Keynote ADDRESS:

The medicine of KIJIKATIG (CEDAR)

Dr. David J. Robinson delivers a powerful keynote address rooted in the teachings of the cedar tree, guiding audiences through a transformative journey of growth, healing, and connection. Drawing upon the five stages of a tree’s life — from the Pith of relationship-building to the Bark of legacy and protection — his talks weave together personal story, Indigenous knowledge, and over a decade of land-based carving experience. With warmth, wisdom, and cultural depth, Dr. Robinson explores themes of healthy masculinity, resilience, and spiritual well-being, inviting audiences to reflect on their own growth rings and the environments that shape them. His keynotes are both grounding and inspiring — a call to remember who we are, where we come from, and how we care for one another and the generations to come. Through story, humour, metaphor, and his Indigenous worldview, Dr. Robinson invites audiences to explore how identity, resilience, and collective healing grow—like trees—through connection, environment, and spirit.