May 17, 2023

Royal Roads University doctoral student Shawna Yamkovy is creating a Dëne Sųłıné digital dictionary that will preserve her mother’s ancestral language. Yamkovy visited the Łutsël K’é community and met with community members and elders to receive guidance on digitizing the current Łutsël K’é Dëne Sųłiné dictionary. She plans to add recordings of fluent speakers pronouncing and using words so that students learning the language can link them to concepts. Yamkovy also wanted to make sure that the dictionary could grow. “The dictionary project is going to be a huge resource to offer the community for years and generations to come, with the ability to hear these speakers,” said Yamkovy. “To have this in a formalized way and incorporated into an educational tool forever – the benefits are going to be great for the community, supporting this path of language revitalization.”

After the two-week Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) strike came to an end, teachers and students were able to return to school in two First Nations communities in Ontario. Two Row Times and CBC explained that the strike impacted more than 200,000 workers across the country, including the teachers at schools on Six Nations on the Grand River and at Quinte Mohawk School in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. A new tentative agreement, which includes wage increases of 12.6% compounded over four years, was announced in early May. “We just want a normal year and for our kids not to fall behind more than they already have from the pandemic,” said Laurie Kanerahtokon Green, a teacher at Oliver M Smith Elementary. Aidan Morgan, a special education teacher at Oliver Smith, said that the compensation boost is “going to be game changing” for teaching assistants and administration staff.

Schools across Canada are celebrating Indigenous graduates and students with powwows. At First Nations University of Canada, Spring Celebration Powwow brought both dancers and newcomers together. CBC highlighted the experience of Andrian Makhnachov, a TikToker who is from Ukraine, being welcomed at the powwow and having the opportunity to try drumming and powwow food. A powwow at the University of Manitoba celebrated 486 Indigenous graduates. “I think it’s proof that, as Indigenous peoples, we’re still here and still thriving,” said recent UManitoba graduate Tréchelle Bunn. The University of Windsor Aboriginal Education Centre and St Clair College’s Indigenous Student Services co-hosted an Alumni and Student Pow Wow that was open to the public and gave participants an opportunity to celebrate Indigenous cultures and traditions in the city. St John Catholic Elementary School in Peterborough held a powwow. Members of Hiawatha First Nations, Haudenosaunee and Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation attended the powwow, and students and teachers were invited to participate in an intertribal song sung to unite those at the event.

Students in an Indigenous Studies Class at Oromocto High School in New Brunswick recently learned how to create drums from drum keeper and singer Ann Paul. Paul helped students make traditional drums using deer hide and shared what it means to make a drum. “When you’re making it, you have to put your prayers and your energies into every lace you do because you’re going to be passing these on to people,” said Paul. The Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre (TBIFC) also recently hosted hand drum making workshops for youth and men. Participants made drums using moose or elk hides; they learned how to lace their drum, pull the lacing, and how to tie handles on the back. Students attending Creative Together or Skatne Ionkwate’nikonrattokáhtskon at the Lynwood Arts Centre in Simcoe made artwork during workshops with Indigenous artists. Students participated in workshops on loom bead work, mark-making, and more, and are showing this artwork in an exhibition alongside Indigenous artists.

Brandon University has announced that it will be embedding mandatory Indigenous courses into its curriculum. All BrandonU undergraduate students will need to complete a minimum of three credit hours of Indigenous content before graduation. They will be able to choose between courses with Indigenous content in the fields of health, education, music, or Native Studies. “The intention is that students have the opportunity to select courses that are important to them, that are meaningful to their education and that they’re interested in,” said BrandonU’s Indigenous adviser to the president Chris Lagimodiere. “And we’re in the process of creating the criteria to vet more options for students.” The new requirements are expected to be implemented in the Fall semester.

Indigenous students from Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School have created a new CBC Listen series titled Waa Nish Kaan, which means “Wake Up.” Students worked with CBC Thunder Bay to produce Waa Nish Kaan, which highlights the challenges and realities that Indigenous students face when leaving their families and coming to Thunder Bay to complete their high school education. The series begins with stories about the Wake the Giant movement. In the process of creating the series, students learned about storytelling, writing scripts, and recording interviews. “Working on the project lets us show our love for school, the Wake the Giant movement, our friends and families, as well as the Indigenous communities that we come from,” said the students in a group statement.

Medicine Hat Public School Division (MHPSD) recently partnered with Medicine Hat College and Miywasin Friendship Centre to hold an event for students in Grades 4 and 10 called KisKihkeyimowin, which can be translated from Plains Cree as shared good teachings. Students in Grade 10 helped set up tipis beside MHC’s pond in preparation for the event and take them down after. The opening ceremony included a procession from the tipis to MHC’s gymnasium, which was led by Crestwood School drummers; a prayer by Elder Charlie Fox; and dancing from two jingle dress dancers and a fancy dress dancer. Students participated in sessions within the tipis: Grade 10 students learned Cree flute, finger weaving, Medicine Wheel, circle of courage, and a hide story, while grade 4 students participated in games and workshops on Metis jigging, dreamcatchers, finger weaving, and beading.

Thompson Rivers University is working with Secwépemc scholars, elders, and knowledge keepers to define a method for verifying Indigenous identity. TRU Provost and VP Academic Dr Gillian Balfour said that the consultations currently focus on the university’s hiring practices, but that the verification method may be extended to students as well. “The intention is that we would be able to have a welcoming approach to all Indigenous peoples to be at TRU and would not exclude people,” said Balfour. “It’s about ensuring that people are here, receiving all the privilege and resources and support that they are entitled to, following verification of identity.”

Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) has received $9M in funding through the 2021-22 to 2025-26 Canada-British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Agreement to create distinction-based childcare spaces. The funding will support MNBC in planning, implementing, and creating around 100 new childcare spaces that will provide culturally relevant services to Métis children. “Distinction-based funding from the Province and federal government recognizes that Métis children and families are a distinct Indigenous group,” said MNBC Minister of Education and Early Years Debra Fisher. “The Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) and Action Plan made specific recommendations to provide distinctions-based funding for MNBC, the Métis Nation Government in BC.”

Schools across Canada recently held events and gatherings to commemorate Red Dress Day. Espanola High School honoured Red Dress Day with a display including moosehide pins and information cards about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Woman and Girls pinned to a red dress. Niagara College lowered its flags to half-mast, displayed red dresses on campus, and asked its community to wear red in recognition of the violence faced by Indigenous women, girls and two-spirited people. The University of Manitoba hosted events including a red dress pin workshop led by artist Gerri-Lee Pangman, and the University of Saskatchewan hosted speakers and performances encouraging reflection. Walks were held at Medicine Hat College, Bow Valley High School, Ponoka Elementary School, Ponoka Secondary Campus, and The BRICK Learning Centre. Students from Savory Elementary School, Ruth King Elementary School, and Spencer Middle School hung red dresses across Goldstream Avenue to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women, children, and two-spirit people.