{"id":102187,"date":"2025-06-09T17:18:13","date_gmt":"2025-06-09T21:18:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/?p=102187"},"modified":"2025-06-11T08:36:50","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T12:36:50","slug":"culture-and-connection-at-heart-of-indigenous-peoples-awareness-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/2025\/06\/culture-and-connection-at-heart-of-indigenous-peoples-awareness-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Culture and connection at heart of Indigenous Peoples Awareness Week"},"content":{"rendered":"

From opportunities to enjoy beloved home foods<\/a> to discovering the art of traditional stick and poke tattoos<\/a>, a packed schedule of events at Brock University will honour the heritage, cultures and contributions of Indigenous Peoples next week.<\/p>\n

Hosted by the Hadiya\u2019dag\u00e9nhahs First Nations, M\u00e9tis and Inuit Student Centre <\/a>\u00a0from Monday, June 16 to Thursday, June 19, Indigenous Peoples Awareness Week (IPAW) will feature a variety of free, hands-on workshops and events and is open to everyone in the Brock and wider communities.<\/p>\n

IPAW takes place in the lead up to National Indigenous People\u2019s Day, which recognizes the heritage and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and M\u00e9tis people across Canada.<\/p>\n

\u201cIPAW is our favourite time of year,\u201d says Cindy Biancaniello, Director of Hadiya\u2019dag\u00e9nhahs. \u201cIt\u2019s a time to celebrate as we invite Indigenous partners to the campus to facilitate cultural experiences to share the beauty of First Nations, Metis and Inuit culture.”<\/p>\n

The week begins with a sunrise ceremony at 5 a.m. and flag raising at 9 a.m. on June 16. Biancaniello will then host a seal skin earring making workshop at 10 a.m. in the Hadiya\u2019dag\u00e9nhahs<\/a> lounge (TH145). Student Advisor and Recruiter Kaitlyn Austin (BSc \u201924) and Indigenous Plus Consultant Evelyn Dilworth (BEd ’24, BA ’24) will also lead a Land Acknowledgment Workshop<\/a> at noon that day in Pond Inlet, where attendees will learn the importance of meaningfully acknowledging the traditional land Brock is situated on and get tips for writing an acknowledgement.<\/p>\n

Delby Powless, a Mohawk lacrosse player from the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation, will host a traditional lacrosse stick info session<\/a> on Wednesday, June 18 at 2 p.m. He will explain the cultural significance of the game as well as how a traditional lacrosse stick is made. There will then be an opportunity to give lacrosse a shot<\/a> on June 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Alumni Field, where coaches will be on hand to teach the basics of the game.<\/p>\n

The University\u2019s Indigenous Engagement Office and the Goodman School of Business will host the fifth installment of the annual Indigenous Leader Speaker Series<\/a> on June 19 from noon to 4 p.m. This year\u2019s honouree is Fallon Farinacci, who will join Robyn Bourgeois, Brock\u2019s Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement, for the webinar. A proud Red River M\u00e9tis, Farinacci is a well-known speaker, survivor and advocate for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). Bourgeois will also host a panel titled We Are All Treaty People on June 18, with more details to follow closer to the event.<\/p>\n

Other highlights include:<\/p>\n