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CBC
20-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Students hope to see more Indigenous knowledge in courses, representation in faculty at U of M
Noah Crossman is proud to be Métis and carries that pride with him as co-president of the Métis University Students' Association and the Indigenous students representative on his faculty's student association at the University of Manitoba. But Crossman, who is studying psychology, said he'd like to see more Indigenous scholars in the sciences and more Indigenous teachings in his courses, so he can weave two ways of learning together. "But it's definitely tough and it's because from a broad perspective, science and the university in general is very colonial ... so it's hard to blend those two knowledge systems," said the third-year student, adding he's been doing the work on his own to try and make it easier. Crossman isn't alone in his desire to see more Indigenous representation at the university. Students in other faculties at the university CBC News spoke to said they'd like more Indigenous content in courses beyond what's offered in introductory levels, and to see themselves reflected better by those teaching that content. Ishkode Catcheway, who is taking a master's of community health at the university, said she wants issues facing Indigenous people discussed more in depth in her course material. "Yes, there are historical things that need to be discussed," said Catcheway, who is from Minegoziibe Anishinabe, formerly known as Pine Creek First Nation. "But also tying it to current day, tying it to the stereotypes that we see everywhere, that's kind of where I would want things to go further," she said. Todd Duhamel, who serves as the associate vice-president (Indigenous) research and academic at U of M, said the goal is to make sure every faculty at the university has some sort of Indigenous knowledge or teachings woven into the curriculum, adding students should never graduate from an institution without having that knowledge. In 2021, the faculty of arts at the university began an Indigenous course requirement, meaning students need at least three credit hours of Indigenous course content in their studies to graduate with an arts degree. Duhamel said the faculty of science is moving toward that too. Some programs like medicine, dentistry and other health professions have an Indigenous course requirement in admissions criteria, he said. An example is the Max Rady College of Medicine, which will require applicants for the undergraduate medical education program to complete a three credit hour Indigenous course as a prerequisite as part of a new academic requirement starting fall 2025. "We really want Indigenous knowledge to be embedded in everything that we do, it shouldn't be in one class you're done you get a checkmark, you move on and you never have to think about it again," he said. Engagement, language matter, students say Instructors should also have adequate training when it comes to teaching Indigenous-related content, especially around language they use in the classroom and how they engage with Indigenous students, said Catcheway. "These professors still should be getting the bare minimum education so they don't say Indian in class," said Catcheway. Arianna Gamblin, who has her sights set on entering the nursing program and working in her home community of Norway House Cree Nation, also said it can be hard for students when a class has Indigenous content, but it's not taught by an Indigenous person. "It's just a lot of pan-Indigenizing people," she said. "Obviously a non-Indigenous person would think maybe 'Oh they're Indigenous they must know how to say this Indigenous word.' "I wish the university would make an effort to Indigenize Indigenous knowledge and learning," said Gamblin. In a statement to CBC News, the university said all faculty and staff take part in annual anti-racism training, as mandated by the provincial government. That training includes content and self-reflection on Indigenous histories, cultures, and ways of being, reconciliation and addressing anti-Indigenous racism, the statement said. The statement also said it also offers sessions through UM Indigenous, Centre for Advancement of Teaching and Learning throughout the year for faculty, staff and students to increase their knowledge. The university also said in its statement it will release its full anti-racism learning framework this spring. Students hope for more faculty representation Jory Thomas, who studies architecture and is co-president of the Métis University Students Association, said while she's happy her faculty has put in a lot of work in terms of Indigenous representation, she's always looking to see more. "There's a lot of European people that come over and they teach here, which is great to hear that perspective," she said. "But because we are designing for the land here and buildings that are on treaty territory, I think it's important to have Indigenous input." That's something Crossman echoed. "I think Indigenous teachings should have come from Indigenous people, but I also think that there should be more incorporation of Indigenous teachings in the curricula," he said. "So, that's kind of two opposing ideas that I had that I hadn't really reconciled yet." Duhamel said the university actively works to recruit Indigenous people to become scholars. "There's a competition for these people across Canada, so every university is trying to recruit them," he said. "We try our best to be able to recruit the best and brightest professors. "We want our students to benefit from the diverse ideas that different people bring." Meanwhile, Crossman said he knows things take time, but also doesn't want to get complacent and wants to keep having dialogue with higher-ups at the school. "I think we can keep doing work and I'm going to keep advocating for Indigenous students and Indigenous scholars in the faculty of science," he said. "So we can keep trying to blend those two notes and make it more of a welcoming environment for Indigenous people in general." More Indigenous content, knowledge needed at U of M, students say 4 minutes ago Duration 3:04 Some Indigenous students at the University of Manitoba say they'd like to see an increase in Indigenous faculty and staff members, and curriculum that includes more Indigenous knowledge and teaching.
CBC
15-02-2025
- CBC
'You are warriors tonight': loved ones honour missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls at Memorial March
There isn't a day that passes when Nikki Komaksiutiksak doesn't think of Jessica Michaels. She remembers the 17-year old as a "beautiful human being," who shared a passion for the arts and was gifted with a talented voice to become a throat singer. Michaels was found dead in a boarding house in 2001. On Friday Komaksiutiksak held her relative's memory close to her heart as she participated in the annual Memorial March of Manitoba in honour of missing and murder Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit individuals (MMIWG2S+). "February 14th is a day of love … but for a lot of our families, we don't get the ability to do that in human form," Komaksiutiksak said. "What better way to do that to honour our missing and murdered loved ones with events, where we can come together in solidarity," she said. Dozens walked downtown Friday night, braving the frigid temperature that felt close to -28 with the windchill, for the march. Among the crowd, families held banners in the shape of purple butterflies that displayed the handwritten name of their loved one who had been murdered or gone missing. The overall silence from the crowd was filled with the sound of drums and chants that lead at the front of the march along Memorial Boulevard, St. Mary Avenue, Balmoral Street and Portage Avenue, before returning to the doorstep of the Winnipeg Art Gallery. The first memorial march was held in Vancouver in 1992 after Cheryl Ann Joe, a 26-year-old Shíshálh woman, was murdered in the city's Downtown Eastside. To Komaksiutiksak the march, which is now held every Feb.14 across Canada and the United States, is a display of community strength and a testament to the enduring relationships built from shared trauma. But it is also "a powerful reminder that there is a genocide that is happening every single day of our lives here in this country," she said. "We are not going to stay silent about this." Before the march on Friday, families and loved ones of MMIWG2S+ individuals gathered inside the art gallery for a ceremony. Photos of some of the women and girls who never came back home, along with a purple parchment with at least 215 of their names, were displayed. Quilts with red dress designs embroidered in them were handed to 15 families mourning a missing or lost one, among them was Bernice Catcheway The mother came out for her 17th memorial march on Friday to honour her daughter Jennifer Catcheway, who hasn't been found since she went missing in 2008. "That sadness and that feeling of hurt and pain, you could feel that as you walk," Catcheway told the audience inside the gallery. "It's an honour to stand before the families … I know that a lot of you are heartbroken, a lot of us miss our loved ones," she said. "But as long as there's breath on us, we'll go on searching." Catcheway holds onto the hope that one day the answer to what happened to her daughter will come her way and bring Jessica back home. But as the crowd prepared to go in the march, she invited them to hold their heads up high. "You are warriors tonight," Catcheway said. "I won't give them an inch to see me cry and to be hurt." A report from Stats Canada shows Indigenous women and girls experienced violence rates higher than their non-indigenous counterparts. Between 2009 and 2021, 490 of Canada's homicide victims were Indigenous women and girls. To Sandra DeLaronde, team lead for Giganawenimaanaanig, Manitoba's MMIWG2S+ implementation committee, the memorial march is a critical show of community solidarity, important to help lower the numbers of MMIWG2S+ people over time. "When we can create a stronger community, and not just the Indigenous community… we are creating safer spaces and places," she said.
