Through the generous support of the Orion Fund in Fine Arts, the University of Victoria is pleased to present:

Guest lecture & panel discussion
Dr. Abdoulaye Niang, Teacher-Researcher, Department of Artistic and Cultures’ Occupations, Université Gaston Berger de Saint-Louis, Sénégal
With Ry Moran, Associate University Librarian for Reconciliation, UVic

Music is a powerful medium that crosses all cultures and boundaries, mobilizes movements and expresses the complex emotions of our times. For this Orion Lecture, join us for an exciting exploration of how music is being used by youth activists’ movements in Sénégal and Indigenous peoples in Canada to enrich the lives of listeners and empower and affect social change.

Orion guest Dr. Abdoulaye Niang will present on African rap, politics and the renewal of citizenship, followed by Ry Moran, who will present on the relationship between music, truth, reconciliation and justice.

After a short break, Kirk McNally from the School of Music will moderate a conversation between our guests that seeks to uncover the opportunities and challenges for music and musicians in both countries as we collectively work towards positive social change.

Attend in person or tune in online. No RSVP required.

*As per BC Public Health orders, indoor mask mandates and proof of vaccination will be required. See further information about COVID protocols at the School of Music

*Photos: Fou Malade, cred. Sandy Haessner; Elisapie, cred. Jonathan Brisebois

Dr. Abdoulaye Niang was awarded a PhD with distinction at the University Gaston Berger (UGB) in Saint-Louis, Senegal in 2010 for a thesis entitled, Social integration and professional insertion of young b-boys though the hip hop movement in Dakar. His prior affiliations and visiting sessions as a guest lecturer include Cape Town University, Northwestern University, Rutgers University, and Harvard University. Currently, Dr. Niang is a lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the UGB. His research interests include youth, social change, social movements, music and creative industries, the use of information and communication technologies, social uses of digital technology, identities, urban cultures, and the theories and methods of the social sciences.

Ry Moran is Canada’s inaugural Associate University Librarian – Reconciliation at UVic. Ry’s role within UVic Libraries’ focuses on building and sustaining relationships to introduce Indigenous approaches and knowledge into the daily work of the Libraries and across the campus community. Ry came to this position from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) hosted by the University of Manitoba. Ry has also contributed to major national initiatives such as the creation of the National Student Memorial Register, designation of multiple residential schools as national historical sites, development and launch of the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada, and a major educational broadcast which reached over three million Canadians. Prior to the NCTR, Ry served with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC). Ry’s life-long passion for the arts and music continues to be an important part of his life as he continues to write and produce original music. He is a distinguished UVic alumni and was awarded a Meritorious Service Cross by the Governor General. Ry is a proud member of the Red River Métis.