This winter, The Rooms, nestled in the heart of St. John’s, has been hosting visiting Indigenous academics.

The result: engaging conversations resonating far beyond its walls.

The province’s largest cultural space has partnered with the Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, to amplify Indigenous voices through the Indigenous Speakers Series.

The series was created as a platform for leading academics to discuss pressing Indigenous issues.

In March, registered midwife Dr. Karen Lawford from McMaster University spoke to a packed house on the subject of Indigenous birthworkers.

The second installment on Wednesday, April 24, will feature Dr. Barbra A. Meek from the University of Michigan delivering her lecture, Re-Languaging: Transforming Disciplinary Boundaries and Indigenous Self-Determination.

Leading speakers

Dr. Meek, citizen of the Comanche Nation, is a leading figure in anthropology and linguistics.

With a doctoral degree from the University of Arizona and a multifaceted research portfolio spanning child language socialization and Hollywood media semiotics, her insights are broad-ranging and insightful.

Attendees can anticipate a captivating journey through the intersections of language, power and identity as Dr. Meek navigates the complexities of decolonization and Indigenous self-determination.

The upcoming installment of the Indigenous Series will take place on Wednesday, April 24, at 7 p.m. at The Rooms.

Attendance is free and open to the public, though a ticket is required.

For more details or to reserve your ticket, visit The Rooms website.