The Indigenous Speakers Series proudly presents professor of history Susan M. Hill, author of The Clay We Are Made Of. If we want to understand Haudenosaunee (Six Nations) history, we need to consider the history of Haudenosaunee land. For countless generations prior to European contact, land and territory informed Haudenosaunee thought and philosophy, and was a primary determinant of Haudenosaunee identity.
Professor Susan Hill is particularly interested in Haudenosaunee knowledge and thought, seeking to make sense of contemporary lives through an examination of how people got to where they are now, both literally and figuratively. Her 2017 book, The Clay We Are Made Of: Haudenosaunee land tenure on the Grand River, published by the University of Manitoba Press, takes up these themes in a provocative way. She is Associate Professor of History, and Director of the First Nations Studies Program at Western University. She holds a PhD in Native Studies from Trent University, MA in American Studies from SUNY-Buffalo, BA in history from the University of Michigan, and completed language immersion programs through Onkwawanna Kentyohkwa (Kanyen’keha/Mohawk) and Grand River Employment & Training (Gayagohono/Cayuga).
The Indigenous Speakers Series is co-sponsored by the Waterloo Aboriginal Education Centre and the Faculty of Arts. The series highlights the voices of Indigenous artists, writers, activists, and leaders from across Turtle Island, offering UWaterloo students, faculty and staff opportunities to learn from, understand, and engage with Indigenous issues.
