PAUL CHIYOKTEN

Chiyokten's keynote will explore through an indigenous lens what it means to be a male this day in age, and how to be in right relationship with the Sacred. What does it mean to be a protector? What does it mean to be in service to the Mother, to that which is Holy? Through flute, story and song, Chiyokten will take you on a journey to the center of your being. You'll emerge having woven aspects of heart and mind together into a sturdy basket that you can carry with you wherever you go next.

PAUL CHIYOKTEN BIO

Chiyokten is a Saanich Nation tribal member and founder of Protectors of the Salish Sea. As a traditional storyteller & award winning Native American flutist, he brings old and new friends alike through profound journeys of the heart.

Chiyokten has been speaking out on social environmental issues since he was a boy at City Hall meetings working to keep toxic fluoride out of drinking water.  A strong advocate of ancient ways and teachings of the circle of life as well as the return of our Elder women to guide our societies in to life.

In 2013 Chiyokten assisted with Idle No More rallies and actions here in Seattle as well as speaking at them. In December 2015 he was honored to speak alongside Jill Stein and Deborah Parker at the Cop21 Climate Talks in Paris with the Salmon is Life Coalition. After participating in the Seattle to Standing Rock Canoe Journey in Late August 2016 he started the campaign “Winter Shelter For Standing Rock” where he and volunteers built “Tarpees”  (teepee-like winter shelters) for Indigenous Water Protector families (with elders). To date, 56 of these 12 person arctic shelters with custom wood stove heaters have been gifted to various points of resistance in Canada and the US and are still being gifted today.

After returning to Seattle Chiyokten formed Protectors of the Salish Sea, an Indigenous led organization dedicated to ending the era of fossil fuel in our Salish Sea and beyond through direct divestment actions. Protector’s latest campaign is to gift a Coast Salish Canoe to every nation in the Salish Sea creating a Water Protector Tribal Youth Canoe Alliance where tribal youth will help build their own family canoes. Chiyokten has organized numerous walks and rallies, co-authored the Tokitae/ Salish Sea Whale Sanctuary Proclamation (which has begun the process of recognizing our Salish Sea as Salish Sea Whale Sanctuary to save our Wild Salmon and Orcas from extinction as well as the return our L-Pod orca Tokitae (AKA Lolita) to our Salish Sea releasing her from 48 years of slavery at Miami SeaAquarium).