Kaleena Denby Presents at Métis Conference 2026
From September 20th-24th, 2026, undergraduate associate Kaleena Denby attended the 3rd Mawachihitotaak Metis Studies Conference in Calgary, Alberta. This conference was a gathering between “Métis scholars, community members, Knowledge Keepers, language and culture holders, writers, artists, academics, and thinkers,” where participants exchanged knowledge and connected diverse areas of Métis scholarship to address community needs and strengthen Métis leadership.
Kaleena spoke on her Program for Undergraduate Research Experience (PURE) summer project in a 30-minute panel presentation titled “The Hunt House Métis Cabin Virtual Storytelling PURE Project: An exploration of designated heritage spaces through urban Métis understandings and digital heritage”. She discussed her findings and experiences around two central questions:
How do Métis residents of Calgary today relate to this historic place?
More broadly, how can Indigenous Calgarians connect in fulsome ways to local heritage?
Kaleena presenting at the 3rd Mawachihitotaak Metis Studies Conference 2026
Kaleena’s reflection on her experience at the conference:
“It was an honour to gather with so many familiar faces, and I was inspired by the enthusiastic feedback I heard from community members and scholars– I was happy to see that the Hunt House & Métis Cabin project resonated with people from many walks of life. Seeing my research bring smiles to faces in the audience felt like the biggest reward. If you check out the Hunt House & Métis Cabin project, I hope you find you can resonate with it in some way, too.”