Mi – no Bi – MAH – di – zi – win: The Good Life

Over the course of three weeks in three-day blocks each week, staff and faculty at RRC Polytech had the opportunity to learn Anishinaabemowin and experience Anishinaabe ways of being with the guidance of gekinoo’amaaged, instructor, Corey Whitford of Sandy Bay First Nation and gichi-Anishinaabe, Elder, Paul Guimond of Sagkeeng First Nation.

Staff, now gikinoo’amawaaganag, or students, learned what it means to live authentically with the land, the seasons, and each other – what Anishinaabeg, the people, call Mino Bimaadiziwin, or the good life.

Whitford and Elder Guimond shared stories and memories, thoughts and feelings in a mix of Anishinaabemowin and English to expose students to the distinct cadences and inflections of either language. Much of Anishinaabe culture and history is rooted in the land, which Whitford heavily integrated into the course delivery – the pilot program was scheduled for early summer, so the Immersion Camp centred around the preparation for Sundance.

The first block comprised of storytelling and Teachings shared by Elder Guimond and Whitford to teach students about seasonal protocols associated with the six traditional Anishinaabe seasons and to associate Anishinaabemowin expressions with their meanings through experiential techniques, actions and gestures.

Whitford utilized the spaces at Notre Dame Campus to demonstrate that connection to space the language has – he guided students to the tiipii, or wigiyam, outside F Building and the Medicine Wheel Garden and the Sweat Lodge area, where Elder Guimond shared Teachings and histories about the traditional structures. Whitford outlined the next block deliveries in relation to the wigiyam and the Sweat Lodge, explaining how by the time the Immersion Camp came to a close, students will have helped prepare both a wigiyam and lodge for the Sundance in Sagkeeng First Nation in June.

“Corey taught us all the fundamentals of speaking, understanding the Anishinaabemowin alphabet and pronunciation, and the Teachings from Elder Paul about the wigiyam, the Buffalo Teachings, the Teachings about the Sweat Lodge, and Sundance Ceremony were incredible. The many sharing circles and discussions were community-building at its finest – we truly felt like family at the end of 9 days,” said Gerald Sereda, instructor.

Whitford coordinated several activities to relate the nature of Anishinaabe culture to participants – including the rope exercise, which he learned from an Inuk teacher. A thick rope is tied together at the ends to create a circle, which participants hold and lean back to create tension. A woman is lifted onto the rope, and walks around in a circle, touching the heads of the people holding the rope as she walks by. The exercise is meant to represent the strength that the community has, particularly men in the community, have and use and share to hold up the women in their lives.

Marie Rogge, instructor, says that the experience of walking the rope was spiritual and emotional.

“I was a bit speechless after stepping off the rope, but now wish I’d thanked the guys more and encouraged them to be strong for all the women in their lives – their grandmothers, mothers, wives or partners, daughters, friends, colleagues… Because we need each other to be all Creator meant us to be so partnerships, families, communities, colleges, businesses and nations can be strong and healthy,” said Rogge.

The second block took place in Sagkeeng First Nation where students engaged in land-based learning and walked through raising a wigiyam. Students went out on the land to harvest cedar and birch before stripping the trunks of their branches, leaves and bark to prepare as poles, then returned to the Sundance grounds to set up the wigiyam under Whitford’s guidance.

Students returned to Sagkeeng First Nation for the third and final block, where they washed and prepared buffalo skulls for Sundance while learning the significance of the practice with two women from Sagkeeng.

“Participating in the washing of the buffalo skulls in preparation for Sundance felt incredibly special. Using cedar water to wash the skulls was a powerful and spiritual experience, one that almost defies words. I am on my own grieving journey, and being able to participate in this ceremony was impactful and healing for me,” said Haley Pratt, Navigation Coach.

The Immersion Camp closed with a Sweat Lodge Ceremony in the lodge that students helped build with Elder Guimond and Whitford.

Jonah Schroeder, a recent graduate of Whitford’s Introduction to Anishinaabemowin class this past spring, says that learning the language has been indispensable in creating new friends and the Immersion Camp was the perfect opportunity to practice the language with new learners.

