Taran Kootenhayoo

The late Taran “Standing Sunrise” Kootenhayoo was proud to be Denesųłiné and Stoney Nakota. Born in Cold Lake, Alberta, and a member of the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, Taran was like water flowing between many different mediums and disciplines. Most importantly, he was a storyteller; he was also an activist standing up for Indigenous rights, an actor, a writer, a skateboarder, a dancer, a filmmaker, and a director. Taran was a transformer, cool in whatever he was involved in. He could steal the show, but he was always generous in his offerings as a person and a performer. He made things better.