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 Mohawk dancer, designer, and choreographer. She uses her art to share stories about Indigenous identities and cultures. Santee Smith is known as one of Canada's most important dance artists. She has won many awards. In 2019, she became the Chancellor of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. This is a very important leadership role.

Santee Smith's Journey

Early Life and Learning

Santee Smith grew up on the Six Nations of the Grand River reserve. This is a community where many Indigenous people live. She is a member of the Mohawk Nation.

When Santee was young, she had some accidents that led her to start dancing. Dancing became a way for her to heal and get stronger. At age 11, she was accepted into Canada's National Ballet School. She trained there for six years. However, she decided to leave because she wanted to connect more with her Mohawk heritage. She also spent time at the Aboriginal Dance Program in Banff.

Santee Smith later studied at McMaster University. She earned degrees in physical education and psychology. She also completed a master's degree in dance from York University in Toronto.

Her Artistic Work

After focusing on her studies, Santee missed the creativity of dance. In 1996, she began to create her own dances. Her first major dance work, called Kaha:wi, was created in 2004. Kaha:wi means "to carry." She spent six years developing this special performance.

In 2005, Santee Smith started the Kaha:wi Dance Theatre. This company is based in Toronto and focuses on Indigenous dance. Its goal is to combine dance training with Indigenous identity and performance. Santee's work blends modern and traditional Haudenosaunee songs and dances. This helps bring the past and present together, honoring the rich culture.

Santee Smith also creates beautiful pottery. This is another way she expresses her Indigenous identity. Her pottery piece "Talking Earth" is now a permanent artwork at the Gardiner Museum. This piece shows the challenges and impacts that Indigenous communities have faced over time. Her pottery has also been displayed in other places, like the Woodland Cultural Centre and the National Gallery of Canada.

Her family has a long history with pottery. Her grandmother, Elda "Bun" Smith, became interested in pottery after finding old broken pieces on her reserve. She learned that pottery was a traditional Mohawk art form that had almost disappeared. Santee's grandmother helped bring this tradition back. She passed her knowledge to Santee's parents, who now have a pottery business. Santee also works with them.

Santee uses pottery in her dance performances too. The pottery pieces are made by Indigenous artists. They feature images and symbols that are important to Indigenous culture, like the earth and the idea of living in balance. For example, in her production Blood Ties, her father created a special pottery piece just for the show. Santee's work often involves many other Indigenous artists. When she created Kaha:wi, she talked to people from her community and family. They helped her create stories based on Haudenosaunee life and ideas. She also worked with Indigenous musicians for the music.

Santee Smith has created 14 major dance productions and many shorter pieces. Her shows have been performed all over Canada and in other countries. Through her research and passion, she has become a strong voice for Indigenous performances. Her stories help people understand Indigenous lives. Her work also explores the important roles of women in Indigenous traditions. She shows how women in Haudenosaunee and Mohawk cultures were traditionally seen as powerful and respected leaders, even owning land. Her performances help to celebrate and reclaim these important identities.

Some of her notable works include choreographing for the 2017 Canadian Opera Company production of Louis Riel. This opera tells the story of the Métis leader Louis Riel. In the same year, she designed the opening ceremony for the North American Indigenous Games in Toronto. With Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, Santee created The Mush Hole: Truth, Acknowledgement, Resilience. This performance tells the story of the Mohawk Institute Residential School. This was a school where First Nations children were sent, and it caused a lot of pain and suffering. The show premiered in 2019 and then toured across North America.

Leading McMaster University

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

Awards and Recognition

Santee Smith has received many awards for her amazing work.