Santee Smith reappointed McMaster’s chancellor

Santee Smith wearing the Chancellor's ornate robe and hat at convocation

Award-winning artist, dancer and choreographer Santee Smith was installed as McMaster's chancellor at the Fall 2019 convocation.

February 10, 2022

Award-winning artist, dancer, choreographer and McMaster grad Santee Smith has been reappointed chancellor of the university.

McMaster’s Senate has unanimously approved a recommendation to extend Smith’s tenure as chancellor for another three-year term.

“We are delighted and honoured that Ms. Smith has agreed to remain in the Chancellor’s role for a further three years,” says President and Vice-Chancellor David Farrar. “Santee is a passionate advocate for justice and compassion, and has been an exemplary leader for our community, especially during this challenging time.

“We’re grateful for her vision and unwavering dedication to serving and inspiring our campus community, for her support and encouragement of our students, and for her leadership and engagement across the University.”

Smith, who graduated from McMaster with degrees in physical education and psychology, was installed as Chancellor in 2019.

“It is a tremendous honour to serve as the 19th Chancellor of McMaster University. I am a proud MAC alumna, and feel personally connected to our campus,” she says.

“Experiencing only one full in-person convocation before the pandemic transformed our lives, I am looking forward to continuing to celebrate the achievement of students, faculty and staff at convocations and graduations. Acknowledging these milestone moments in people’s lives is so powerful and inspiring, I will work to make it a memorable time for all.

“I support the embracing our kinship and interdependence on campus through our collaborations, research, creativity, working through challenges and by acknowledging our shared responsibility for the environment.

“I am honoured to be a spokesperson and advocate for McMaster’s vision and leadership and frame my offerings through the principles and values inherent within Onkwehonwe’neha and as a Kanyen’kehà:ka yakón:kwe / Mohawk Nation woman.”

Smith is an internationally recognized leader in the performing arts and is from the Kahnyen’kehàka (Mohawk) Nation, Turtle Clan from Six Nations of the Grand River. She is one of Canada’s leading dance artists, artistic directors/producers, choreographers and designers, has an MA in dance from York University and trained for six years at Canada’s National Ballet School.

In 2005, building on years of theatre experience, Smith founded the Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, with a vision is to explore the intersection of Indigenous and new performance.

Her body of work includes not only productions for Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, but many independent commissions with companies such as the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Canadian Opera Company.

Smith’s recent independent production, The Mush Hole, won five Dora Mavor Moore Awards and has received accolades for its heart-breaking depiction of experiences of children who attended the Mohawk Institute Residential School.

In fact, for her many contributions to the arts, Smith has also been awarded the Ontario Arts Council’s Chalmers Award; K.M. Hunter Award; Canada Council’s Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award and John Hobday Award for Arts Management; Hamilton Music Award; Eihwaedei Yerihwayente:ri – a Community Scholar at Six Nations Polytechnic and a Hnatyshyn Foundation, REVEAL Indigenous Arts Award, to name a few.

In 2020, Smith presented CONTINUANCE: Yonkwa’nikonhrakontáhkwen – Our Consciousness Continues Unchangedan, an innovative new project exploring the history of Canada’s oldest residential school, in partnership with the National Arts Centre. Because of the pandemic, it was performed outdoors as drive-in theatre at the Woodland Cultural Centre in Brantford, the site of the former Mohawk Institute Residential School.

Smith is a frequent teacher and speaker on performing arts, Indigenous performance and culture at McMaster and other campuses around the world.

Smith, who designs pottery, has pieces in the collections of the Woodland Cultural Centre, Gardiner Museum, Royal Ontario Museum, Museum of Civilization, National Gallery of Canada and in private collections around the world.

She is currently completing a commission from the Gardiner Museum in Toronto, which focuses on clay and ceramic traditions, in the Faculty of Humanities’ art studio spaces.

Santee Smith carving a brown clay pot. She is wearing large earrings, a grey t-shirt, black overalls and a black and grey baseball cap. She is seated on the edge of a chair, working at a table.
McMaster Chancellor Santee Smith is working in the Faculty of Humanities’ art studios on a commission for the Gardiner Museum focusing on clay and ceramic traditions. (Georgia Kirkos/McMaster University)

McMaster’s chancellor is the honorary head of the university, presiding over all convocations and participating in a wide range of activities and events. It is McMaster’s tradition to choose alumni who have made significant contributions to society as chancellor.