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I was recently introduced to Danny, a law student who worked with the Wahkohtowin Law and Governance Lodge over the summer.
A dedicated research unit based out of the U of A, the Lodge supports Indigenous communities and organizations as a response to their expressed needs and answers the TRC Call to Action #50, which calls for the creation of Indigenous Law Institutes for the “development, use and understanding of Indigenous laws.”
Through this conversation, I learned more about Danny, her journey to law, her involvement at the Lodge and some exciting projects she’s leading outside of her studies.
Danny Norris-Pott
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Danny, and I’m a second-year law student. My path to law was somewhat chaotic. I started in engineering because I wanted to help people, but it wasn’t the right fit. I transitioned to English and finished a bachelor of arts in 2023. English was fun, and I learned a lot, but I didn’t feel the spark I needed to truly pursue it. I feel like I’ve finally found the right path with law school! Other than school, I enjoy beading, reading and hosting quirky events for my friends.
How did you get involved with the Wahkohtowin Law and Governance Lodge?
On my first day of law, there was an Indigenous student-specific orientation; my main takeaway from this orientation was that the Lodge was the place to be. As someone who doesn’t feel like the most traditional law student, the Lodge has been a very safe and welcoming space for me. I found small ways to get involved during my first year; I became a member of the Indigenous Law Students Association (ILSA), helped host a holiday market at the Lodge and volunteered for a Blanket Exercise. When I finally got a job as a research assistant with the Lodge this past summer, I was over the moon. The work has been so rewarding, and I’ve learned so much.
What motivates you to work in this area?
My great-grandmother lost her status through the Indian Act, and much of my family is just now getting their status back under the equality amendments. I learned that I was Indigenous around the time I was 15 and started reconnecting with my Indigenous roots when I was 17. I recently received my status card and now belong to Ahtahkakoop First Nation. I feel that reconnecting inherently involves taking much more than giving. By working in Indigenous law, I can find ways to not only reconnect but create a relationship of reciprocity where I am giving too. I’ve always believed that my role in this life is to help people. By doing work with the Lodge, I can tangibly see the help I am giving. I feel very lucky to have found myself on this journey of giving back in a way that lets me learn more about myself.
Was there a particular course that impacted your academic journey?
This summer, I took LAW 599: Wahkohtowin Intensive. This course was created by Adelaide McDonald, a member of Aseniwuche Winewak, and her daughter-in-law, Dr. Hadley Friedland. In this course, you spend a couple days in a classroom “learning how to learn” and then spend roughly four days in the community with members of Aseniwuche Winewak learning law through the process of traditional moosehide tanning. I cannot begin to describe what a special experience taking this course was. The community is so open, welcoming and patient as they teach you tanning. I learned to see law in a way that I previously didn’t think was possible. Law is beautiful and it is kind. Everything we do is law, whether we see it that way or not. I will carry the teachings I received in this course my whole life.
What is one challenge you want to solve through your work and future career?
At one time, I wanted to fix the whole world. As I experience more of the world, I am beginning to understand the value of building and uplifting the community. Rather than trying to fix the whole world, I want to tackle the everyday problems. I don’t want the high-powered career where my absence causes a breakdown in the system. I want to help friends move. I want to support harm reduction groups. I want to see Indigenous communities build their own laws and play whatever role is necessary to help them do so. It’s hard to identify any one challenge I want to address in this life because I want to be a small part in many individuals’ lives, both in my career and in my life.
I’ve heard you’re running a beading class for incoming first year Law students. Can you tell us more about this?
This is a very exciting project I’ve been working on with the Faculty of Law! Another friend from ILSA and I were asked to create welcome packages for the incoming Indigenous students. Originally, I was going to create some small beaded items for each student, but I thought a better idea would be to create small beading kits and host a workshop! This way, the students get a small gift, are able to participate in community building and have a small project to help with mindfulness!
What methods have you used in your research to help Indigenous communities?
At Wahkohtowin Law and Governance Lodge we do law revitalization work mainly. This involves interviewing Elders, running workshops and using a case brief method. We also do more typical research, compiling databases of legislation, cases, courts etc. The case brief method specifically is really neat because you get to read stories from an Indigenous community and use a method similar to law school case briefs to draw out the Indigenous laws. Indigenous storytelling tradition is extremely rich in terms of legal pedagogy, and we can learn so much from these stories when we actually take the time to sit with them.
What’s next for you? Do you have any new projects on the horizon?
Going into my second year of law school has been an absolute whirlwind. I’m the co-chair external for the Indigenous Law Students Association, and we have tons of events planned for the upcoming year: movie nights, networking events, cultural workshops and of course— our Speaker Series! I’m also the team lead in the law and social media class that runs the ReconciliACTION blog! The ReconciliACTION blog covers Indigenous legal issues across Canada. Other than that, I will be spending the vast majority of my time beading and studying!
What is one piece of advice you’d offer to other U of A students interested in research?
My advice is to pursue your passions and to not be afraid to do things your own way. I never pictured myself as a researcher or even as a law student. I started on the complete opposite side of the spectrum with engineering. By taking things slow and following the work that felt meaningful to me, I fell into research at Wahkohtowin Law and Governance Lodge. If you commit yourself to following what sparks your passion, you will end up where you are meant to be.