“It feels good to be in a community of fellow language learners, with great diversity in our life journeys and in our individual knowledge of Anishinaabemowin. We all support each other and have a special place in the circle we share,” said Schroeder.

He shared that during one of his walks through downtown Winnipeg, he passed through Central Park, where he says is a lively hub of kids playing soccer and friends sharing stories in an assortment of languages. An Anishinaabe man and his wife seated at a picnic table said something to Schroeder in Anishinaabemowin, not expecting him to respond – instead, Schroeder gave him a friendly greeting: “Boozhoo, boozhoo! Aaniin ezhi-ayaayeg?” Hello, hello! How are you two?

The three struck up a conversation in a mix of English and Anishinaabemowin, discussing their families, their homes and communities; why the couple were in Winnipeg, and why Schroeder was learning the language.

Schroeder says they must have chatted for twenty minutes before the new friends parted ways.

“I have been trying to learn Anishinaabemowin for a few years on my own, but it is in community where the language really comes alive. We need to hear the sounds and feel the words. It opens doors…or perhaps better yet, it builds relationships – it creates family. At least, this has been my experience over and over again, and this story is but one example,” said Schroeder.

“Together, we all learned to motivate our activities using our relationality techniques –  we used our head to think; heart to feel;  and hands to do the task-at-hand; to present each activity in an Anishinaabe lens,” said Whitford.

Glossary

Tabitha Harper, Social Innovation and Community Development – Indigenous Social Entrepreneurship alumna, was recently hired on as the Reconciliation Adviser at the Manitoba Museum. Congratulations on the new role, Tabitha!

Read more about Tabitha’s role on the Winnipeg Free Press website.

This year, people from all walks of life are invited to participate in the Moose Hide Campaign Day on May 16, in-person in Victoria, B.C. or virtually from anywhere. The Moose Hide Campaign has scheduled a sunrise ceremony livestream, a general plenary livestream, multiple live virtual workshops, a livestream of the Walk to End Violence Against Women and Children in Victoria, B.C., and a fast-breaking ceremony livestream. Participants can register here.

MediaEdge Publishing is hosting a walk to end gender-based violence as part of the Moose Hide Campaign today to join in solidarity with similar walks organized all over the country. The walk in Winnipeg will start at the Human Rights Museum at 12pm and end at Louis Riel’s gravesite in St. Boniface.

Staff and students can pick up moose hide pins from either Indigenous Support Centre (F209 at NDC and P407 at EDC) to wear to show support of the campaign and as symbol of their promise to not perpetuate violence against women and children.

The following message includes topics that may trigger strong emotions, especially for those with lived experiences. It is recommended that we all check in on ourselves and access the resources available to us to ensure we are taking good care of our mental health. For mental health and self-care resources, visit here.

The National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit People, otherwise known as Red Dress Day, is observed on Sunday, May 5.

Red Dress Day began with Jaime Black’s REDress Project, initiated in 2010, in which she hung red dresses in public spaces to represent the missing and murdered women, girls and Two Spirit people to honour their lives and their families.

The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit People (MMIWG2S) released their Final Report in June 2019. The report detailed over 2,380 accounts from family members, survivors of violence, experts and Knowledge Keepers during two years of evidence gathering. Two volumes of the report conclude that persistent human and Indigenous rights violations are the root cause of Canada’s high rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and Two Spirit people.

Sections 11.1 – 11.2 call on educators across all levels to provide awareness to the public about missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two Spirit people and about the issues and causes of violence they experience. In this digital age, we have the ability to spread the truth, but we are also at odds with misinformation borne from ignorance and racism. It is our duty to their families and communities to advocate for the truth of Canada’s complacency in crimes against Indigenous women, girls, and Two Spirit people.

Many Indigenous organizations have additional programs that support the National Inquiry and education on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit People like the Southern Chiefs’ Organization Inc. MMIWG2S and Violence Prevention.

