In advance of National Indigenous Peoples Day, Lakehead University held a tipi-raising gathering at its Orillia campus Saturday morning.
The event kicked off with a sunrise ceremony with Elder Trish Monague and was followed by crafting, wampum teaching, drumming teaching, and tipi teachings and raising with Elder Jimmy Dick.
Mercedes Jacko, Indigenous initiatives co-ordinator at Lakehead, says the event is one of the first and biggest gatherings on campus since the pandemic. The goal was to bring the community together.
“We want to share knowledge and teachings,” she said.
The event is in partnership with Lakehead’s community and engagement lifelong learning program, which is working on projects to do with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and youth initiatives, and the Mamaway Wiidokdaadwin Primary Care Team.
Jacko says the event happened prior to National Indigenous Peoples Day, which is Tuesday, to allow for more people in the community to mark the occasion.
“We, as Indigenous people, will come together and celebrate in our own communities,” she said. “That’s why we are doing this today in honour of June 21.”
About 40 people attended the event Saturday for the sunrise ceremony at 5:25 a.m., which indicates to Jacko there is a commitment to show support for the Indigenous community.
For those who want to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day on Tuesday, Jacko encourages them to read this post from Emma Greenfield, Indigenous teaching guide at Georgian College.
Linda Rodenburg, the director of community engagement and lifelong learning at Lakehead University, says Saturday’s event is a way to celebrate and acknowledge National Indigenous Peoples Day.
“It’s been wonderful to see so many of our community members out enjoying themselves and being a part of this conversation,” she said.
She says hosting the event is essential and should always be considered so.
“At Lakehead, we recognize the absolute centrality of Indigenous culture to the lands that this university is built (on),” she said. “Having a tipi here on campus is also an important recognition of that.”
