Indigenous Top Ten News

Jun 26, 2024 • National

Schools across Canada celebrated National Indigenous Peoples Day last week. Students from Elk Island Public Schools (Alberta); Canyon Falls Middle School (British Columbia); Assiniboia Park Elementary, Legacy Park Elementary, and St Mike’s School in Weyburn (Saskatchewan) participated in celebrations that included traditional games and dances, food, a tipi raising, and other educational events. Postsecondary institutions such as Vancouver Community College and Fleming College held dance parties, wellness events, skinning and trapping workshops, and other events to mark the day. Some partnered with community organizations to host programming: The University of Calgary partnered with Heritage Park to host Campfire Chats 2024; the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and Centre d’amitié autochtone de Trois-Rivières held an event where the community could learn more about Indigenous art, music, talent, and history; and the City of Moose Jaw and Holy Trinity Catholic School Division partnered to host an event with Métis jigging and hoop dancing for all local school divisions. York University and the University of Manitoba published Indigenous student and alumni reflections on the day.

Fleming, VCC, Nation Talk (Weyburn), Castanet (Canyon Falls), My Vegreville Now (Elk Island), Discover Moose Jaw, UCalgary, UManitoba, UQTR, YorkU

Indigenous Top Ten News

Jun 26, 2024 • NWT

The Government of the Northwest Territories has announced that high school graduates will receive trilingual high school diplomas. The diplomas will feature English, French, and the graduating student’s choice of one of nine Indigenous languages that are officially recognized within the territory. The seal of the Northwest Territories also includes all 11 official languages. “This showcases and highlights the NWT’s official languages to our students, educators, and families, as well as to their future employers and post-secondary schools nationally and internationally,” said NWT Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment Caitlin Cleveland. “It is my hope that these new trilingual diplomas will be hung with pride for generations to come.”

NWT, My True North Now, Cabin Radio

Indigenous Top Ten News

Jun 26, 2024 • MB, ON, QC

Humber College, McGill University, and Red River College Polytechnic have announced tuition and application fee waivers for Indigenous students. Humber announced that it will offer free tuition to Indigenous students from eight First Nations communities starting this Fall: Alderville First Nation, Curve Lake First Nation, Hiawatha First Nation, Chippewas of Georgina Island, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Mississaugas of the Scugog Island First Nation, Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte (Tyendinaga Mohawk), and Six Nations of the Grand River. Similarly, McGill has announced that it will cover tuition and mandatory fees for Indigenous students from local and proximate First Nations communities. The university will also cover tuition and fees for those pursuing programs that are delivered through Indigenous partnerships. RRC Polytech is waiving application fees for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit learners during the month of June to reduce barriers to education and increase Indigenous enrolment.

Humber, McGill, RRC Polytech

Indigenous Top Ten News

Jun 26, 2024 • AB, BC, NWT

Several schools recently held special graduation ceremonies to honour their Indigenous graduates. Indigenous graduates from Yellowknife’s high schools took part in an Indigenous Honour Ceremony, where they were gifted stoles made with help from local beaders. In Alberta, some Chinook’s Edge School Division graduates wore Métis sashes or medicine pouches that were smudged by an Indigenous Elder to mark their journeys into adulthood. Indigenous graduates from Red Deer high schools participated in a Grade 12 celebration that recognized their achievements, while the Opokaa’sin Early Intervention Society held a ceremony to celebrate students who recently graduated from their after-school program. In British Columbia, Wei Wai Kum First Nation hosted a special ceremony for students from School District 72 where graduates were drummed in and received cedar headbands crafted by an elder and cedar bentwood boxes, while Surrey Schools hosted an honouring ceremony for Indigenous graduates at a venue that was decorated to create a longhouse-style environment.

CBC (Yellowknife), RD News Now (Chinook’s Edge), RD News Now (Red Deer), Lethbridge Herald (Opokaa’sin), Campbell River Mirror (School District 72), Surrey Schools

Indigenous Top Ten News

Jun 26, 2024 • ON

Kenjgewin Teg recently held an event to launch its new strategic Indigenous/Anishinabek research presence in Ontario. At the event, four Kenjgewin researchers—all of whom were Anishinaabe-kweok (Anishinabek women) with direct community ties to Mnidoo Mnising (Manitoulin Island)—presented the latest findings of their research projects. Kenjgewin President Dr Beverley Roy shared why Anishinabek research (and Indigenous research more broadly) must be conducted by Indigenous/Anishinabek researchers and advocated for an Anishinabek research paradigm that is led by these scholars. “Anishinabek research matters – as it becomes another way to hear about our collective stories and our collective resilience…as researchers and community members, we look forward to amplifying community voices in supporting solutions to solve real and practical challenges within our communities,” said Roy.

