An Anishinaabe/Muskegowuk Cree of the Missanabie Cree First Nation born and raised in the city of Toronto.
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Eddy Robinson
Indigenous Artist, Activist & Educator
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Bio
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Eventually ending up in the care of his grandparents, Eddy Robinson found himself caught in the same cycle of violence and addiction that dominated his childhood. He credits a Catholic priest at the Native Peoples Parish located in Toronto for first encouraging him to seek out his roots. He pointed Eddy to a traditional Anishinaabe Vision Quest/Fasting held at “Dreamers Rock” located on Manitoulin Island, ON; that would imminently begin his journey towards understanding his Indigenous identity and helping him leave behind the family legacy of abuse and violence.
The power of the Dewegun (Drum) brought Robinson to the doorway of ceremony and other aspects of his Indigenous Way of Knowing. It was during the early years that he was first exposed called him to a heritage that he now credits with saving his life and setting him on a good path in life.
Over the past 25 years of working on the frontline of social services and advocating for Indigenous communities locally, provincially and nationally Eddy has evolved into a noted Anishinaabe artist, musician, educator, facilitator, trainer and public speaker. He’s involved with numerous local district school boards, colleges, universities, corporate institutions and several Indigenous/Aboriginal organizations.
With the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada putting forth 94 recommendations for residential school healing, Eddy engages the TRC through a personal narrative. He discusses growing up as an urban Indigenous person and his professional experience with Indigenous organizations on local, provincial and national levels.
Eddy emphasizes the utter importance of engaging Indigenous people in a respectful and reciprocal way. Reconciliation for Eddy is not only a personal journey of forgiveness of self and others in support of past generations but is very much about being mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually part of this legacy of resurgence.
Eddy encourages non-Indigenous people to seek out a deeper understanding of what it means to be Anishinaabe, Indigenous, First Nations, Métis and Inuit before stepping on the path of reconciliation. A member of the Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business Eddy established his First Nations owned and operated business Morningstar River in 2007 to address the societal need for Indigenous education and displays of authentic culture.
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Testimonials
A skilled and effective speaker, his message is delivered with both purpose and humour, incorporating personal experiences, historical elements and global perspectives. A natural educator, he is able to create a comfortable space for discussion and a heightened level of audience engagement. I would highly recommend Eddy for your next event. – Senior Manager, Corporate Diversity, Aboriginal Peoples and Serving Diverse Communities –
Topics
Topics
An Indigenous Journey to Leadership
Eddy shares his narrative and process of self-actualization to becoming the person he is today, through the spaces created by unexpected allies. From kindergarten to life as an adult we as human beings yearn and seek belonging. Whether it is within our personal, academic and or professional lives we need to have a sense of Kinship. Amongst marginalized urban Indigenous communities, people are searching for evidence and traces of their identity. There is an overwhelming sense of placelessness plaguing the identity of many urban Indigenous people across Canada due to the impacts of Imperialism, colonialism and methods of colonization. Cultures around the world engage in rites of passage and methods of Introspection to the discovery of self. It has been through ceremonies like the Vision Quest and Traditional Fasting ceremonies that Indigenous people like the Anishinaabe can face their truth on the journey to finding identity. Transformation is a natural progression to becoming who we were meant to be (leader, teacher, agent of change) after we have truthfully faced ourselves. Eddy now has the opportunity to fully embraces his clan (the Crane), his spirit name and the role he was intended to occupy since birth regardless of the methods put in place to separate him from his identity as an Indigenous person. The Crane, one of the five original clans of the Anishinaabe (Ojibway) the external leaders are tasked with bringing forth the voice of the community. Cranes when migrating will carry the smaller birds on their backs when they get tired. This principle is the foundation for leadership amongst many Anishinaabe and it is through this value that we as human beings can become more mindful of our own role as leaders of change. My Thoughts. It was through reflecting on my own journey of introspection that I discovered an idea worth spreading; a self-actualization KIT to becoming the leaders we were intended to be. Eddy Robinson: Eventually ending up in the care of his grandparents, Eddy found himself caught in the same cycle of violence and addiction that dominated his childhood. He credits a Catholic priest at the Native Peoples Parish located in Toronto for first encouraging him to seek out his roots. He pointed Eddy to a traditional Anishinaabe Vision Quest/Fasting held at “Dreamers Rock” located on Manitoulin Island, ON; that would imminently begin his journey towards understanding his Indigenous identity and helping him leave behind the family legacy of abuse and violence.
Videos
Videos
An Indigenous Journey to Leadership | Eddy Robinson | TEDxStMaryCSSchool
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