Elder Leah Dorion

Leah Marie Dorion is a Metis writer, cultural knowledge keeper, and artist currently living near Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada.  She is proud of her family roots to the historic Metis community of Cumberland House. Her artwork celebrates the strength and resilience of Indigenous women and families.  Leah is also a published children's book author and illustrator. Several of her Metis cultural books are available through Gabriel Dumont Press in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Strong Nations Publishing in Nanaimo, British Columbia.  

Leah has worked with Elders and youth in many creative projects.  Leah has worked on many oral history projects in Saskatchewan both as a writer and researcher. Leah has graphically illustrated (storyboarding) many Elder presentations at conferences and presentations in her unique art style. She worked as an Elder’s helper for many years which led to her completion of a Thesis Project tiled “Opikinawasowin: Growing Cree and Metis Children (2010).” about Cree and Metis Childrearing Concepts based on Elders knowledge.  Leah has a passion for early year’s education and is currently working with the Metis Nation of British Columbia (MNBC) to develop Metis cultural early years resources for children and families.  She has also participated as a mentor and lead artist for the Mann Art Gallery Indigenous Residency Project and other mentorship projects with Metis women entrepreneurs.  Leah has spent the past several years mentoring Indigenous youth in creative self expressive projects to help them reconnect with their culture. She currently works with youth in land based learning and share workshops about women’s traditional knowledge through the moon, water, and Bear Clan teachings.

"Create the world you want to live in"

leahdorionart@gmail.com | www.leahdorion.ca

Elder Curtis Breaton

Elder Curtis works in local community arts, cultural family healing as an Elder and is a former professional educator who graduated from the Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program (SUNTEP) in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He served as president of the Metis Nation Saskatchewan local at St. Louis for eight years. He is a Metis Artist and Elder originally born in Chatham-Kent County and grew up in the Dresden, Ontario area.   Curtis is a direct descendant of the Labbadie family, which is a large historic Metis fur trade family which traded in the Great Lakes system and the Detroit River region.  Curtis is proud of his Labbadie Metis heritage and his extended family connections to First Nations in the Great Lakes system.  Land based learning and canoeing is a significant aspect of his life and he continues to share his love of Metis transportation systems through workshops and culture camps.

Curtis currently lives in Saskatchewan working as an Indigenous artist and is a Metis Elder in family wellness and healing. He currently works with Youth at Risk and to help Indigenous families heal and reconnect with their cultural teachings.  A highlight of his work is helping troubled youth in the community especially guiding young Indigenous males learn about the men's cultural teaching especially through land based experiential learning.  He runs a worthy young men’s group to bring young men back into the community circle.  Curtis is a member of the Saskatchewan Metis community and a proud Elder of the Bear Clan healing lodge. Curtis is a pipe carrier and runs bear clan lodge ceremonies that he learned from Elder Danny Musqua and Mike Relland. He conducts many types of workshops in traditional parenting, Metis arts, rattle and drum making, plus does extensive work in traditional healing such as the fire ceremony for letting go of trauma. 

crdeducator@gmail.com