City names co-historian laureates for its seventh term

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For Cheryl Whiskeyjack and Omar Yaqub, it’s simply a continuation of a pre-existing partnership between the two community leaders.

Cheryl Whiskeyjack, executive director of Bent Arrow, is one of two new Historian Laureates named by the City of Edmonton.
Cheryl Whiskeyjack, executive director of Bent Arrow, is one of two new Historian Laureates named by the City of Edmonton. Photo by Ed Kaiser /post media

After six solo historian laureates, this year the city has opted to go with co-historian laureates, choosing Cheryl Whiskeyjack and Omar Yaqub for the two-year position. In a way, it’s simply a continuation of a pre-existing partnership between the two community leaders.

“Omar and I have worked in partnership with our organizations over many years as a way of changing the narrative on Indigenous people through the various activities we’ve undertaken,” says Whiskeyjack.

Omar Yaqub has been named one of two historian laureates for the City of Edmonton this year.
Omar Yaqub has been named one of two historian laureates for the City of Edmonton this year. Photo by Cooper & O’Hara /Supplied

Whiskeyjack’s credentials for the role are impressive. As the executive director of the Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society, she’s responsible for a number of different programs and services that help their Indigenous clients. Among other activities, she’s a board member of the Canadian Accreditation Council of Human Services and the Align Association of Community Services and has helped with organizations like EndPovertyEdmonton and the National Advisory Council on Poverty.

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Yaqub is perhaps best known for his work with Islamic Family, a charity in the social services sector devoted to addressing food security, family violence, refugee sponsorship, emergency financial relief, preventative youth programming and more. That being said, he’s also helped with the creation of The Canadian Prayer Rug, digital storytelling platform Roots on 6, and ECVO’s History of Edmonton’s Human Services Sector.

“Omar and I were excited at the platform and reach this distinction of being Co-Laureates will give us,” Whiskeyjack continues. “We are very grateful for the opportunity to show Edmontonians there are threads from our shared history that can be seen and felt today, but also forgotten stories that we can continue to build upon on this sacred special place we all call home. Our Indigenous/Settler identities will merge both sets of stories and perspectives and bring them forward for consideration.”

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