Circle of All Nations (William Commanda Legacy): Indigenous Approaches to Child and Youth Care Work
A Circle of All Nations overview of historical patterns in European Patterns of Child Rearing, Considering “Reclaiming Youth at Risk”; Mental Health Crisis , Indigenous Views on a Child’s Life Purpose, Medicine Wheel Thinking, Brain Friendly Learning and Performance Mapping, Circle of Courage thinking (following Martin Brokenleg et al), and Donald Marshall Junior Cultural Camp/Safepark.
Presenter:
Romola V. Thumbadoo
Romola V. Thumbadoo, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, is the volunteer coordinator of the Circle of All Nations, a global eco-community founded by late Indigenous Elder William Commanda (Canoe Builder, Wampum Heritage Keeper, Chief, Officer of the Order of Canada, Hon PhD). The Circle of All Nations is neither an organization nor a network, but rather a global eco-community linked by late Indigenous Elder William Commanda’s unshakeable conviction that in a very fundamental way, as children of Mother Earth, we all belong together, irrespective of colour, creed or culture, and that together, we must regain our respect for this penultimate mother.
Romola is of East Indian ancestry, was born in South Africa, and has resided in Canada since 1970, earning degrees in English Literature at McMaster University (BA Hons and MA.) She worked extensively for the federal government, chiefly within the criminal justice system (working in federal corrections, Indigenous justice and policing, and restorative justice for over twenty-five years).
Over the past two decades, she has supported the efforts of Elder Commanda to advance Indigenous awareness, racial harmony and peace building and environmental stewardship (pro bono). She also serves as voluntary director of the Wolf Project, which is dedicated to honouring efforts to promote racial harmony. Romola is the author of two books on the work of the William Commanda (Learning from a Kindergarten Dropout Books 1 and 2), and has published a photo journal on her kayaking explorations of Bitobi Lake, Quebec, as viewed through the lens of Indigenous wisdom.
In January 2018, she completed her doctoral studies in Geography and Cybercartography, under the supervision of Dr. D. R. Fraser Taylor, Director of the Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre, in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Carleton University; her research examined the Circle of All Nations discourse of late Algonquin Elder William Commanda (Thesis: Thumbadoo, R.V. (2018). Ginawaydaganuc and the Circle of All Nations: The Remarkable Environmental Legacy of Elder William Commanda PhD Thesis. Ottawa. Carleton University. https://curve.carleton.ca/aa4e3cbb-5b83-464d-8286-a901fcd77b06)
She is Executive Assistant to the Director of the Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre at Carleton University. She is currently engaged in postdoctoral research on the life, work and legacy of Elder Commanda, and animates the Circle of All Nations work online and elsewhere.
Cost: Free
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/DSaKrr2S6bMGp7RJ9
This is part of the Maskwacis Cultural College Microlearning Series and is open to the public.
Contact Manisha Khetarpal by email mkhetarpal@mccedu.ca or call toll free: 1 866 585 3925