn, it’s imperative to respond to the call to action by engaging with Indigenous research and supporting Indigenous scholars. Amplifying Indigenous voices and advocating for their inclusion in educational leadership are essential steps toward the future where Indigenous perspectives shape educational policies and practices.

“The memory of câpan Solomon’s wise words infused with his profound Indigenous wisdom and ancient resilience, resonates within me today. I know if he were here today he would tell me, “Nosom, you come from a lineage of great leaders,” he reminds me, “Mistawasis, ekwa Ahtakakoop, ekwa Ayahsoo, ekwa Broken Jaw, ekwa Kaskitêwi-Maskwa-Iskwêw, ekwa kohtâwiy, ekwa nikâwiy, your ancestors watched over you as you smudged this morning, acknowledging your calling. You are Nehiyaw. Speak from the heart. Know that you are not perfect, no one is.  Know that you can do this. Kimaskawisin.” toward the inclusion of Indigenous people, and equity in educational leadership. Let's pledge to cultivate environments where Indigenous wisdom is honored, cherished, and woven into every educational facet. Together, we can drive meaningful change, embracing diversity, nurturing empathy, and empowering Indigenous scholars, society, and communities to flourish.”