After a traditional Naming Ceremony on Brock University’s campus, the co-curricular program formerly known as Indigenous Plus will be called Ode’min Wigwam. The Anishinaabemowin name translates to Strawberry Lodge in English.

The ceremony, which took place Friday, June 26 as part of Indigenous Peoples Awareness Week, introduced the name given as a sacred gift to the program by Elder Peter Beaucage.

For Program Consultant Michelle Root, the name is a powerful reflection of the journey students take in the program.

“The strawberry’s seeds are on the outside, which means its most vulnerable part is shown to the world,” she says. “Because of this, the seeds spread easily so future plants can grow. In the same way, we hope students in our program will continue learning and sharing their knowledge to help future generations.”

Friday’s ceremony honoured the gifting and feasting of the program’s name alongside the Eagle Staff and sacred items on the grassy knoll near Alphie’s Trough.

Interim Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement Sheila Cote-Meek says it is important for Indigenous-based programs to be named using “the languages of the people of the land.”

“Names come with a story attached to them, and the names also attach to the importance of the work generated from the program itself,” she says. “The work that goes forward within the program will carry out in a good way and be reflective of the name that was given to it, so this is a really exciting time for Ode’min Wigwam as it continues to build.”

Root says the journey to today’s Naming Ceremony began at Brock’s third annual Pow Wow in January.

“The students in our first cohort had expressed that they were interested in having a program name in an Indigenous language that also had an English translation,” she says. “The name appears on their certificates of completion and many students include it on their resumés.”

At the Pow Wow, Root approached Beaucage to inquire about being gifted a name for the program.

“Elder Peter Beaucage has explained that the name comes with a spirit of its own. That spirit will now be with this program and with each student who journeys through it, supporting them during their time in the program and continuing with them long after they have completed it,” Root says.

Elder Grandmother Jackie Labonte carried strawberries around the circle to feast the program’s new name. Associate Director, Donor Relations Jocelyn Titone selects a strawberry. Seated to her left are representatives from Scotiabank, Financial Advisor, Investment and Retirement Tisham Mohammed and Business Advisor Mario Berro (BSc ’23), who is also a current MBA student in the Goodman School of Business.

Abbey Keays of the Upper Mohawk Turtle Clan is a third-year Dramatic Arts performance student who took part in the first year of the program. She says it has allowed her to make deep connections with others.

“There were many experiences that helped me connect more to my culture, but what meant the most to me was finally having more of an Indigenous community,” says Keays. “It was people my age, in the same boat and with similar circumstances, who understood a part of me that some people don’t really get to see.”

Keays was among the students in this year’s cohort who advocated for a name change to reflect the program’s true nature and the opportunities it creates to explore Indigenous identity.

“The program tries its best to cater to each students’ needs — Michelle always asks us how we feel about things, and it’s a genuine team effort with students when it comes to shaping the programming,” she says. “It is a pressure-free zone where you get the chance to meet new people, learn new things and honestly, there is nothing to be stressed about.”

Ode’min Wigwam is generously funded by Scotiabank through their ScotiaRISE community investment initiative, which promotes economic resilience among underrepresented groups.

Applications remain open for applications for the fall cohort.