Announcing Our New Elder-in-Residence: Mary Lou Smoke
We are honoured to welcome Mary Lou Smoke as the new Elder-in-Residence at the Wampum Learning Lodge for the next two years.
Mary Lou was raised in Batchewana First Nation and moved to Toronto at the age of 15, where her path led her to meet her lifelong partner, Dan Smoke-baa. At just 18, she was crowned Miss Native Toronto, marking the beginning of a lifelong commitment to Indigenous representation and cultural pride.
Together, Mary Lou and Dan-baa moved to London 48 years ago when he enrolled in the Indian Teachers Education Program (ITEP) at Western. Their journey with Western began then and deepened in the 1990s, when they worked alongside Vivian Peters as some of the first Knowledge Keepers on campus. They became strong Aunties and Uncles to Indigenous students arriving from northern communities, offering support and guidance through times of transition and challenge.
Mary Lou and Dan-baa co-taught courses at Western from 2006 to 2017, including Representations of First Nations in the Media through the Faculty of Information and Media Studies and Indigenous Spirituality, with a focus on Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee traditions, at Brescia University College.
Self-taught journalists and media trailblazers, Mary Lou and Dan-baa began their radio journey shortly after the Oka Crisis in 1990. They launched the Smoke Signals radio show, which ran for 33 years, and expanded into television in 1999, delivering Indigenous-focused news and commentary for two decades. Their passions have taken them across Turtle Island, learning from Elders and sharing many teachings.
Mary Lou is also a celebrated singer, having received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Forest City Music Awards in 2019 and being named a Woman of Distinction by the YMCA in 2013 for her contributions to music, education, and the arts.
She holds two honorary doctorates: a Doctorate in Natural Laws from Noble University (2014) and a Doctor of Laws from Western University (2022).
Mary Lou brings with her a deep commitment to kindness, listening, and healing. She looks forward to working with Indigenous students, sharing teachings about medicines, and offering a compassionate ear. Whether through conversation, smudging, or song, she welcomes anyone on campus who wishes to connect.
Mary Lou is also available to the wider campus community for questions, conversations, or moments of reflection. She is available for drop-ins and appointments on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except during the last week of each month, when she will be available on Monday instead. Drop-ins are welcome, or appointments can be booked by emailing wampumlearninglodge@uwo.ca.
Please join us in celebrating and welcoming Mary Lou Smoke back to campus in this new position at the Wampum Learning Lodge.
