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We joined Cowboy Smithx backstage at Inventures 2022 just prior to his panel #T7NFT Building Community in the Arts: Utilizing Blockchain Technology to Boost the Creative Economies.

The #T7NFT (Treaty 7 Non-Fungible Token) program is a project led by NexusVerseYYC, who Cowboy was onsite representing.

Cowboy also took the opportunity to talk about the role of identity understanding and the role of Indigenous culture in Alberta's innovation ecosystem.

"So going all the way back to that inception story, one thing that I don't see enough Treaty 7 people or Treaty 6, if it's Edmonton, I don't see people owning that identity, flexing the spirit and intent of that treaty, which was in our language is  [listen to recording]. In Cree, up in Treaty 6, it's [listen to recording] and it's this coming together and innovating and coming up with resources, knowledge, understanding of the land and understanding of the landscape and projecting into the future. Coming up with an alignment of intention that will help us carve identity and help every sector thrive. And if I can get all these tech sectors and agriculture, oil and gas, on that same page, that's one of my life's missions. We're going to do everything we can, including, make NFTS. "

Bio
Cowboy Smithx is a Blackfoot filmmaker from the Piikani Nation and Kainai Nation in Southern Alberta. He has acted in, co-produced, and directed short films and music videos. His best known work is a full feature documentary co-produced with Chris Hsiung called, Elder in the Making, a film about reconciliation between non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal Peoples in Canada.

Shift by Alberta Innovates focuses on the people, businesses and organizations that are contributing to Alberta's strong tech ecosystem.