This year, Giganawenimaanaanig, or the MMIWG2S+ Implementation Committee, will be speaking at Pow Wow on the impacts that loss has on Indigenous communities. Indigenous students and families who are the mourning the loss of loved ones will also be recognized for their perseverance and strength.

The flags at Notre Dame Campus and PGI will be lowered to half-mast on Friday and remain lowered through the weekend to pay respect to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit People.

MediaEdge Publishing is hosting a walk to end gender-based violence as part of the Moose Hide Campaign on Thursday, May 16, 2024, to join in solidarity with similar walks organized all over the country.

The walk in Winnipeg will start at the Human Rights Museum at 12pm and end at Louis Riel’s gravesite in St. Boniface.

To register yourself or your company to join the Walk to End Violence, please send an email confirmation including name/company name and number of attendees to ashleyh@mediaedgepublishing.com before May 13.

Read more about the Moose Hide Campaign on their website.

Students and staff can pick up a moose hide pin in either of the Indigenous Support Centres at Notre Dame Campus (F209) and Exchange District Campus (P407) to demonstrate their commitment to ending gender-based violence.

Wednesday, May 15 – Powered by IG Wealth Management

High school students are invited to come to RRC Polytech and explore the world of Information Technology! You will have the opportunity to explore sessions that focus on our programs Application Development and Delivery, Information Security, IT Operations, Data Science and Machine Learning, and Game Development. The day will also include a tour of RRC Polytech and panels of representatives currently working in the field.

9:30 AM to 3:00 PM

RRC Polytech – Roblin Centre – 160 Princess Street

Agenda

• 9:30 AM – Welcome
• 10:10 AM – Session A: Game Development
• 11:20 AM – Session B: Pentesting
• 12:20 PM – Lunch 
• 1:30 PM – IT Panel
• 2:30 PM – Campus Tour

Register here! Admission is free for all Indigenous students.

Thanks to RBC’s generous support for student-focused events, this year’s third and final RBC Reaction by Collision event of the academic year was designed to meet the needs of Indigenous students at RRC Polytech.  Each year, RBC supports three Reaction by Collision events, with one specifically dedicated to Indigenous students. The Indigenous Career Fair took place on March 21 in the North Gym at Notre Dame Campus, which welcomed hundreds of students from across the College.

Over thirty employers were invited with specific job openings and opportunities for students to explore and consider for their future careers and to evaluate what the job market looks like in the current economic landscape. Students had access to the RBC Headshot Lounge, where they could take professional headshot portraits for their LinkedIn profiles and other professional bios.

Valeri Kelly, a Nursing student, says the Indigenous Career Fair was a great opportunity to network with employers and create connections for her future career, even though she’s a second-year student that wasn’t necessarily looking to be employed at the moment. She said she had plenty of opportunities to share her resume and LinkedIn with interested employers.

“One that really stood out to me was Naawi-Oodena; it wasn’t specifically for any healthcare-related jobs, but part of what they’re recruiting for is to fill the space at the new friendship centre. It was really cool, because there could be an opportunity to have a health clinic there, which I could be part of once I become a nurse practitioner,” said Kelly.

Having spaces that are culturally-inclusive to engage Indigenous employees is important for the success of Indigenous people not just professionally, but personally and spiritually.

Joey Laquette, a Plumbing student, is an R-Crew member that helps newer students navigate the College environment from a student-focused lens. He filtered in and out of the Indigenous Career Fair, bringing students down from the Indigenous Support Centre.

“It was good to see how well-organized it was, as that helped people navigate the booths easier. I noticed that quite a few students were a little shy to make that first connection. I encouraged students to put themselves out there, and started the conversation with some employers with them,” Laquette said.

Creating opportunities for Indigenous students is integral to enacting the College’s commitment to reconciliation. To walk the path of reconciliation is to walk alongside students and make sure they have access to the same opportunities as every other student in a way that not only accepts, but celebrates Indigenous values, cultures, and ways.

Matthew Paul, a College Transition student, says the employers he connected with made a strong effort to show him their resources and supports to engage Indigenous employees.

