Brock University will honour the heritage and enduring contributions of Indigenous Peoples throughout June with a series of opportunities to learn about and reflect on the history, cultures and resilience of First Nations, M\u00e9tis and Inuit.<\/p>\n
The Office of the Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement; the Hadiya\u2019dag\u00e9nhahs First Nations, M\u00e9tis and Inuit Student Centre<\/a>; and Indigenous Educational Studies have worked to organize several National Indigenous History Month events, including a presentation by the Niagara Region M\u00e9tis Council.<\/p>\n The Brock Library has also curated a National Indigenous History Month Reading Collection<\/a> that brings together a range of Indigenous voices and perspectives through fiction, memoir, poetry, history, art, film and scholarship. A variety of cultural and historical items<\/a> will be on display in the Thistle Complex hallway outside the Learning Commons throughout June.<\/p>\n Events on campus begin with the raising of the Two Row, Hiawatha, Thunderbird, M\u00e9tis and Nunavut flags<\/a> at noon on Monday, June 8.<\/p>\n Following National Indigenous Peoples Day on Sunday, June 21, Brock will celebrate Indigenous Peoples Awareness Week (IPAW) with events open to Brock and the wider community.<\/p>\n \u201cIndigenous Peoples Awareness Week at Brock is an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the Indigenous Peoples recognized in Brock\u2019s land acknowledgement.\u00a0It invites us to move beyond simply reciting a land acknowledgement and learn more about the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation whose relationships to this territory continue today,\u201d says Assistant Professor Jeannie Martin, Director of Indigenous Educational Studies. \u201cIt also challenges us to deepen our understanding of our treaty commitments articulated in the Upper Canada Treaties and the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n The week\u2019s events being with a Sunrise Ceremony at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, June 23, which will be followed at 9 a.m. by a launch event and Indigenous Strategic Plan update from Sheila Cote-Meek, Interim Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement.<\/p>\n \u201cBrock\u2019s strength comes from collaboration and a respect for diversity,\u201d says Cote-Meek. \u201cThrough collective work, we are creating Brock\u2019s first Indigenous Strategic Plan \u2014 a path that will guide meaningful, transformative change across our University. The plan reflects research, consultation and community input, and we\u2019re excited to share key themes as part of Indigenous Peoples Awareness Week.\u201d<\/p>\n Cote-Meek will lead a discussion with entrepreneur and Indigenous Leader honouree Trisha Pitura on June 23 during a 2026 Indigenous Leadership Series<\/a> event hosted by the Office of the Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement and the Goodman School of Business.<\/p>\n Pitura is co-owner of Mini Tipi, a Canadian lifestyle brand that collaborates with Indigenous artists to create exclusive designs that ensure proper representation in the industry.<\/p>\n Through her work, she reconnects with her Ojibwe identity while emphasizing the importance of community, self-care and embracing challenges as opportunities for growth.<\/p>\n Other highlights for the week include Bannock on the Fire on June 23, Seal Skin Crafting and the IAMINUK Presentation on Wednesday, June 24, and a M\u00e9tis Encampment display on Thursday, June 25.<\/p>\n A Program Naming Ceremony for the co-curricular Indigenous Plus program<\/a> will take place on Friday, June 26 at 11 a.m. The program, which creates opportunities for Indigenous students to build cultural connections and career pathways that foster a holistic post-secondary experience, recently celebrated its first cohort<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIPAW is a time to celebrate the incredible resilience of Indigenous people and recognize that education is key in understanding that our cultures are still vibrant,\u201d says Cindy Biancaniello, Director of the Hadiya\u2019dag\u00e9nhahs First Nations, M\u00e9tis and Inuit Student Centre. \u201cIt\u2019s an opportunity to build relationships with non-Indigenous people and share our knowledge, answer questions and demonstrate a balance between our traditions and the world we live in today.\u201d<\/p>\n