Elder Duke Redbird
- Multidisciplinary Artist
Dr. Duke Redbird, elder, poet, activist, educator, and artist.
With a legacy stretching back to the 1960s, he is a pillar of First Nations literature in Canada and has practiced a number of art disciplines including poetry, painting, theatre, and film. He was a trailblazer throughout the ’60s & ’70s giving voice to Indigenous people at major institutions and folk festivals across the country. From 1994-2009, he was an arts & entertainment reporter for CITY TV in Toronto.
He holds a Master’s degree from York University and received an Honorary Doctorate from the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) University in 2013. Duke Redbird is also featured on Native North America which received a Grammy Award nomination for the best historical album in December 2015. Duke recently recorded his poem The Power of the Land with The Sultans of String.
In 2020, Duke was awarded a Life Time Achievement Award by the Toronto-based performing arts organization JA YU in recognition of his influence through his art on Human Rights. Duke delivered a keynote address to MIT on the growing influence of indigenous Thinking and Practices on the world of technology and higher learning.
He occupies the position as Elder with the following organizations: Myseum Toronto, The Toronto Biennial, Summer Works, the Toronto Arts Council’s Banff Leaders Lab, and is Artist in Residence with the Urban Indigenous Education Centre at the Toronto District School Board.
