Dr. Paulette F Steeves (Cree and Métis) is an Associate Professor in Sociology at Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and a Canada Research Chair in Healing and Reconciliation. Paulette’s research focus is on the Pleistocene history of the Western Hemisphere, reclaiming and rewriting Indigenous histories and healing and reconciliation, and she argues that Indigenous peoples were present in the Western Hemisphere as early as 100,000 years ago, and possibly much earlier. Her first book – which should be in every library — is “The Indigenous Paleolithic of the Americas,” published in July 2021 by The University of Nebraska Press. Paulette has said that rewriting and un-erasing Indigenous histories becomes a part of healing and reconciliation, transforming public consciousness, and confronting and challenging racism.
During this interview Tiokasin talks with Dr. Steeves about her current work on the “Canadian Residential School and Colonial Institutions Database, 1620 to the Present.” This is a comprehensive database of Residential Schools, Indian Hospitals, and Indian Day Schools in Canada. There are now 950 sites in the database. Visit https://www.crscid.com/database for more information. If you notice a school or institution is missing, email the information to Dr. Steeves at paulette.steeves@algomau.ca and the information will be added to the database.