Kenjgewin

Indigenous Top Ten News

Jun 26, 2024 • BC

An Indigenous student group in Chilliwack is helping to guide Indigenous education by sharing the experiences they have had in the classroom. The initiative stemmed from British Columbia’s Indigenous coursework requirement for students, as some teachers felt uncomfortable teaching Indigenous-focused content or would put the onus on Indigenous students to teach their peers. To help address this, students in the Indigenous Student Voice and Agency group meet each month to share their classroom experiences with faculty and staff, highlighting what worked and what presented challenges so that teachers can better educate students. “Being able to have those conversations with some of the barriers removed, which students have been incredibly instrumental in designing what those opportunities should look like, has led to some really transformative change,” said teacher Niki McCall.

CBC

Indigenous Top Ten News

Jun 26, 2024 • AB, MB, NB, QC

Several schools and community centres are hosting classes, workshops, and other opportunities to help students learn Indigenous languages. In New Brunswick, Governor General Mary Simon visited Wolastoqey immersion school Kehkimin, which is teaching Indigenous youth the Wolastoqey language and culture. Concordia University Indigenous Directions Senior Director Manon Tremblay shared how she created a casual and engaging learning environment at the university where people could learn about the Plains Cree language and culture. In Manitoba, CBC reports that an eight-week Anishinaabemowin course at Red River College Polytechnic is helping revitalize “one of the oldest and most historically important Native American languages in North America.” The Galt Museum, Sik-Ooh-Kotoki Friendship Society, and Blackfoot Resource Hub are co-hosting Blackfoot language classes that are taught by instructors such as Red Crow College Student Crystal Oka and Galt Museum Community Program Coordinator Kristin Krein.

CBC (Kehkimin), Concordia, CBC (RRC Polytech), Lethbridge Herald (Galt)

Indigenous Top Ten News

Jun 26, 2024 • BC

An Indigenous-led adult education centre in Brentwood Bay that was formerly known as Saanich Adult Education Centre has unveiled its new name: W̱SÁNEĆ College. W̱SÁNEĆ College serves the four W̱SÁNEĆ nations in the Saanich Peninsula and offers Dogwood diplomas for adults who finish high school, college prep courses, and other courses and certificates that are accredited by Camosun College and the University of Victoria. W̱SÁNEĆ College Director Kendra Underwood said that the name change reflects the college’s ambitions and scope of its offerings. Over the next four years, W̱SÁNEĆ College will work toward creating its own registrar system, hiring its own faculty members, and increasing its administrative staff.

Times Colonist

Indigenous Top Ten News

Jun 26, 2024 • NV

Nunavut Tunngavik Inc’s (NTI) Board of Directors passed several resolutions at a strategic planning retreat in Nuuk, Greenland. During this meeting, the board approved a $1.5M feasibility study for Inuktut academic schools. The NTI board also reaffirmed the Niriuttaarijat priorities that were established in 2018, which include working with governments to develop an education system that reflects and promotes Inuit priorities and culture. The board of directors further expressed its continued support of legal action to protect the rights of Nunavut Inuit to be educated in Inuktut.

Nation Talk

Indigenous Top Ten News

Jun 26, 2024 • ON

The Government of Ontario has signed Letters of Confirmation to renew its partnerships with four First Nations in Northern Ontario: Animbiigoo Zaagi’igan Anishinaabek, Aroland First Nation, Ginoogaming First Nation, and Long Lake #58 First Nation. The partnerships include $1.9M in funding through ON’s Skills Development Fund to provide training and career supports related to mineral development jobs in the region. “Minodahmun’s Indigenous Workforce Development Program is crucial for empowering our people with the skills and opportunities to build meaningful careers, strengthen our communities and ensure our members are participating in projects on our lands,” said Ginoogaming First Nation Chief Sheri Taylor.

ON