At the centre: A conversation with Nêhiyaw educator Amanda Moosemay

By Samantha Martin-Bird

Back in May 2019, I travelled to Saskatchewan to spend a few days visiting friends (but mostly to attend a fantastic Indigenous library conference). While I now call Thunder Bay home, I spent a few years in Saskatchewan going to school at the First Nations University of Canada. 

A collage of three photos related to George Gordon First Nation including a map, a photo of Amanda Moosemay and a photo of the school library.
Amanda Moosemay (centre) is an Indigenous teacher at George Gordon First Nation (left). The George Gordon school library includes a section dedicated to First Nations veterans from the community (right).

One of my former classmates, Amanda Moosemay, is now a Grade 4 teacher at George Gordon’s First Nation, a community just over 100 kilometres north of Regina. I toured Amanda’s classroom and then I sat down with her to chat about treaty education, community hub libraries in Regina, and the school library.

 

A collage of three photos including a screencast of a Facebook post about the centre, a photo of Samantha Martin-Bird outside the centre and an interior shot showing book shelves.
mâmawêyatitân centre (left) is a community hub library in Regina. Samantha Martin-Bird (centre) visited the centre this spring and was impressed by the collections as well as design of the space.

Take a listen to our conversation.


Amanda Moosemay (left) and Samantha Martin-Bird (right)

Transcript: Samantha Martin-Bird and Amanda Moosemay (MAB)

Samantha Martin-Bird is the Community Hub Librarian, Indigenous Relationships, for the Thunder Bay Public Library.

Feature photo by Erica Violet Lee 

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