“A couple of them really stood out when they gave me their emails and said to contact them if I needed help – they actually went above and beyond, when they could’ve just given me a pamphlet. They even said that if I do decide to apply, to say in the application that I met them at the Career Fair so we could connect again,” said Paul.

At noon, the event kicked off with a panel discussing recruitment and retention for Indigenous employees, how each organization promotes employee engagement through cultural programming and support, and how Indigenous leadership at the executive level impacts the quality of experiences for Indigenous employees.

The panel featured Herb ZoBell, VP, Commercial Financial Services, Indigenous Markets of RBC, Clarke Garrioch, Senior Software Developer of IG Wealth Management, and Charity Lepage, Director, Technical Solutions of Canada Life.

“Whether they are new to the job market or are seasoned professionals, the success of Indigenous employees is influenced by a number of supports which leading employers should strive to provide,” said Herb ZoBell. “Access to education and training opportunities, rotational programs, a supportive cultural environment, mentorship and networking opportunities, peer supports, and awareness initiatives aimed at addressing cultural knowledge gaps and unconscious biases – these are just some of the ways RBC empowers and supports the careers of our Indigenous employees.”

The Indigenous Career Fair is an expression of the work RRC Polytech does to empower Indigenous students – and with RBC’s support, it’s an opportunity to use our platform as an educational institution to provide new, lasting, and impactful connections between Indigenous students and organizations that will benefit Indigenous students, their families and communities, and industry at large.

RBC is a proud supporter of Indigenous achievement in post-secondary education and the workforce. Every year, the RBC Reaction by Collision event series features at least one event created to offer enriched experiences for Indigenous students at RRC Polytech. In 2022, the RBC supported Indigenous Culture and Entrepreneurship and in 2023, they supported Food, Fashion and Music; both events demonstrated Indigenous talent and entrepreneurship.

RBC’s support extends beyond experiential events to actual programs offered through the School of Indigenous Education – in 2022, RBC gifted RRC Polytech with $450,000 to finance the Pathway to Information Technology Programs for the next three years, which gives students the opportunity to launch a foundational education in IT for a tuition of just $500. Pathway students have access to wraparound supports that provide mental, emotional, physical and spiritual wellness through the School of Indigenous Education. For many Indigenous students, these support systems are extremely beneficial to their academic success.

Giganawenimaanaanig – We take care of them all.

This message contains information that may be sensitive to some readers.

Giganawenimaanaanig, known as the MMIWG2S+ Implementation Committee, is inviting all graduating students who are family members to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit People to receive honours and acknowledgements for their strength, resilience and dedication to furthering their educational pursuits despite the immense challenges they may have faced. Graduating students will also have the opportunity to acknowledge the loss of their loved one(s) when receiving recognition.

Giganawenimaanaanig is asking eligible graduating students to register online to receive recognition for the accomplishments they’ve demonstrated by completing their programs.

“We believe it is crucial to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of these individuals, as they not only exemplify personal courage but also contribute to the broader narrative of Indigenous resilience and perseverance. By extending our support and acknowledgment, we hope to foster a culture of inclusivity and empathy within our Province.”

Sandra Delaronde, Executive Director, Giganawenimaanaanig.

Please register with Giganawenimaanaanig before 11:59pm on April 25 to be honoured at RRC Polytech’s Pow Wow on Friday, May 3.

Graduating students can register here. More information is available on the registration page.

Students are invited to participate in a Sweat Lodge Ceremony hosted by Elder-in-Residence, Paul Guimond. Indigenous and non-Indigenous students will have the opportunity to connect spiritually through a Ceremonial Sweat Lodge, followed by a Feast on Friday April 26. Preparations will start at 10am and the Ceremony will take place at 1pm.

Please meet in F209 for 9:30am and to the Medicine Wheel Garden together to start preparing the site at 10am.

