RRC Polytech’s Portage Campus was filled with energy, colour, and community spirit during this year’s Ziigwan Spring Equinox Gathering. With support from more than eight community partners, the gym transformed into a vibrant celebration of culture, learning, and connection. The campus provided the venue and a small team of staff, while community partners brought an incredible array of activities, displays, and teachings that made the gathering truly special.

Activity tables lined the gym where they offered beading, colouring sheets, bookmark‑making, an Indigenous Language Corner, and displays highlighting the Manitoba Métis Federation, Indigenous medicines, and more. Guests also enjoyed fun photo opportunities with Ajidimoo Aki, the ground squirrel community mascot from PCRC, as well as the Bear Clan photo board. Everyone left with a bag lunch to take home.

The gathering opened with a prayer from Elder Debbie, followed by a land acknowledgment that grounded the event in respect and reflection. Throughout the afternoon, guests were treated to beautiful dance presentations, including Jingle Dress, Fancy Shawl, and Hoop dancing along with some enthusiastic little dancers. The celebration wrapped with a Friendship Round Dance to bring everyone together in a joyful final moment.

Nearly 100 people attended the gathering, making this year’s celebration one of the most successful yet! The Ziigwan Spring Equinox Gathering highlights the power of partnership and the importance of creating spaces where culture is shared, honoured, and celebrated.

A chi-miigwech to Youth Hub – Tawicin on Kiksuya (Learns by Heart) and Suta Kachicha – Stronger Together (Portage Urban Indigenous Peoples Coalition) for being our lead sponsors and to our community partners: Bear Clan Patrol Portage la Prairie, Portage Learning and Literacy Centre Inc., Portage Friendship Centre, and Family Resource Centre. Miigwech!

Join Us for Upcoming Indigenous Student Info Sessions!

Are you thinking about starting your educational journey at RRC Polytech? We’re here to support you every step of the way!

Drop in to any of our upcoming Indigenous Student Info Sessions to learn more about our programs and how we can help you reach your academic and career goals.

Tuesday Session Dates

• March 31, 2026
• April 21, 2026
• May 26, 2026

4:00–7:00 p.m. (drop in anytime—no registration required)

Room F205, Notre Dame Campus

What to Expect

Our friendly staff will be available to share information about:

• RRC Polytech programs
• Admissions requirements
• The application process
• Student resources and supports

You’ll also have the chance to connect with our Indigenous student support team, who can help you explore your pathway to success—whether you’re just starting out or planning your next academic step.

Come with your questions, your goals, or simply your curiosity. We’re here to help you explore what’s possible.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Wiisinin Diner is closed for today. Thank you for your patience and understanding and we look forward to seeing you later this week!

You’re invited to join our celebration of the Spring Equinox!

The celebration will begin with a Pipe Ceremony led by the Grandparents-in-Residence in the Indigenous Support Centre, followed by a Feast to celebrate the season. Open to staff, students, and faculty, this gathering is a chance to connect, learn, and reflect with community.

• Thursday, March 19, 2026 – Notre Dame Campus, F209, 10 AM
  • 10 AM: Pipe Ceremony
  • 12 PM: Feast

No registration required. Feel free to bring your feast bundle to help reduce waste.

For questions, contact Sara McIvor-Prouty, Events and Facilities Coordination, School of Indigenous Education, at smicvor@rrc.ca.

About the Spring Equinox

The Spring Equinox is the official start of spring, when the north and south poles of the Earth are at equal distances from the Sun, and day and night are equal in length. This year, the Spring Equinox falls on March 20.

Join us in the Indigenous Student Support Centre at Notre Dame Campus

on March 20 as we honour Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQQIA+ Celebration and Awareness Day!

Throughout the day, we’ll be screening a selection of Two-Spirit short films, offering opportunities to learn, reflect, and celebrate diverse identities and experiences. This drop-in event is open to all RRC Polytech students and staff. Come for a few minutes or stay for awhile, your presence and participation are warmly welcomed. It’s a great opportunity to come together and meet new people or learn something new!

• 9am – 4pm
• Friday, March 20
• F209 Indigenous Support Centre, Notre Dame Campus

Films:

• Two Spirited – The empowering story of Rodney “Geeyo” Poucette’s struggle against prejudice in the Indigenous community as a Two Spirited Jingle Dancer. (6 min showing)
• Deb-we-win Ge-ken-am-aan: Our Place in the Circle – Lorne Olson has a vision of Two Spirited people dancing, laughing, and smiling — spurring him to rediscover the strength of the past to better face today’s challenge. (22 min showing)
• Woman Dress – Pre-contact, a Two Spirit person travels the Plains, gathering and sharing stories. This film honours and respects Woman Dress, without imposing colonial binaries.  (6 min showing)
• Inkwo – In this animated adventure a future haunted by monstrous beings, Dove—a gender-shifting warrior—must harness ancestral medicine (Inkwo) to defend their community and restore balance to a fractured world. (18 min showing)

A community Sharing Circle will take place from 12pm – 1pm, creating space to gather, share, and connect over the lunch hour.

