This is a special edition of conscient roundtable featuring Lara Felsing, Adrian Avendaño, Hildegard Westerkamp, Toni-Leah C. Yake as part of the Listening in Relation gathering at Emily Carr University of Art and Design on March 21-23, 2025 on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, also known as Vancouver. Warm thanks to Julie  Andreyev of Emily Carr University, Barbara Adler of The Only Animal, the Canadian Association for Sound Ecology (CASE), Raphael Zen (who is a guest on conscient e228), and all the roundtable participants. 

Show notes generated by Whisper Transcribe AI

Action Points

• Explore the role of listening in decolonizing creative practices and challenging colonial narratives.
• Recognize the importance of land acknowledgments as active opportunities to listen to and honor Indigenous requests.
• Integrate personal and ancestral knowledge into artistic processes to foster relationality with the land and more-than-human beings.
• Reflect on the ethical implications of technology use in art, considering environmental impact and responsible creation.
• Embrace silence and slow down to connect with inner wisdom and speak from the heart.

Story Preview

What does it truly mean to listen? Dive into an exploration of decolonization through sound, art, and personal reflections. Hear from artists who are reshaping their creative practices to honor the land, ancestors, and the unseen voices that guide them.

Chapter Summary

00:00 Introduction to Listening in Relation
02:20 Keynote Panel Overview
06:48 Artistic Journeys and Ancestral Connections
29:58 Dream Technology and Cultural Expression
41:27 Identity, Land, and Heritage
50:01 Sonic Memories and Cultural Practices
57:04 Sacred Spaces and Cultural Resilience
01:03:05 Reflections on Cultural Action and Belonging
01:11:09 The Power of Listening and Silence
01:16:10 Technology, Creativity, and Environmental Impact
01:35:20 Closing Thoughts and Community Engagement

Featured Quotes

• Lara Felsing : ‘I think about listening in my practice as being receptive to concerns that are happening on the land.’
• Toni Leah C. Yakes : ‘When you’re asking where you’re from, you’re actually asking: What clay are you made of? or What earth are you made of?’
• Hildegard Westerkamp : ‘Listening was always the base from where I functioned. Listening always brought us back to ground.’

Behind the Story

The ‘Listening in Relation’ event at Emily Carr University of Art and Design brought together artists and thinkers to explore the critical role of listening and decolonization. This episode captures the keynote panel of that event, exploring how artists are actively engaging with sound, memory, and the land to challenge colonial narratives and foster deeper connections. The discussion highlights the delicate balance between technology, creativity, and environmental responsibility, prompting a reflection on our relationship with the world around us.

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END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). 

It’s my way to give back.

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish free ‘a calm presence' Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.

Your feedback is always welcome at [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on July 8, 2025