Lana Whiskeyjack
Masters in Canadian Studies

Acimo

I completed my Masters degree in Canadian Studies with a focus on Art history and Native studies in Dec 2005, graduated in the Spring of 2006. I have always had a passion for the arts. I have been creating since I was a toddler and art became my constant companion, or what I would like to think of as my spiritual creative nohkom that took care of me and walked with me in my life. Because I moved away from my family and homeland for years, art was my way of staying connected to where I came from and to where I was going (thanks to my wonderful late nohkom Caroline Whiskeyjack for giving me that powerful advice). After completing my degrees my husband and I urgently wanted to return home in Alberta to learn to speak our nehiyaw language and to connect our children to our cultural roots, history and relations. In the Spring of 2006 Nohkom Caroline became quite sick and I came home to visit, while I was visiting I heard there was a temporary job opening at Blue Quills First Nations College from my dear friend who was taking the Cree language program. Shortly after returning back to Ottawa I received a call From BQFNC offering me an executive assistant job.

I currently work at Blue Quills First Nations College as an Art Instructor for the Indigenous Artists Program. When I have the time I also bring art to our communities as an Art Actionist (as Alex Janvier called me). I have been working here since 2006 and love passing on the power of art to others and how healthy art is to the spirit, the mind, emotions and yes, even to the physical body. As a mother of three beautiful children they have seen and learned about different cultures, peoples and worlds through art. More importantly, together we have grown into a close nehiyaw family through art. I love what I do because I am learning with the students about our nehiyaw language, cosmology, our ceremonies, spirituality, and about each other as deeply engaging, strong, creative nehiyawak.

I still create multi-media art with the guidance of my spiritual creative nohkom.

Art & Design Diploma, Red Deer College, graduate 1997

Native Studies, 2 years , UofA, not complete

Art & Culture Honours Degree, Carleton University, Ottawa, 2003

M.A. Canadian Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, 2006

lana_whiskeyjack@yahoo.ca