University of Saskatchewan PhD student and rapper Lindsay Knight, also known as Eekwol, will draw on both of her roles as the school's first Indigenous Storyteller-in-Residence.
A Tuesday U of S news release said the pilot project will involve Knight promoting "intercultural understanding and story-sharing between and among Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples."
The role will conclude with a presentation of a project during U of S Indigenous Achievement Week in February.
Her position starts on Jan. 4 and runs for six weeks. Knight said her work will combine her experience as a musician and a scholar to expand storytelling to include her unique perspective.
"It's not what people would stereotypically think. As an Indigenous storyteller, you think (of an) Elder sitting around a fire," noted Knight, who is a member of Muskoday First Nation.
"We're very adaptable and have always been changing. There's always a continuum of what storytelling means and how it looks."
Charlene Sorensen, acting dean of the U of S library, said in a prepared statement that the pilot project aims to "uplift Indigenous voices and perspectives and facilitate deeper cultural understanding at our university.”
Knight's said she plans to mentor students and work with them to create a song or spoken-word piece by the end of her six-week term.
With nine albums under her belt, she said her work is relatable for many students, who often respond enthusiastically when she asks them for their thoughts on hip-hop.
She aims for that underlying interest to help her connect with students. As they return for another term, she plans to make an open call for collaborators and hopes Indigenous students are aware of the opportunity.
Her work as storyteller-in-residence also adds another piece to Knight's long relationship with the U of S library, where she partly developed her love of reading. She says books have played a key role in her growth as an artist and scholar — one reason why she remains "unapologetically nerdy."
She remembers visiting the building's fourth floor as a child, when her mother was a student and gave Knight the instructions "to keep busy and keep quiet." She later returned as a student and says she hopes her newest role will help her shape a part of the western institution for Indigenous members of the university.
"Books and words have always been my life raft," she said.
