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​​Come and explore the universe and enjoy our renowned northern hospitality!​

Dark Sky Festival

Guest Speakers ~ Keynote Session
Our Friday evening keynote session "Stories from the Skies - Back to the Circle" will be moderated by Richard Van Camp and will bring in several "guest speakers" via Zoom video link.

Richard will moderate this forum where the guest speakers will bring their stories, experiences and studies regarding Indigenous knowledge of the northern skies to the forefront. Festival registrants and the audience will be able to participate in a post-presentation Q&A forum.
Keynote Moderator  -  Friday Evening:  7:00 pm  (post-dinner)
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Richard Van Camp
​Richard is a proud member of the Dogrib (Tłı̨chǫ) Nation from Fort Smith.
He is a graduate of the En’owkin International School of Writing, the University of Victoria’s Creative Writing BFA Program, and the Master’s Degree in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia.

Richard is an internationally renowned storyteller and best-selling author. His novel, The Lesser Blessed,
is now a movie with First Generation Films and premiered in September of 2012 at the Toronto International Film Festival. He is the author of five collections of short stories, six baby books, three children’s books, five comics and much more.
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>>  Checkout Richard's Website
Keynote Guests  -  Friday 7:00 pm (post dinner)
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Chris Cannon
Chris, an assistant professor of Indigenous Studies at the University of Alaska. He has spent the past decade researching traditional northern Dene astronomy across Alaska and the NWT.
His research focus is Northern Dene (Athabaskan) language and culture with a particular emphasis on astronomical knowledge across Dene ethnolinguistic groups. He enjoys traveling the land with traditional knowledge bearers and has collaborated on several projects to transform his research into materials and deliverables that are of use to Dene communities and the general public.

More keynote session guests will be announced !
Guest TAWBAS Presenters  -  Friday afternoon
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Roland Dechense
Roland Dechense is a long-time astronomer and a long-term fellow and contributor to the RASC (Royal Astronomical Society of Canada).
Currently he serves on RASC's Light Pollution Abatement committee. By day, he is an oil and gas geologist in Calgary.

Through his engagement with astronomy, Roland has had a significant positive impact on RASC and his fellow amateur astronomers across Canada. In his leadership role in researching and education of Light Pollution Abatement, he has helped develop responsible lighting policies and in communicating light-pollution issues in many communities and with several local and regional governments.

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