Conference Speakers
Ms. Ellen Gabriel
President, Quebec Native Women Inc.
Growing up in Kanehsatà:ke, Katsi’tsakwas, Ellen was always taught to be proud of her Kanien’kéha heritage. Her role models include her Grandmother, Mother and Aunties who joined the Native Women’s movement to fight for the equality of rights for Native women that were violated by the sexist policies of the Indian Act.
Ellen always had a passion for Art that was encouraged by her parents. Having been a child during the 1960’s and observing the various revolutions that took place at that time inspired her to have an interest in justice and human rights.
Ellen received a Bachelor of Fine Arts, majoring in Studio Art, from Concordia University in May 1990. She joined the movement in her community of Kanehsatà:ke in March 1990 as they erected barricades to protect the Pines from the expansion of a golf course in “Oka”. She was chosen by the People of the Longhouse and then her community to be a spokesperson for them during the 1990 “Oka” Crisis.
She has traveled across Canada, the Hague in Holland as well as to Strasbourg, France in 1990 to address the European Parliament on the human rights violations that occurred during the “Oka Crisis”. She also traveled to Japan to educate people about the events in her community during 1990 and to sensitize the public on the history, culture and identity of Aboriginal people.
Ellen worked as an Illustrator/Curriculum developer for Tsi Ronteriwanónha ne Kanien’kéka/ Kanehsatà:ke Resource Center in Kanehsatà:Ke for 10 years and also worked as an Art Teacher for the Mohawk Immersion School for grades 1-6. Having been part of a hard working team of researchers and illustrators for the preservation of the Mohawk language, Ellen also worked on videos illustrating some of the legends of the Iroquois people and the local stories of the community of Kanehsatà:ke. She presently sits as an executive director for Kontinón: stats – a local organization whose mandate is to preserve the Kanien’keha language.
Ellen worked at McGill University as the Coordinator of the First Peoples’ House, which supports Aboriginal students studying at McGill. She believes that education is one of the key factors for Aboriginal people to overcome oppression and the effects of colonization while still maintaining our languages, cultures and traditions.
In October of 2004, Ellen was elected as the president of Quebec Native Women’s Associaton. It is a position she is honored to uphold given the legacy of strong, intelligent Aboriginal women whose tenacity brought about changes to the Indian Act in the form of Bill C-31.