KEYNOTE SPEAKER

THE HEALING WINDS OF CHANGE
Nick Hockings, Ojibwe Elder and Educator

Ojibwe elder and educator Nick Hockings will highlight his twenty one years of speaking to educators.  In schools throughout the Midwest, Nick has shared his insights related to the education of students regarding Native culture.

In Native cultures the medicine wheel is considered one of the most valuable teaching tools.  The medicine wheel is the basis for hundreds of teachings.  This presentation will concentrate on unity and diversity.  Diversity is what this country is all about.  Our challenge is to achieve "unity with diversity."  Can we, should we, or will we as educators be able to accurately present this concept to our young people?

Nick Hockings is a tribal member of the Lac du Flambeau Band of the Lake Superior Ojibwe.  He is a father and respected grandfather in the community.  He and his wife Charlotte live on the Lac du Flambeau Indian Reservation inn Northern Wisconsin.

Since 1987, Nick has been giving cultural performances and educational presentations in the Great Lakes region to K-12 schools, community colleges, universities and special interest groups.  He builds Ojibwe villages and is a main entrance attraction at Milwaukee's "Indian Summer" each September.

Known as a renowned artist and storyteller, Nick is also a certified teacher of Ojibwe language and culture.

He is a developer, owner and operator of Waswagoning, a re-created Ojibwe village and educational facility which is an outstanding resource for enhancing Senate Bill 31 activities.  Waswagoning is located on twenty acres within the Lac du Flambeau reservation and is open to the general public and for educational tours in the spring, summer, and fall.  Many movie companies have used this 1700's setting in award-winning films.  Recently Waswagoning has been listed as one of the number one3 spots for educators in Northern Wisconsin.

Nick has played major roles in the production of Native American documentary films and has appeared on PBS television and numerous radio talk shows.  He has received two Emmys from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Upper Midwest Chapter for his role as Artistic Director in tow of the six episodes of "Wasaa Inaabidaa"  (We Look in All Directions).  These episodes are entitled:

	A Healthy Way of Life - Bimaadiziwin.
	Ojibwe Oral Teachers - Ojibwemowin.

Nick is the creator and director of the Waswagoning Dance Theatre, a Native American dance troupe that has bee performing in the Midwest since 1990.  They are featured every February at "Klondike Days" in Eagle River.

Nick is the lead dancer the the internationally known drum and dance group, "A Call for Peace."  They have traveled and performed in Russia, Egypt, Germany, Italy, India an Israel.  In November of 2003 they performed, by invitation from the Mikhail Gorbechev Foundation, for the fourth summit meeting of the Nobel Peace Laureates in Rome, Italy.