Restorative justice traces its roots to Indigenous traditions worldwide, yet few books in the field present Indigenous voices speaking directly about Native ways of responding to harms. Justice As Healing: Indigenous Ways does just that. It is a collection of articles from the Justice As Healing newsletter produced by the Native Law Centre of Canada at the University of Saskatchewan. Drawing on a decade of Native writing on restorative justice and on community-based, healing responses to conflicts and crimes, this substantive book features forty-five articles from community members, scholars, judges, lawyers, and Elders, most of whom are Indigenous.
Some of the featured contributors include:
S James Anaya, professor of Human Rights Law and Policy at the University of Arizona and Associate Justice for the Court of Appeals of the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe
Edward Benton Banai, Wisconsin Ojibway of the Fish Clan and a spiritual teacher of the Lac Court Orielles Band of the Ojibway Tribe
George Blue Bird, Lakota language speaker, writer and artist
William Commanda, traditional Algonquin Elder from Kitigan Zibi, Quebec and respected spokesperson and spiritual leader at national and international gatherings
Erica-Irene A. Daes, a Greek, chair of the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations
James Sa’ke¢j Youngblood Henderson, Chickasaw, a leading tribal philosopher, advocate, and strategist for North American Native Peoples
Bria Huculak, Provincial Court Judge of Saskatchewan
Ada Pecos Melton, enrolled member of the Pueblo of Jemez in New Mexico, president of the American Indian Development Associates
Ted Moses, Grand Chief of the Grand Council of the Crees and former Cree Ambassador to the United Nations
Nin Tomas, a senior Maori academic and member of the faculty of law at the University of Auckland
Edward C. Valandra, Sincangu Lakota, author and assistant professor in the Native Studies department at the University of California Davis
Chief Justice Robert Yazzie (retired) of the Supreme Court of the Navaho Nation
Wanda D. McCaslin, a Métis from northern Saskatchewan, obtained her B.A. in political science and her LL.B. from the University of Saskatchewan. After being accepted as a member of the Law Society of Saskatchewan, she worked with a private law firm and later with Saskatchewan legal aid. Since 1999, Ms. McCaslin has served as the Law Foundation of Saskatchewan Research Officer with the Native Law Centre of Canada. Her work includes editing the newsletter Justice As Healing, coordinating the Young Professionals International, and lecturing with the College of Law. Throughout her career, Aboriginal issues have been central to her work. Ms McCaslin has presented in the are of Aboriginal justice, case law analysis, and international Indigenous matters. In addition to her legal and academic work, she has been actively involved with Aboriginal community empowerment initiatives in the area of healing, restorative justice, housing, and youth.