Culinary Skills (Indigenous) students launch annual pop-up diner

The Culinary Skills (Indigenous) students at RRC Polytech are bringing their talents to the table with the return of their much-anticipated pop-up diner! This hands-on learning experience allows students to showcase their newly acquired culinary skills while serving up delicious breakfast and lunch options for staff and students.

Located in the Prairie Lights Dining Room (Building C – Mall Level) at the Notre Dame Campus, the Wiisinin Diner will officially open its doors on Tuesday, March 10.

Hours of Operation

Tuesday – Friday, March 10 – April 24

• Breakfast: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
• Lunch: 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Important Notes

• Single orders only – No modifications can be accommodated.
• Training environment – As students hone their skills, orders may take longer or have minor errors. Your patience and support are greatly appreciated!

To order, visit the Wiisinin Diner webpage. The menu will be available when the Wiisinin Diner is open!

RRC Polytech’s Interlake and Peguis – Fisher River Campus did not hold classes today at the Peguis or Fisher River sites to observe J.J. Harper Day, otherwise known as Indigenous Justice Day.

Indigenous Justice Day is to honour the lives lost to systemic racism and acknowledge the work still needed to achieve justice and accountability. The observance today was created in remembrance of J.J. Harper.

John Joseph (J.J.) Harper was a member of Wasagamack First Nation, respected leader, and advocate who was fatally shot by the Winnipeg Police Service in March 1988. He was unarmed and had committed no crime when he was murdered. His death became a powerful example of racial profiling and injustice faced by Indigenous Peoples, and his leadership and voice continue to be remembered as calls for change.

Indigenous people continue to be overrepresented in Canada’s criminal justice system as both victims and those accused of crime.

If you need a quiet space or community support, the Indigenous Support Centres are open at Notre Dame Campus (F209) and Exchange District Campus (P407) in Winnipeg.

If you need someone to talk to, connect with Student Counselling Services or Staff Forum resources.

Our Métis Kitchen Parties in Mitakuye Oyasin Okciyape at the Exchange District Campus (EDC) on Feb. 11 and at the Indigenous Support Centre at Notre Dame Campus (NDC) on Feb. 12 brought people together to celebrate Métis history, culture, and community in a really joyful way.

Louis Riel Day honours Louis Riel and the strength and resilience of the Métis Nation, and music and dancing felt like the perfect way to do that. With fiddling from Morgan Grace and energetic jigging by Peyton Habinski-Anderson and Savanna Anderson at NDC and with Jason Lepine and friends at EDC, both celebrations were full of appreciation for Métis culture!

If you have previously applied but did not include the one-page essay, please know that your application is not complete. However, the deadline has been extended to February 27, 2026.  Please send your essay submission, your full name and student number to financialaid@rrc.ca and they will add it to your earlier submission.

Mínwastánikéwin is a Cree word that means ‘to set it right.’

The Mínwastánikéwin Truth and Reconciliation Award was made possible through collaboration between Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement, College and Public Relations and the Campus Store. The award is funded by the generous support of RRC Polytech students, staff and faculty through campaigns at the RRC Polytech Campus Store that bring awareness to Truth and Reconciliation and Indigenous-led initiatives such as Orange Shirt Day and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit People Honouring and Awareness Day.

This award is for Indigenous full-time students. Recipients will be selected based on an essay response on what Truth and Reconciliation means to them. To be eligible, applicants are required to submit a General RRC Polytech Application, proof of Indigenous heritage, and a one-page essay submission. Completed application forms should be submitted by email to financialaid@rrc.ca.

Extended Deadline: February 27, 2026

If you have any questions, please attend one of two information sessions being held at both the Notre Dame Campus and the Exchange District Campus:

• NDC Indigenous Support Centre (F209) – February 23, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
• EDC Indigenous Support Centre (P407) – February 24, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

January 4 is Ribbon Skirt Day, a day to honour the beauty, strength, and resilience of Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, and gender-diverse people.

Ribbon skirts are more than clothing – they are Ceremonial and cultural garments that carry teachings, identity, and pride. For Indigenous Peoples, our Ceremonial clothing is our formal wear. It reflects who we are, where we come from, and the responsibilities we carry.

Ribbon Skirt Day was established after Isabella Kulak, a young girl from Cote First Nation, was shamed in 2022 for wearing her ribbon skirt to school in Saskatchewan. What had been a moment of harm became a powerful movement of love and solidarity, affirming that Indigenous Peoples have the right to wear their cultural regalia with pride and without discrimination.

Wearing ribbon skirts and other traditional regalia is an expression of culture, sovereignty, and belonging. These garments deserve to be respected in all spaces – schools, workplaces, and public life – just as any other form of formal attire is respected.

On Ribbon Skirt Day, we celebrate cultural pride and stand against discrimination, affirming that Indigenous identities and traditions are to be honoured every day.