Loretta Robinson

Loretta Robinson was born in 1981 in Schefferville, near the community of Kawawachikamach, and grew up there with her parents, siblings, and extended family. Loretta’s father is Cree, from Northern Manitoba, and her mother is Naskapi, from Kawawachikamach. From a young age, Loretta’s parents made a point of passing down to her the knowledge and roots from the Naskapi and Cree Nation lands. Today, Loretta is grateful for these teachings, which have shaped her own career.

Loretta Robinson lived in Schefferville until she graduated high school. She always knew that education was her passion: her father was an educator, and as a child she loved playing school. Her parents instilled the importance of education from a very young age. After high school, Loretta enrolled in the social sciences program in CEGEP, in Sept-Îles. She remembers that those years were sometimes hard, especially being so far away from her home community. But she always knew that she would return one day and contribute to her community’s development.

As a leader, Loretta saw it as her mission to give back to her community. She completed two bachelor’s degrees, in arts and in elementary education, at Bishop’s University. Loretta was a gifted and passionate student who worked hard and earned recognition: she graduated university with honours, and received scholarships.

After finishing university, Loretta became increasingly active in the struggles of Indigenous women and as an advocate for Indigenous education. She thought about her community, and asked herself questions. How can I connect what my students are learning to Naskapi culture? After her first year teaching in her community, she started thinking about going back to Bishop’s University to further her education.

The thesis she wrote for her master of education focused on the relationship between Naskapi ways of being and worldviews and the current Quebec education system. With its set protocols and use of French and English, this education system is often hard for Naskapi youth to navigate.

Loretta uses a picture of two rivers to illustrate the major influences on her practice. The upper river represents learning as a holistic process rooted in the community and the natural environment, with deep cultural and spiritual connections to the land and water. The land, also known as Mother Earth, is what grounds every child; it is what makes every child whole and unique. On the land, we speak, think, and interact in the Naskapi language.

The lower river represents protocols, laws, and other languages that are foreign to the Naskapi. There is a lack of connection that makes navigating this second river more difficult. Loretta believes that children and youth deserve to make their way down their own river, to recover a balance that has been lost.

Since returning to her community, Loretta Robinson has continued sharing her knowledge as a mentor and education consultant. In 2018, she proposed and drafted a program of competencies for Quebec’s education ministry. Competency 15: Value and promote Indigenous knowledge, worldviews, cultures and history has already been adopted in many schools and institutions.

Loretta doesn’t only work with Indigenous youth: she also trains teachers to better meet the needs of Indigenous students. She is often invited to join committees to answer questions about the importance of education for Indigenous youth. In May 2022, Loretta received the First Peoples Medal from the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, recognizing her outstanding commitment to her community and to Quebec.

Loretta wants to remind us all that, even when our responsibilities seem insurmountable, it’s important to always put our culture first. We must be proud of where we come from, because every story is important. By making her voice heard, Loretta inspires others. She has never forgotten these wise words shared with her by an elder: “It’s hard work, but it’s work that matters.” That’s what inspires Loretta to keep paddling forward.