On Thursday September 21, the Institute for the Healing Memories, in association with the Beyers Naude Centre for Public Theology of the University of Stellenbosch, will host internationally acclaimed United States indigenous author Pearl Daniel-Means as the keynote speaker of its annual lecture.
The annual lecture has been a critical platform where cutting-edge issues on justice, healing and reconciliation have been addressed by prominent individuals who have been instrument in authoring change.
This year the topic is “Standing Rock, Exemplifies the American Indian as the Miner’s Canary” by Ms Daniel-Means, an American indigenous activist, author, and producer who has addressed audiences worldwide on indigenous issues, human rights and environmentalism.
Ms Daniel-Means was born into the Ashiihi (Salt) Clan of the Navajo Nation.
She walked at the side of late American Indian Movement leader, activist, artist, author and actor Russell Means as his wife, business manager and collaborator.
From activism to arts, from indigenous policies to Hollywood she accompanied, organised and managed the affairs of the most influential American Indian of our time.
This lecture by Ms Daniel-Means will provide critical insights into the contemporary conditions faced by indigenous people in the USA, as also their on-going struggles to defend indigenous sovereignty and protecting the environment, particularly in Standing Rock, North Dakota, the home of the Sioux Nation, which has been resisting an oil pipeline crossing their land and harming their water supply.
The respondent of this lecture is liberation struggle veteran, author and heritage activist Patric Tariq Mellet, who grew up in District Six, Woodstock, and Salt River.
Mr Mellet will focus on illumination of South African history – both the aberrations suffered by slaves and indigenes as well as their resistance.
The talk starts at 5.30pm for 6pm, and takes place at the Attie van Wijk Auditorium, Faculty of Theology, Stellenbosch University, 171 Dorp Street.
