Sylvia McAdam Saysewahum

Educator, Advocate, Activist

Sylvia McAdam Saysewahum is from the Nēhīyaw (Cree) nation from the Treaty 6 territory. She is a lawyer, an author and an activist. She did her undergraduate study at the University of Regina and her Juris Doctorate at the University of Saskatoon.

She has been an educator in Cree teachings, raising awareness about them, fighting for decolonization of education in that way as she is normalizing the Indigenous teachings in mainstream education.

She is a lawyer and all the work she has done has been to advocate for Indigenous rights. She is one of the founders of Idle No More movement and a leader of several of its campaigns.

Idle No More

Idle No More is now a global grassroot Indigenous-led movement which focuses on social justice campaigns.

It started in 2012 as a response to the Bill C-45 when four women: Sylvia McAdam Saysewahum, Nina Wilson, Sheelah McLean and Jessica Gordon decided to start a movement against this bill which was the land rights of Indigenous people.

The movement grew very strong in 2012 - 2013, calling for a world-wide solidarity and support for the movement's fight against the Bill C-45. It sparked at least 50 events, from demonstrations, blockades, hunger strikes to a showdown between First Nation chiefs and prime minister Harper.

Idle No More became active with the hashtag #idlenomore mainly on Facebook and Twitter and its blog. However, it has became more than one active campaing. It grew since and it became only loosely coordinated through social media focusing on multiple campaigns. Some of the recent ones include: One House Many Nations (focused on proper housing for Indigenous communities),

Interviews with Idle No More:

The Power Was With Us: Idle No More

There has been a two-part doocumentary created by APTN National News about the movement Idle No More and the events of 2012-2013.

Idle No More logo

The Idle No More founders (from left): Sheelah McLean, Nina Wilson, Sylvia McAdam Saysewahum, and Jess Gordon

Logos of The Power Was With Us: Idle No More

Books

Nationhood Interrupted: Revitalizing Nêhiyaw Legal Systems

The book provides introduction to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people on the Nêhiyaw legal system, how it works, how it is passed down. The book won several awards.


Cultural Teachings: First Nations Protocols and Methodologies

"Cultural Teachings: First Nations Protocols and Methodologies provides introductory teachings so that readers will have an understanding of expected etiquettes when attending various ceremonies, feasts, songs, gatherings, healings, and other cultural activities" (pg 4 of the cover)

Youtube

Sylvia McAdam Saysewahum has created a series of youtube videos introducing Cree teachings as a way to raise awareness. There are in total 12 videos randing from the introducion to the protocol of watching and learning from these videos to learning about Cree laws and stories.

Awards:

  • Carole Geller Human Rights Award, established by the Canadian Human Rights Reporter

  • Foreign Policy's Top 100 Global Thinkers Award

  • Social Justice Award

  • 2014 Global Citizen Award

  • 2013 Social Courage Award

The continuous importance of her work

The work of Sylvia McAdam Saysewahum has a great importance not only in general but also, more specifically for Pearson as she has managed to bring together the Cree knowledge systems and the mainstream education and through that has been working to decolonize the mainstream educational system.