Santee Smith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Santee Smith CM
Smith receiving the 2019 Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prize
19th Chancellor of McMaster University
Incumbent
Assumed office November 21, 2019
Preceded by	Suzanne Labarge
Personal details
Children	1
Alma mater	McMaster University

Santee Smith Tekaronhiáhkhwa is a talented Canadian artist. She is a member of the Mohawk Nation. Santee is a dancer, designer, and choreographer. She creates dance shows that share Indigenous stories and ideas. Many people see her as one of Canada's most important dance artists. Santee Smith has won many awards. In 2019, she became the Chancellor of McMaster University. This is a big leadership role at the university.

Santee Smith's Life Story

Growing Up and School

Santee Smith grew up on the Six Nations of the Grand River reserve. This is a special community for Indigenous peoples. She is proud to be a member of the Mohawk Nation.

When Santee was three, she had an accident. She was hit by a car and hurt her leg. Later that year, she broke her other leg while cycling. Santee started dancing to help her body heal. It was like physical therapy for her. At age 11, she joined Canada's National Ballet School. She trained there for six years. But she decided not to finish her training. She felt it did not help her connect with her Mohawk identity. She also spent some time at an Aboriginal Dance Program in Banff.

Santee went to McMaster University. She earned degrees in physical education and psychology. Later, she got a master's degree in dance. She studied at York University in Toronto.

Her Artistic Journey

Santee took a break from dancing to focus on her studies. But she missed being creative through dance. So, in 1996, she started creating her own dances. Her first big dance work was in 2004. She worked on it for six years. She named it Kaha:wi, which means "to carry."

In 2005, Santee Smith started Kaha:wi Dance Theatre. This is a dance company from Six Nations. It is based in Toronto. Santee is the artistic director and producer. The company's goal is to bring together dance training, Indigenous identity, and performance. Santee's work blends modern and traditional Haudenosaunee songs and dances. This helps connect the past and present. It also honors the culture of her people.

Santee also creates pottery art. This is another way she shows her Indigenous identity. Her pottery piece called "Talking Earth" is now a permanent artwork. It is displayed at the Gardiner Museum. This piece shows the challenges faced by Indigenous peoples. Her pottery designs have also been in other exhibits. These include the Woodland Cultural Centre and the National Gallery of Canada. Santee's family has a long history with pottery. Her grandmother, Elda "Bun" Smith, found broken pottery pieces on her reserve. She learned that pottery was a Mohawk tradition that had been lost. Santee's grandmother helped bring this tradition back. She taught it to Santee's parents. Now, Santee's parents have a pottery business. Santee also works with them.

Santee uses pottery in her dance shows too. The pottery is made by Indigenous artists. It has images and symbols important to Indigenous culture. These symbols often represent the earth. They show how people should live in balance with nature. In her show Blood Ties, Santee used a special pottery piece. Her father made it just for that performance. Santee's parents are well-known Mohawk ceramic artists. Santee's work also involves many other Indigenous people. When she created her first dance, Kaha:wi, she talked to people from her reserve and family. Their stories helped her create the show's storyline. It was about Haudenosaunee life and ideas. She also worked with Indigenous musicians for the music.

Santee Smith has created 14 major dance productions. She has also made many shorter pieces. Her shows have been performed all over Canada and in other countries. Her research and passion make her a strong supporter of Indigenous performances. She creates stories that show Indigenous lives. Her work also helps people understand the role of women in Indigenous traditions. Santee shows how women in her Haudenosaunee and Mohawk culture were traditionally powerful. They were leaders and even owned land. Her performances help to bring back these strong identities.

Some of Santee Smith's choreographed works include:

• A 2017 Canadian Opera Company show called Louis Riel. This opera tells the story of the Métis leader Louis Riel.
• The opening ceremony for the North American Indigenous Games in Toronto in 2017. Santee designed this act.
• The Mush Hole: Truth, Acknowledgement, Resilience. This show was created with Kaha:wi Dance Theatre. It is about the Mohawk Institute. This was a residential school for First Nations children. It was in Brantford, Ontario. The show premiered in 2019 at Young People's Theatre in Toronto. After that, it went on a tour across North America.

Leading McMaster University

In 2019, Santee Smith became the new Chancellor of McMaster University. She took over from Suzanne Labarge. The Chancellor is an honorary leader of the university. Santee is the first Indigenous person to hold this important position. She officially started her role on November 21, 2019. She was reappointed in February 2022.

Awards and Honors

Santee Smith has received many awards for her amazing work.