Quw'utsun' Cultural and Conference Centre. Photo by Holly Pattison.

In October 2010, the Cowichan Tribes hosted a special gathering, which provided an opportunity for knowledge keepers, leaders  and members of the different Coast Salish nations to gather together to discuss the nature of their law, its role today, the ways in which it might speak to non-indigenous law, and the ways in which it can and should shape governance in Coast Salish nations and the structure of their relationship with non-indigenous institutions.  
 
Because the meeting was held in accordance with Cowichan protocols, and designed to provide a forum for indigenous participants, scholars, and practitioners to discuss the way in which indigenous legal traditions should shape governance, it was structured somewhat differently from an ordinary academic conference, with fewer formal panels for the presentation of papers.  The first full day was committed to grappling with Coast Salish traditions, and in the second we also considered perspectives and insights drawn from other indigenous traditions, and to whether, and if so how, indigenous and non-indigenous legal orders should be studied and taught comparatively.  

Download the conference program here.

View more photos of the conference by Holly Pattison, read a short summary of the conference by Jeremy Webber and leave your own reflections and comments on the conference here: 2010 Conference Summary and Discussion Forum.

Read a longer conference report: coming soon!

Many thanks to all the conference sponsors: