On the occasion of Mi’kmaq History Month and Treaty Day, MSVU shares this message from Cassandra Bruhm, Interim Indigenous Student Liaison:
There are many important dates approaching on the calendar in the next couple of weeks. Friday, September 30th is Orange Shirt Day; Saturday, October 1st is Treaty Day and begins our Mi’kmaq History month that takes place every October.
This last week has shown us the strength of our community as we recover from Fiona. The Indigenous Student Centre fared well during the storm, with only one bench being knocked down and the Centre losing power from Saturday to Tuesday; we were very lucky. Fellow L’nu communities in Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador are still cleaning up the mess left behind and the power crews on the ground are working hard to restore power to communities. The Hurricane may have stalled some events scheduled for this weekend, but these are actively being rescheduled and I will announce the events on our Facebook group as they become available.
As we are continuously reflecting on everything that has happened to the Mi’kmaq of this land, I would like to echo the words of my predecessors on the resiliency of our peoples. In spite of everything “still we stand, still we grieve and still we celebrate our multitudes, unique histories, and ways of being and knowing alongside each other, despite enormous challenge at times.” – Alyssa McIntyre
The Mi’kmaq History Month poster can be found across campus, and you will notice that the focus this year is on the “Mi’kmaw Beadwork & the Art of Beading.” It is important to appreciate the art, time and resources that go into the beautiful work of our Artisans. We have a few of these Artisans attending MSVU: Ashley Carter, Gabby Cote and Cassandra Bruhm to name a few.
I would also like to acknowledge that the work for Truth and Reconciliation is not a one-day matter, this is a very important issue that needs to be kept in mind 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. Treaty Day is also not a one-day occurrence, and our people rely on these important documents to live and breathe on this land we now call Canada. Take the time the next few weeks to reflect, actively participate and be mindful in your intentions of creating Peace and Friendship but also connections within our community.
Below you will find a list my predecessors and I have compiled of podcasts, books, documentaries, reports, articles, films and free online courses to begin the journey of education that is rooted in truth and to celebrate the beauty, resiliency, and multitudes of our people.
– Cassandra Bruhm, Interim Indigenous Student Liaison at MSVU
Resources
Education
- TRC Calls to Action: http://trc.ca/assets/pdf/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf
- 2021 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ Peoples National Action Plan and 2022 Progress Report: https://mmiwg2splus-nationalactionplan.ca/
- “Unsettling Settler Colonialism: The discourse and politics of settlers, and solidarity with Indigenous Nations,” Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society: https://www.corntassel.net/Unsettling.pdf
- United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/declaration-on-the-rights-of-indigenous-peoples.html
- Marshall Inquiry: https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/marshall-inquiry
- Moderate Livelihood Fishery: “Lobster Fishery at a Crossroads”: www.halifaxexaminer.ca/environment/lobster-fishery-at-a-crossroads
- Open Online Course by University of Alberta – Indigenous Canada: https://www.coursera.org/learn/indigenous-canada
- Open Online Course by University of Toronto – Aboriginal Worldviews and Education: https://www.coursera.org/learn/aboriginal-education?
- Academic Well Being of Racialized Students: https://fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/academic-well-being-of-racialized-students
- Mi’kmaq History Month: https://mikmaqhistorymonth.ca/
- Restoring the Circle: https://restoringthecirclenwac.ca/#/
- Mi’kmaw Resource Guide 4th edition: http://cmmns.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/MIKMAWRGPrint.pdf
- Native Council of Nova Scotia: https://www.ncns.ca/
- Treaty Day Nova Scotia: https://www.unsm.org/treaty-day
Celebration
Within Halifax Regional Municipality:
- Book Launch “We Were Not The Savages, 4th ED” Sept. 30th 2:00pm-4:00pm: https://fb.me/e/1IpqxV5Hq
- 2022 Mi’kmaq Treaty Day Celebrations Halifax Monday, Oct. 3rd 8:30am-1:00pm: https://mikmaqhistorymonth.ca/event/2022-mikmaq-treaty-day-celebrations/
- SMU Mawio’mi Sunday, Oct. 2 11 am-3pm
- Sisters In Spirit Vigil (MSVU): Tuesday Oct. 4th Time and location to be announced
- DELIGHTFUL DOWNTOWN- Mi’kmaq History Month FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 TO MONDAY, OCTOBER 31 7:30pm to 11pm nightly. Debut Sept. 30th at 7pm with projection in Grafton Park
- Sisters in Spirit Walk from Peace and Friendship Park to the Wave on the Waterfront Oct. 4 @1pm (with a raindate of Oct. 5 @1pm)
- Alan Syliboy & The Thundermakers Sunday, October 9, 2022 2pm-4pm at the Halifax Central Library: https://halifax.bibliocommons.com/events/632a1b1c9754ac7dbf6f4281?_ga=2.172514725.705813371.1664472501-859185963.1664472501
Outside of HRM:
- Project 562, Matika Wilbur: “A multi-year national photography project dedicated to photographing over 562 federally recognized tribes in the United States resulting in an unprecedented repository of imagery and oral histories that accurately portrays contemporary Native Americans.” http://www.project562.com/
- Truth and Reconciliation Day & Treaty Day Mawio’mi Sept. 30th-Oct. 1st in Liverpool, NS: https://fb.me/e/1UCDfflhP
- Treaty Day Mawio’mi-Victoria Park in Charlottetown, PEI Oct. 1st 11:30am-5:00pm: https://mikmaqhistorymonth.ca/event/treaty-day-mawiomi-victoria-park-in-charlottetown/
- Chii By Ceremony: October 9-12, 2022 – Mi’kmaw Territory
Podcasts
Books
- I Place You Into the Fire by Rebecca Thomas
- Mi’kmaw Moons by Cathy LeBlanc and David Chapman
- Embers by Richard Wagamese
- Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq
- River Woman by Katherena Vermette
- Disintegrate/Dissociate by Arielle Twist
- Song of Rita Joe: Autobiography of a Mi’kmaw Poet
- Black Water: Family, Legacy and Blood Memory by David A Robertson
- Epekwitk: Mi’kmaq Poetry from Prince Edward Island by Julie Pellissier-Lush
- I’m Finding My Talk by Rebecca Thomas
- We Were Not the Savages by Daniel N. Paul
- 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph
- Mi’kmaq Stories for October: https://www.halifaxpubliclibraries.ca/blogs/post/mikmaq-stories-for-october/
Movies/TV
- Rutherford Falls
- Sister Dorothy Moore: A Life of Courage, Determination, and Love
- The Works of Margaret Perry: Glooscap Country
- Documentary Program: Voices Across the Water
- Wildhood
- Rhymes for Young Ghouls
- Monkey Beach
- Trickster
- Learn more about this year’s Mi’kmaq History Month poster: https://fb.watch/fRzycWQ3xh/
- Film produced by the National Film Board Mi’kmaq Family (Migmaoei Otjiosog): https://www.nfb.ca/film/mikmaq_family_migmaoei_otjiosog/