Flag raising, Inuit display launch week of Indigenous celebrations

Five women stand in a row on a university campus, each woman is holding up one flag.

To mark the beginning of Indigenous Peoples Awareness Week, the Brock community gathered on Monday, June 17 to raise the Two Row, Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, Métis and Nunavut flags. From left, Brock University President and Vice-Chancellor Lesley Rigg; Indigenous Elder Grandmother Jackie Labonte, Office of the Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement, Executive Assistant Kim Hill; Hadiyaˀdagénhahs First Nations, Métis and Inuit Student Centre Peer Assistant Sophia Carnovale; and Hadiya’dagénhahs Director Cindy Biancaniello.

A weeklong celebration of First Nations, Métis and Inuit history, cultures and resiliency is underway at Brock University.

The Brock community gathered Monday, June 17 to mark the start of Indigenous Peoples Awareness Week (IPAW) with the raising of the Two Row, Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, Métis and Nunavut flags.

Hosted by the Hadiya’dagénhahs First Nations, Métis and Inuit Student Centre, IPAW includes more than 20 free, public workshops, demonstrations and guest presentations taking place from Monday, June 17 to Thursday, June 20.

“The flag raising is symbolic of inclusion and acknowledges that Indigenous Peoples and cultures have an important role to play at Brock.” says Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement Robyn Bourgeois. “The flags remind us that we are many nations living and working in Niagara.”

Two university students stand in an atrium area of a university building looking at a display about Inuit children who attended residential schools.

Psychology students Kaitlyn Potashnyk (left) and Mirella Rocca (right) watch a video about Inuit experiences of residential schools as part of The Legacy of Hope Foundation’s “We Were So Far Away” exhibit, which is on display in the Rankin Family Pavilion until the end of June.

Educating members of the campus community about the Inuit experience of residential schools, the Legacy of Hope Foundation’s “We Were So Far Away” exhibit is on display in the Rankin Family Pavilion until the end of June. All are welcome to visit, but photography of the exhibit is prohibited.

“It was important for us to bring ‘We Were So Far Away’ to Brock to help faculty, staff and students understand the Inuit experience of residential schools and the impact it still has on Inuit,” says Hadiya’dagénhahs Director Cindy Biancaniello, who is Inuk.

The experiences of Inuit are unique. This exhibit recounts individual experiences of eight Inuit Survivors of residential schools. Each element contains testimonials, personal photos and images from Canadian churches and public archives. Read together, a common experience becomes evident, regardless of region.

“Much of what we see and do at Brock surrounding Indigenous Peoples’ awareness and cultures tends to be around First Nations or Métis,” says Biancaniello. “While Niagara does not have a large Inuit population, we are here, and we do have Inuit students at Brock University.”

The “We Were So Far Away” exhibit has been curated to be thoughtful and sensitive to help Canadians learn about this significant era of the nation’s history.

“It is my hope that people will take away a glimpse of the personal experiences of the eight Inuit who shared their stories,” Biancaniello says.

Recently named Inuk Elder Anauta, Biancaniello will share educational stories of her family’s history and Inuit artifacts from her personal collection during the two-part IAMINUK workshop on Wednesday, June 19.

IPAW events are free and open to everyone in the Brock and wider communities, but advance registration is required as spaces are limited. For more information and to register, visit the IPAW Eventbrite page.