March 8: The role of the sacred in Indigenous law and reconciliation

A signature IdeaFest event

March 8 | Alix Goolden Hall | 907 Pandora Ave. | 7–9 p.m.

It is often said that Indigenous peoples’ relationship to the land – and Indigenous peoples’ law – are sacred. What does “sacred” mean in this context? What should it convey to non-Indigenous Canadians when they engage with Indigenous peoples?  How can you understand another person’s sense of the sacred?

Two of UVic’s leading Indigenous scholars, John Borrows and Val Napoleon, will discuss the sacred in Indigenous law and reconciliation. They are key figures in UVic’s proposed dual-degree program in Canadian law and Indigenous law. In this conversation, they will explore the nature of Indigenous law and pose important – and challenging – questions about the role of the sacred.

Click here for a video recording of the event. 

This event is the keynote address for a symposium on Indigenous and non-Indigenous relations in Canada: Rethinking the relationship between spirituality and reconciliation.