Marie Battiste

Dr. Marie Battiste (PETF Fellow 2019-2022) is a citizen of the Mi’kmaq Nation, an enrolled member of the Potlotek First Nation and the Aroostook Band of Micmacs in Maine. She is retired, holding Professor Emerita status from the University of Saskatchewan

 She is a graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington with an education degree, a master’s degree from Harvard University and a doctorate degree from Stanford University. Her passion, research, and scholarly work in decolonizing education, cognitive justice through balancing diverse knowledge systems and languages, and protecting Indigenous knowledges have earned her five honorary degrees (Mount Saint Vincent University, University of Ottawa, Thompson Rivers University, University of Maine, and St. Mary’s University).  She is an elected Fellow to the Royal Society of Canada, holds multiple awards including a National Aboriginal Achievement (now INDspire) Award; University of Saskatchewan Distinguished Researcher award; Distinguished Academic Award from the Canadian Association of University Teachers; Saskatchewan Centennial Medal for significant contributions to the people of Saskatchewan; Alumni Achievement Award, University of Maine; 50th Year Queen's Award for Service to the Community and more recently the Queen’s 75th Jubilee Award for Service, and multiple honouring feathers and blankets from Indigenous communities and organizations.

 She has published widely with 6 books, authoring Decolonizing Education: Nourishing the Learning Spirit and Protecting Indigenous Knowledge and Heritage: A Global Challenge with her partner James Sakej Henderson. She has edited several book collections, including Visioning Mi’kmaw Humanities: Indigenizing the Academy (CBU Press, 2016);  Living Treaties: Narrating Mi’kmaw Treaty Relations (CBU Press, 2016); Reclaiming Indigenous Voice and Vision (UBC Press, 2000) and First Nations Education in Canada: The Circle Unfolds (UBC Press, 1995), and contributing over 80 essays in books and journals, and authored several research reports.