To register, please send an email to Holly Scherban at hscherban@rrc.ca with the following information: 

• Name 
• Student number 
• Any dietary restrictions for the Feast 

When: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 26, 2024 

Where: Medicine Wheel Garden and Sweat Lodge Facilities at the Notre Dame Campus 

Elder Paul joined RRC Polytech in 2018 as an Elder-in-Residence and has since hosted many traditional Ceremonies and Sweat Lodges across the College, in addition to offering the Indigenous Worldview through Indigenous Teachings and Sharing Circles. He’s a Sundance Bundle Carrier (Chief), Sweat Lodge Bundle Carrier (Water Drum) and Dark Room Bundle Carrier. He is an active Elder with Addictions Foundation of Manitoba and Sagkeeng Child & Family Services and offers healing, spiritual growth, and personal development through ceremony, programming, and establishing healthy relationships. To learn more about Elder Paul and connect, please see his profile on our website. 

Sweat Lodge Ceremonies are a way to heal oneself and connect with all four parts of the self: the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Register now! Limit of 20 participants per Lodge. 

Matthew Paul sewed his third ribbon shirt with his peers in the Indigenous Support Centre as part of the course curriculum in College Transition. Being able to immerse himself in his culture has been essential in his educational journey, and he says he’s looking forward to graduating from his first post-secondary program this spring.

A few years ago, Paul was encouraging his daughter Joanna to graduate from school after he noticed that she was struggling to find motivation to complete assignments and participate in class.

Joanna responded with: “Why? You didn’t graduate. So, why should I?”

Her question had a resounding impact on Paul, and he realized that he needed to set an example for his daughter if he truly wanted to encourage her to pursue education. He enrolled at Urban Circle to obtain his grade 12 credentials, and the emphasis on Indigenous wellness and ways helped him to engage with the coursework far better than he could when he was in public school.

After he graduated, he could finally answer her question:

“Look – if I can do it, you can do it, too.”

That same year, Paul intended to continue his education through post-secondary. However, he encountered issues with his funding which delayed his launch into college for a year, and again was delayed the following year when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

In fall 2024, Paul was finally able to enter College Transition to help him get accustomed to a post-secondary learning environment.

At first, he was scared. He was intimidated coming into a learning environment as a mature student when many of his peers were in their early twenties and still learning how to navigate the world as adults.

Now, he’s in the Indigenous Support Centre at Notre Dame Campus almost every day, chatting with students and staff. He feels confident in cracking the first joke with somebody, breaking the ice with new people – Paul says a lot of younger people he meets in the centre are shy, and he feels responsible for helping them feel more comfortable and helping them learn that it’s okay to laugh, joke and talk.

Now that he’s a high school graduate and a current college student, Paul says he’s proud to see Joanna still working hard in her own high school. The encouragement he gives her now is the same encouragement he learned himself: for him, it’s not about getting the best grades.

“Sometimes, you only get 50 per cent but as long as you tried, that’s what matters. Sometimes something won’t click right then and there, but you learn to figure it out. If you try your hardest and you still fail, well – that’s just life. With failure comes greater achievements in life later,” said Paul.

Prior to his return to school, Paul was living on assistance to support himself as a single parent caring for his daughter. He says it was a hard cycle to get out of because of the caveats that come with using social assistance programs.

“If you’re in school or you make any income, you get cut off, even though you might need that little extra support,” said Paul.

Paul says that College Transition helped him find the confidence he has in himself now, and he can identify his strengths and celebrate his own accomplishments.

“Before I came here, it felt so weird being able to say something good about myself. I always got told, ‘you can do it,’ and ‘why are you stopping yourself?’. It was like there was another me stopping myself,” said Paul.

Paul says that after College Transition, he’s considering the Pathway to Business, Creative Communications and Digital Technology Programs to learn how to run a business.

For a long time, Paul wanted to help others through his work, but wasn’t sure what that might look like. He says that he can see himself pursuing solutions to food shortages and the costs of groceries in northern communities.

Now that Paul’s a student again, he is not only encouraging his daughter to pursue education, but others that might be considering returning to school as well.

“Just do it – I was so scared to come here at first, but there was no reason to be. I grew from that. No matter how old you are, you still have a lot to learn,” said Paul.